The commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA) has earmarked Paris as a potential venue for regular games - but played down the possibility of a franchise being established in Europe.

Following the game between the Toronto Raptors and the Orlando Magic, in which the former won 106-103 in London’s O2 Arena, Adam Silver said he was looking at the possibilities of adding another European venue.

He said that France had a “fantastic basketball market" – and Paris in particular. "I’m sure it will be something we look at closely,” he added.

Last night’s (14 January) game represented the sixth season in a row that the NBA had travelled to London as part of its Global Games series. It was the last fixture in its 2015/16 schedule to be played on the continent after earlier contests in Italy and Madrid. NBA franchises have also played games in China, Mexico and Brazil during that period.

However, Silver said he “doesn’t feel the time is ripe right now” to create a permanent franchise in Europe.

“We think the best place for the NBA right now it to showcase an NBA game here in London, to play our pre-season games here and to work on a grassroots level of the game,” he added. “But at the current time we are not looking at franchises in Europe.”