London's hoop dream

"Clearly, the issue has been one of infrastructure," said Stern. "We could have gone and looked at Cologne or talked about Sheffield, Manchester, Birmingham, but their arenas are not going to be anything like London or Berlin. So, it is fair to say that London and Berlin have jumped to the top of the list.

"We are probably talking about 2007 and that is five years from now, so this is just a start.

"I think that the greatest potential pitfall is the global situation. We wound up cancelling our foreign trips this year because of 9-11 (the terrorist attacks) and that becomes a serious circumstance.

"Travel, I think, is less of a problem because the trip from New York to London or Paris could be quite a bit faster than the trip from New York to LA or Seattle or Portland.

"The logistics are not an issue. I think it's really an economic issue and a popularity issue. We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves. Frankly, seeing the buildings being built and being tested out for us to watch and learn, particularly with the Anschutz Group, is a good one."

The NBA's interest in expansion has been pricked by the increased use of foreign players - 51 from 30 different nations - by NBA teams last season, which has seen basketball become a global sport. In addition, the worldwide recession in sports has seen the NBA look further for potential income.

"As a player, we're still unsure how this might pan out but if it would mean more jobs, I can't see our union objecting," said the Dallas Mavericks' All Star guard Steve Nash, whose parents come from Tottenham and who holds a duel Canadian-British passport.

"And as a Brit through heritage, it would be great to end my career playing in London."

NBA owners still have to be convinced of the viability of expansion and there is scepticism within British basketball ranks. "I could see occasional matches here, a partnership between the NBA and our leagues, but not expansion in those terms," says Ed Simons, owner of the London Leopards in the British Basketball League.

"Teams play 41 home games a season, sometimes three games a week, and need to sell 20,000 tickets every game. Manchester United might be able to do that in this country, not a basketball team." But at the very least, what is evident is that London's new arena is to become a key international NBA venue.

If expansion proceeds, London will almost certainly be a home for a new club. If not, an NBA exhibition, or even the occasional neutral venue regular season match will be staged here.

There has already been talk of the city possibly hosting the NBA's All Star Game.

"Plans for our arena in London give the NBA what is really the last asset needed for them to make a decision," says Tim Leiweke, president of Anschutz. "All the pieces are now in place.

"What you can be assured of is that you ARE going to see NBA games in London. The question is, are you going to see two games a year, or 41?"