NBA set to return to China next season with two preseason games, marking their first visit in five years

The NBA is set to return to China for the first time since 2019, with two pre-season games scheduled in Macau between the Brooklyn Nets and the Phoenix Suns next October, as reported by ESPN on Thursday.

No NBA games have taken place in China since two pre-season matches were held in 2019, which were marred by controversy following a tweet from then Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey that expressed support for the protests in Hong Kong.

According to ESPN, the relationship between the NBA and China has improved, facilitated by NBA China CEO Michael Ma, who was appointed in 2020.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver mentioned at a sports management conference in October that he anticipated the league would eventually resume games in China. "We experienced a well-publicized incident there prior to the pandemic involving a tweet, which led to the Chinese government suspending our broadcasts for a time," Silver stated. "We accepted that situation and remained committed to our values."

The NBA incurred losses amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars due to the suspension of its broadcasts in China until 2022.

Since then, the league has expanded its global presence, recently hosting pre-season games in Abu Dhabi, with Emirates Airlines sponsoring the NBA Cup, the league's in-season tournament.

ESPN also reported that the upcoming games in Macau will take place at the Venetian Arena, part of the Las Vegas Sands conglomerate, which is controlled by the Adelson family, the majority owners of the Dallas Mavericks.

China boasts a vast basketball fanbase, with 17 teams having played a total of 28 pre-season games in the country from 2004 to 2019.

SportsLigue