Granted, Adam Silver isn't David Stern, but the NBA has been on a quest to grow its brand across the world for years. FIBA is trying really hard to build something with prestige, like the FIFA World Cup. They even renamed the event to the FIBA World Cup. I know it's not even close to the same thing as the FIFA World Cup, but I think it has a good chance of gaining a lot of momentum in the next 10-20 years. The NBA very much wants FIBA to succeed, because it means more international fans for the NBA and more talent. Going back to amateurism for FIBA events is a step in the wrong direction.