McDonald’s Quarter Pounder, by Tim Shea

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In the fall of 1987, there was an October marking the beginning, just like every new season, of a new chapter in my professional journey. It was also the year I embarked on my culinary adventures, blending ingredients for my now-masterful home-cooked chicken wings, just as I am doing today while writing this

I was immersed in the world of coaching basketball, teaching the Transition Offense of the championship-winning Detroit Pistons, led by the legendary Chuck Daly. This strategy was flawlessly executed by future Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas, Shooting Guard Joe Dumars, and the infamous Bill Laimbeer, known for his ‘courteous’ screens.

Meanwhile, my Breogan, Lugo team in Galicia had incorporated and was thriving under the same offensive system, orchestrated by Point Guard Manuel Bosch, Shooting Guard Manuel Sanchez, and the formidable Rudy Woods setting screens.

At that time, this innovative offensive approach was largely unknown by being unidentifiable, despite being showcased to millions of viewers in Spain and the USA. If you weren’t aware of the ‘keys’ to this system, it was easy to overlook its brilliance. I was fortunate enough to have it prominently featured in a publication by the renowned Franco Pinotti, owner and editor of Nuevo Basket magazine.

To provide more context the NBA, during those years, shone brightly on the horizon of Spanish basketball, while the country, still healing from the shadows of Franco’s regime, had left a lingering nationalist philosophy, and the USA was far from being a close ally.

*Spain’s journey to recover from the shadows of Francisco Franco’s dictatorship (1939–1975) has been a multifaceted and uneven process, still sparking discussions today. The regime’s impact—politically, socially, economically, and culturally—has taken decades to confront, and in many ways, the recovery continues. The lingering effects of this era, particularly regarding memory, justice, and regional autonomy, are intricately woven into Spain’s national identity and political landscape, rendering the recovery a long-term and incomplete endeavor.

In 1987, the sports departments of Spanish television, inundated with soccer broadcasts, were beginning to recognize the captivating and dynamic nature of NBA basketball. It would be several years before the iconic Canal+ duo of Andres Montes and Antoni Daimiel would revolutionize late-night NBA coverage. The Detroit Pistons and Coach Daley introduced a modern style of play that was unprecedented in Spain, so innovative that it would require a detailed explanation akin to teaching algebra to a child. I would even argue that not a single head coach from ACB or FEB-LEB could effectively diagram this style, especially in today’s monotonous Pick and Roll era.

But I digress. On October 23rd, I was invited by the hosts of a basketball show on TV Galicia in Santiago de Compostela (TVG) to provide narration and engaging commentary for an exhilarating NBA promotional event set to be broadcast live from the USA, dubbed the McDonald’s Open Tournament, kicking off on the 25th.

This first edition was to be played in the arena of the Bucks named, “The Mecca” and would include:

The Italian Champion Tracer Milan team led by Mike D’Antoni and Bob McAdoo,

The USSR National Team with a future pioneer NBA player Šarūnas Marčiulionis

The Milwaukee Bucks team of Terry Cummings, Paul Pressey, and Jack Sikma.

Then In 1988 it was the: Boston Celtics, Real Madrid, Yugoslavia NT and Scavolini Pesaro

In 1989: The Denver Nuggets, Jugoplastika, Philips Milano and FC Barcelona

In 1990: New York Knicks, Pop 84-Yugoslavia, FC Barcelona, Scavolini Pesaro

1991: Los Angeles Lakers, Montigalà Joventut, Limoges and Slobodna Dalmacija

1993: Phoenix Suns Bucker Bologna Real Madrid Limoges All-Star Franca(Argentina) and Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

And then in ’95, in’97 and in’99 again with other clubs.

It is evident that the NBA, through its international tournaments, has been laying the groundwork for what we are now learning: a long-term vision that has been in the making for decades. The league has been strategizing, marketing, and negotiating to finally launch a European division in 2026. Cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Milan, Bologna, and Berlin are prime candidates for new franchise locations, and as I write, negotiations may be underway in other potential markets.

Capitalism, as someone once put it, thrives on growth; without it, it risks self-destruction, much like a snake consuming its own tail. Expansion is essential to avoid such an untimely fate.

Yet, there is a significant caveat: many doubt that this NBA initiative will come to fruition, as numerous structural, economic, and logistical challenges remain.

The NBA’s ambitious plans are set to be begin in 2026.

Time will tell.