• The NBA will return to China in October 2024 with two pre-season games between the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns in Macau, marking the first games in China since 2019.
• Improved relations, led by NBA China CEO Michael Ma, have paved the way for a multiyear deal to host annual pre-season games in Macau over five years.
• Macau’s unique position as a special administrative region and its vibrant fan base make it an ideal site for the NBA’s return, blending sports diplomacy with economic diversification efforts.

In a significant development, the NBA announced it would make a much-anticipated return to China with two pre-season games in Macau, featuring the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns next October. This marks the first NBA action in China since 2019, before tensions arose from a tweet by then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey that supported the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. The incident led to a substantial financial setback for the NBA as Chinese broadcasters dropped the league, causing it to lose hundreds of millions of dollars.

Improved Relations Between the NBA and China

Relations have warmed up lately, largely thanks to efforts by Michael Ma, who took over as CEO of NBA China in 2020. Insightful sources cited by ESPN highlighted this improvement, setting the stage for the upcoming games at Venetian Arena—a venue owned by Las Vegas Sands Corporation, which is under the control of the Adelson family, who also hold majority ownership of the Dallas Mavericks.

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A Multiyear Deal for Games in Macau

Scheduled for October 10 and 12 next year, these matches are part of an ambitious multiyear deal aiming to host two NBA pre-season games annually in Macau over five years. The South China Morning Post revealed details about this lucrative arrangement. Mark Tatum, NBA's deputy commissioner, celebrated this announcement as a pivotal moment, acknowledging China's rich basketball legacy and recognizing Macau's enthusiastic fan base.

Sports Diplomacy and Macau’s Unique Role

The reintroduction of NBA games in Macau underscores not only basketball's massive appeal in China—where from 2004 to 2019, seventeen teams participated in twenty-eight pre-season matches—but also highlights Macau's unique position within China. As a special administrative region enjoying certain liberties under “one country, two systems,” Macau stands out as "China’s Las Vegas." It is renowned for its gambling industry, which constitutes a significant portion of its economy, although recent directives from Chinese leader Xi Jinping have encouraged diversification away from solely relying on gambling revenue.

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This move symbolizes more than just basketball; it represents an evolving relationship between global sports enterprises like the NBA and countries navigating complex political landscapes while promoting sports diplomacy and cross-cultural exchanges.

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