Mohammed Al Mubarak would like the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority to eventually own an NBA franchise.
"Absolutely. Why not? I think we have showcased when we invest in sport, what that means to us: a long-term approach that is building capabilities within that city," Mubarak said. "I think what the City Group has done, not just in Manchester itself, but throughout their range of investments, they've done a fantastic job in creating infrastructure both hard and soft in creating a talent pool with their academies. So is this NBA something that we would love to look into? Absolutely, but I think it's a matter of finding the right opportunity and the right framework for us to work with the NBA in that regard.
The NBA currently restricts sovereign wealth funds to passive stakes in teams no higher than 20 percent, and there are no current discussions or plans to alter that rule, league officials said. "I don't want to say what could ever happen, but there's no contemplation right now," Silver said last year."We have a long-term view in this" Mubarak said."I'm not thinking that there's going to be an Emirati basketball player who's going to play in the NBA tomorrow, but the fact of the matter is seeing the light in the youth's eyes today ...