NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that Mexican fans "can expect the NBA to bring more contests into the country, while adding the league is also exploring the possibility of adding a franchise in Mexico City," as well as a Development League team in Monterrey, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com. Silver: "In terms of a franchise in Mexico City, it's something that we're going to look at. This is a competitive market, well over 20 million people. While we have no immediate plans to expand the NBA, one of the things that we look at is whether expanding would be additive to the league as a whole." Attendance for Saturday's game between the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns was 20,532, a sellout. NBA officials said that it was the "largest crowd to attend an NBA game in Mexico." Silver mentioned that one of "the most important factors in bringing the NBA abroad is whether the host city's venue can support the teams." Silver pointed to Arena Monterrey as being a "state-of-the-art facility" that could host a D-League team in the future. NBA Mexico Managing Dir Raul Zarraga said Thursday that it is "time for the country to start developing NBA-caliber players" and the league needs "to work more closely with local authorities to see how we can grow the basketball professionally to find new players that in the future can play in the NBA." Mexico "already has a development academy, but Silver wants to explore putting together an academy sanctioned by the league," similar to what the NBA has done in other countries. Silver said, "I think the next step before we start talking about a franchise in Mexico City is to bring more games here. ... whether we bring additional regular-season games in the next season or do some sort of tournament where you bring over a group of teams and they all play each other in some format -- that's something that we're looking at" (ESPN.com, 1/15). ESPN.com reported Dallas Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban said that he would "support the idea of an NBA team in Mexico." Cuban praised the Arena Ciudad de México, and added that the distance from the U.S. "is not a factor." Cuban: "I would love a team down here. I think it would really help the sport. I would like to come back with the Mavericks, and every time that the NBA asks, we would love to be here." Mexico City Mayor Miguel Ángel Mancera said earlier in the week that he "supports the idea of an NBA team in Mexico" (ESPN.com, 1/14).
SOOTHING RELATIONS?: In San Antonio, Jeff McDonald reported before Saturday's game, a Mexican journalist asked Spurs coach Gregg Popovich if there was "anything the league could do to help soothe relations between the countries" after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office next week. Popovich: "Considering our political situation right now, I'm not sure the NBA can say or do much to decide what's going to happen between Mexico and the United States. The NBA has always stood for equality and justice, whether that's a racial situation or LGBT concerns. The league has always been at the forefront of that. ... I'm not sure the NBA will get involved in the relations between Mexico and the United States. I don't think Mr. Trump is going to ask" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 1/14).
