The NBA is returning to China. This news comes as the National Basketball Association (NBA), and Sands China Ltd.  their partnership to host the NBA China Games starting in 2025. On October 10^th and 12^th, the Brooklyn Nets will face the Phoenix Suns in preseason games at the Venetian Arena in Macao, China.

The last time the NBA had games in the country was in 2019 when the Nets faced the Los Angeles Lakers. NBA and Nets executives have  their excitement about the partnership and preseason games:

NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum: “Bringing preseason games to Macao will showcase the excitement of the NBA to fans in one of the world’s emerging hubs for sports. The Nets and the Suns feature an exciting mix of established and rising stars, and we look forward to engaging fans, aspiring players and the local community in Macao through these games and a variety of interactive events, youth development programs and social impact initiatives.”

Brooklyn Nets General Manager Sean Marks: “We always love the opportunity to compete on the global stage and we are grateful to participate in The NBA China Games 2025. The Brooklyn Nets have an incredible fanbase around the globe and we can’t wait to bring our love of the game directly to our fans while giving our players and coaches the opportunity to immerse themselves in a different culture.”

Five-Year Ban

The NBA returns to China after a five-year ban. The ban was imposed because the NBA did not punish Daryl Morey for his 2019 social media tweet supporting anti-government protesters in Hong Kong.

At the time, Morey was the Houston Rockets general manager. He is now the general manager for the Philadelphia 76ers. His tweet was posted as the Nets were traveling to China to play preseason games against the  in Shanghai and Shenzhen. Beijing took offense to Morey’s post, leading to an international incident. This situation caused the NBA to lose sponsorships, and league games were pulled from Chinese broadcast television.

NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver  Morey’s right to express himself on social issues. However, Morey took down the tweet and apologized. Silver also  the economic impact of Morey’s comments. The league

Moving forward – Nets face Suns in the Preseason Games

From 2004 to 2019, the NBA had 17 teams play 28 preseason games in China. China has an estimated 300 million NBA fans.

At the GBA International Sports Business in Macao, Joe Tsai, the owner of the Nets  the NBA and China’s relationship is “in a very good place,” and that they have “mended their relationship.” He also shared that the NBA would “love to bring the games back to China and Macau.

In October, Commissioner Silver announced plans to . The NBA China 2025 games will allow fans in more than 200 countries and territories to watch the NBA. The games will also generate revenue for sponsors such as Ant International, Ctrip, Mengniu, Nike, and Tissot.

The NBA is a global league with fans all over the world. The NBA China 2025 games will allow new fans to witness the NBA’s talents. They will also allow fans to see the young new faces of the NBA when the Nets face the Suns in the preseason games.

Justin Hill

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