Report: NBA investing in Mexico City development; potential for expansion

The NBA is reportedly set to announce the opening of a new development academy in Mexico City next month, according to a report by ESPN's Jonathan Givony.

"NBA Academy Latin America" will be focused on youth development for local talent and could open the door to a G-League team or even NBA expansion down the road.

The NBA currently has six academies located in China, India, Australia, and Senegal. The elite training centers are viewed as a critical opportunity to increase the league's profile and that of the sport as a whole in countries which lack the proper infrastructure for athlete development of homegrown talent.

Few North American metropolises can rival Mexico City's sheer population. If basketball can begin to steal some of the spotlight from traditionally popular sports in Mexico, like soccer and baseball, it stands to reason the league would look to tap into that market on a permanent basis.

"In terms of a franchise here in Mexico City, it is something to look at," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said last January. "Obviously, it's an incredible market with over 20 million people, the largest market in North America and, while we have no immediate plans to expand, one of the things that we look at, it's whether expanding will be additive to the league as a whole and clearly coming to Mexico City, not just because the population of the city but as a gateway to the rest of Latin America could potentially be very important for the league."

Since the 2014-15, the NBA has played four regular-season games in Mexico City. Next month, the Brooklyn Nets will play two games south of the border, taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Dec. 7 and the Miami Heat on Dec. 9.