NBA Commissioner David Stern has offered the assistance of his organisation to Great Britain's drive to take part in the 2012 Olympics.
That could include specialist coaching and an invitation to play practice games in the NBA Summer League.
Stern, in London for Sunday's Miami v New Jersey game at the O2 Arena, told BBC Sport the NBA were keen to help.
"It's a full range of services that we're happy to make to any Olympic hosts," said the commissioner.
"When we were dealing with the Chinese national team we invited them to participate in our summer league," said Stern.
"They came and they played against good competition. We also sent an NBA developmental team to play against them and we arranged coaching clinics and visits for them to meet with our coaches."
You have friends whispering in the ear of the international basketball community that a host should be in there
David Stern
That would not be the first assistance GB have had from the NBA. Stern confirmed that his office played their part in resolving the insurance wrangles that threatened Chicago Bulls star Luol Deng's availability this summer.
"Obviously that was in the call of the insurance companies with whom we deal," said Stern.
"We negotiated intensely with the potential insurers to see how much we could narrow the exclusion and whether we could eliminate it."
Although this summer's successful qualifying campaign brought GB's men's team a place in next year's Eurobasket finals in Poland, they are still not certain to play as hosts in 2012.
Stern is confident, however, that British basketball is heading in the right direction and the team will be playing in the Olympics.
"You have friends whispering in the ear of the international basketball community that a host should - if they make earnest efforts to develop the sport - be in there," he said.
"But I think for us the more important thing is to see the kids playing the game.
"As I peek around here it doesn't come as any surprise to me that our polling indicates that in young men, 18 and under, the second most-played team sport in the UK is basketball."
GB's EuroBasket appearance - their first on the major stage for 28 years, opens up a range of possibilities on the way to 2012.
A strong showing in Poland next year would offer a chance to play in the World Championships in Turkey in 2010.
If they achieved that, GB would also qualify for the 2011 European finals, securing a hosts' berth in the 2012 Games in the process.
Later on Sunday Stern watched New Jersey Nets beat Miami Heat for the second time in four days when they won 94-92 at the O2 Arena. Vince Carter led their scoring with 19 points.
Miami trailed 11-30 early on before Olympic gold medallist Dwyane Wade, hauled them back into the game.
A Marcus Banks three-pointer four seconds from time gave Miami a chance of repeating Thursday's overtime thriller in Paris.
But the Heat then lost possession after rebounding Carter's missed free throw.
The Heat, who had 19 points from Banks and 18 from Wade, have now lost all four of their pre-season games.
China international Yi Jianlan had 13 points for the Nets and Devin Harris added 14.
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