Los Angeles Lakers star guard Luka Doncic has made a major business move in European basketball. The 27-year-old is a part of an investment group that decided to purchase the northern Italian basketball team Vanoli Cremona.
With this purchase, the organization will relocate from Cremona to Rome at the start of the 2026-27 season, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
“I have dreamed about owning a team in Europe for a long time, to finally have this happen is amazing,” Doncic said following the new investment. “Vanoli has a great history, and we are ready to take it to the next level in Rome. We have an amazing group of partners, and I really believe we can do something special for basketball in Italy and Europe.”
Doncic’s ownership group also includes Donnie Nelson, former Italian coach Valerio Bianchini, and former player Rimantas Kaukenas.
Luka Doncic Prioritizes Lakers Following Investment in Italian Basketball
Luka Doncic hopes to be a “hands-on owner” while helping “shape the organization and its people for years to come,” Tania Ganguli of The New York Times wrote.
Although Doncic is taking on responsibilities beyond being the star player for the Los Angeles Lakers, he still understands what his top priority is moving forward.
“Obviously, I’ve started thinking a little bit,” Doncic said. “But I’m a Laker, and winning the (NBA) championship right now is the most important thing for me.”
Throughout his eight-year NBA career, Luka Doncic has emerged as one of the league’s top players. The 2025-26 season was his first full season with the Lakers after he was traded from the Dallas Mavericks in 2025.
In 64 games, Doncic earned the 2025-26 NBA Scoring Title while averaging 33.5 points per game. He added an impressive 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.6 steals on 47.6/36.6/78.0 shooting splits.
The Slovenian superstar was also named to the All-NBA First Team for the 2025-26 season next to players such as Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Cade Cunningham.
NBA Eyes Expansion League in Europe
While Luka Doncic has expanded his investments into European basketball, this aligns with the NBA’s desire to introduce a new league across the Atlantic Ocean.
The NBA expects to launch a league of 14 to 16 teams across 12 European cities, Andrew Greif of NBC News wrote. The teams in this new league will not be part of the NBA in the United States.
Luka Doncic’s ownership partner, Donnie Nelson, told The New York Times that Vanoli Cremona is a prospect that’s included in the NBA’s expansion league.
“I think that we’re optimistic and hopeful that the NBA relationship happens,” Nelson said. “If it doesn’t happen for whatever reason, we’re still excited about moving forward with the Roman opportunity.”
An Update on Luka Doncic’s ‘Season-Ending’ Injury
Although Luka Doncic was one of the top players throughout the NBA last season, the guard’s season was cut short after suffering a Grade 2 hamstring strain on April 2.
Doncic missed the final five games of the Los Angeles Lakers’ regular season. On top of this, the injury kept him sidelined for the entirety of the Lakers’ playoff run.
Los Angeles advanced to the Western Conference Semifinal round before getting knocked out by the Oklahoma City Thunder in four games.
After Los Angeles’ season was officially over, Doncic announced that he expects to be at full strength for the start of the 2026-27 season. He will prioritize his health this summer rather than play for his home country in the 2027 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers.
Luka Doncic Makes Lakers Statement Following Major Business Move