The NBA announced on Wednesday morning that two preseason games will be played in China.
As part of the Global Games annual showcase, the New Orleans Pelicans and Houston Rockets are slated to play at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai on October 9, and on October 12 at LeSports Center in Beijing, per ESPN's Justin Verrier.
Having the highest population among all countries in the world, the popularity of basketball in China has grown tremendously throughout the past years. They have also produced a number of players that played in the NBA, with Yao Ming being the most popular.
The country has consistently assembled winning teams on the Asian level which has led to them being the continent's representative in major competitions like this year's summer games in Rio.
Chinese fans will get a chance to see some of the NBA's brightest stars this October with the likes of Anthony Davis and James Harden expected to lead their respective teams.
On the press release issued by the Pelicans, they got a chance to talk to their franchise player and he had this to say about their upcoming games in China:
“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to play in front of the Chinese fans for the first time in our franchise’s history. During my past visits to China, I was amazed to see the fans’ love and excitement for the game of basketball. Visiting Beijing and Shanghai and interacting with the Chinese fans is going to be an incredible experience to share with my coaches and teammates.”
Harden echoed Davis' excitement and also expressed how much he is looking forward for the opportunity to play there:
“Our entire Houston Rockets team is looking forward to returning to China, to compete and play our best basketball for our loyal and passionate fans. We are proud of the special bond our team has with the Chinese fans, and we know the atmosphere at the games will be electrifying.”
After this year's NBA Global Games China, a total of 13 NBA teams will have played 22 games in Greater China since 2004.
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