NBA Could Take Part in True World Championship : Basketball: Commissioner Stern says the league’s top team may face clubs from around the globe by 1993.

The NBA champion will face top teams from other nations in a world club championship that could begin as early as 1993, NBA Commissioner David Stern and international officials said today.

The tournament, which would be held during the NBA preseason, eventually could include up to 16 teams that have won national titles in Europe, South America, Australia and the United States.

Stern and Boris Stankovic, head of FIBA, the international basketball association, said the tournament could grow out of the four-nation McDonald’s Open.

“I think in 1993 you will see the beginning of expansion of the McDonald’s Open to where it would develop into the world championship of clubs,” Stern said.

Details have not been worked out, but Stankovic said he hopes the event could begin in 1993--the year after NBA players become eligible to play in the Olympics.

“We are still discussing the date, but we will try to do everything possible to start that year,” Stankovic said. “Before that is too early, and after that is too late.”

The club tournaments now involving 28 European nations could be used as qualifying events for the world club championships, he said, and similar qualifying tournaments could be held in other countries.

Stern said the international role of the NBA will grow, with more preseason games, and possibly regular-season games, overseas.

The Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz will open this season with two games in Japan.