A new basketball project in Rome has officially been unveiled, with Luka Doncic helping draw attention to the initiative through a social media post that read: “Basketball is coming back to Rome.”
The Lakers star is part of the ownership structure as a minority investor and is supporting an ambitious effort to reestablish Rome on the European basketball map after years without a team at the highest level.
The club is expected to take the place of Vanoli Cremona in Italy’s top division after completing the necessary licensing procedures and receiving preliminary approval from basketball authorities.
This would mark the return of elite domestic basketball to the Italian capital for the first time since Virtus Roma ceased operations in 2020.
Reports suggest that former Serbian national team coach and EuroLeague winner Sasha Djordjevic is the leading candidate to guide the team from the bench.
The project is reportedly headed by former Dallas Mavericks executive Donnie Nelson, alongside respected scout Roberto Carmenati and Rimantas Kaukenas, the former Wolves Vilnius president and five-time Italian league champion as a player.
With experienced basketball figures involved and growing financial backing, the Rome-based venture is aiming to become a significant presence in Italian and European basketball in the years ahead.
Luka Doncic has officially teased a bold new project in Rome: https://t.co/2AFyoao1h7
— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) May 29, 2026
