Sources said that the NBA "struck a groundbreaking partnership with Brazil’s top domestic basketball league in which the two will share best practices, marketing strategies, and player development techniques," according to Zach Lowe of GRANTLAND. The goal of the NBA’s partnership with Liga Nacional de Basquete "is to increase the sport’s profile in Brazil, deepen cooperation between the NBA and top FIBA leagues, and expand the NBA’s international brand." The agreement "could be announced by early next month, and the NBA will likely obtain an equity stake in the LNB as part of the deal, per sources." The deal "will likely have the NBA sending both cash and people into Brazil for at least two years." The LNB was formed in late '08 "as a way of placing the top 16 Brazilian teams under the same competitive umbrella." This "is a stand-alone arrangement, but it falls within the larger context of the NBA’s quest for global sporting dominance and potential interest in eventually unifying the sport at the highest level under one set of rules." That may not ever happen, but "it is an idea with some traction at NBA headquarters and elsewhere around the world" (GRANTLAND, 10/27). The AP's Tales Azzoni wrote earlier this month Brazilian media reported that "the NBA is negotiating a financial partnership with a local Brazilian league, something that would give a huge boost to the sport," but so far the NBA is saying it can not comment on anything related to the possibility. The level of Brazilian basketball talent has increased recently, "with more players making it to the NBA." There "were five Brazilians in the league last year, and it looks as if there could be six this season" (AP, 10/12). An NBA spokesperson said that nothing has been confirmed (SBD Global).
