Premier League's 39th game is not welcome in US, but the NBA plans to stage basketball over here

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National Basketball Association commissioner David Stern is reported to be contemplating a plan to create as many as five franchises in Europe.

Stern: plan for five European franchises

North America was thought to be one of the Premier League's key target markets to host its "international round" of matches.

Stern is expected announce the NBA's stance on Saturday, the day before the All-Star Game in New Orleans.

The proposals are understood to include the formation of a European division with five new teams in major markets.

The teams would play a full 82-game schedule and compete for the NBA championship.

It is not the first time that Stern has entertained the concept of overseas expansion. He broached the idea in 2003, saying then that the league would look into European expansion within a decade.

Those plans were scrapped, however, with the NBA instead focusing on developing its relationship with China and other emerging basketball markets.

Last month, the NBA announced the formation of NBA China, a project in which four Chinese investors have pledged more than £125million.

While the number of foreign players in the NBA has increased in recent years, Stern's latest plan could face a number of obstacles, as professional basketball lags well behind football in terms of popularity in western Europe.

However, it still enjoys considerable support in Spain, Italy, Greece and the Balkans.

The NBA has played regular-season games in Japan and Mexico, and played exhibition contests this season in London and Rome.