NBA returns to China for 1st time since a rift distanced it from one of the sport's largest fanbases

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The last time the NBA went to China, there was silence. They were two of the most awkward games probably ever played, a pair of preseason matchups between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers with some fans barely reacting to anything and no press conferences held afterward.

This time, it's going to be very different. Back to normal, it would seem.

The Nets and Phoenix Suns have made their way to the Chinese gambling hub of Macao for two preseason games — one Friday, the other on Sunday, and marking the NBA's first games played in China since 2019. There are two more games planned for next season in China as well.

“I think it’s very important for us to be able to bring the live game experience, including live games, to as many fans of the NBA around the world," NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum said. "And there’s no doubt that China has one of the largest fanbases in the world — hundreds of millions of fans in China, 300 million people play the game of basketball in China, and our mission is to inspire and connect people everywhere through the game of basketball.”

There was a time where it seemed uncertain if that connecting would still be possible.

A geopolitical rift was sparked by a tweet posted by Daryl Morey — then the general manager of the Houston Rockets, now of the Philadelphia 76ers — that was in support of anti-government protesters in Hong Kong. China severed most ties with the NBA for some time, taking games off its broadcast channels, and the process of mending at least some fences took years.

Even now, the games come at a turbulent time. There is trade friction between the U.S. and China, with both sides threatening sky-high tariffs on the others' exports. And the NBA has long heard criticisms from lawmakers — on both sides of the aisle — about not taking a stronger public stance about China’s human rights record.

“Much of the sports industry is based on relationships and we think sports plays a unique role in building community — not just in the United States but around the world and particularly at times of heightened division,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “Whether that division is domestically or globally there’s almost nothing else I can think of that brings together communities like sports does, and particularly a sport like basketball that is globally played, globally understood.”

The Nets and Suns will play at Macao’s Venetian Arena, which is owned by the Las Vegas Sands Corp. — which is a casino operator there as well. Sands president and chief operating officer Patrick Dumont is governor of the Dallas Mavericks, assuming that role after his family acquired the team.

“Obviously, we know this is great for the Phoenix Suns and our community, our whole organization and the NBA,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said.

The Nets are owned by Joe Tsai, the chairman of Chinese tech giant Alibaba. And this NBA season comes with high hopes for a Chinese rookie: Yang Hansen, a 7-foot-1 draft pick who is expected to play a role for the Portland Trail Blazers this season.

He's thrilled that the NBA is headed back there, finally.

“I want to say firstly, playing for the Blazers is a wonderful thing for me, and I wish that I can take all the players and management and coaches to China for sure in the future,” Yang said with the support of an interpreter. “For sure, I wish (for) more games in China. ... That works for me perfectly. I just wish that in the future, we can have it — I can also play in front of all my homies, which is also the proudest thing for me.”

China is an important market for the NBA, for obvious reasons. If the NBA's numbers are right — 300 million fans — that's 300 million potential consumers in a basketball-crazed part of the world. The Blazers are already seeing how impactful that can be.

“One thing that I noticed this summer, and I’ve been with the team almost 13 years, we were No. 1 in the league in social media rankings in July during Summer League, which I’ve never seen before,” Trail Blazers President Dewayne Hankins said. “And a lot of that was due to the incredible audience that Yang Hansen brings to us."

This has been no secret for some time. Chinese fans love the NBA, plain and simple, and want more.

San Antonio Spurs' star Victor Wembanyama spent time in China this summer; if he was spotted on a morning jog, fans would sprint that way just to try to get a look at him. The Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James toured China this summer for the 15th time with Nike, the NBA's all-time leading scorer saying, “There’s an unbelievable love and appreciation for basketball in Asia that’s always incredible to experience.” Jimmy Butler toured China again as well, as did his Golden State Warriors teammate Stephen Curry — who has long drawn massive crowds for his visits.

“The skill level and the excitement around the game is really special and I was happy to kind of experience that in Chongqing this year and have something that I’ve done here in the states for a very long time with the Curry Camp and bring it over there,” Curry said. “Basketball is at an all-time high, not only from an awareness and fandom perspective.”

Suns guard Jared Butler said he's been looking forward to the trip.

“I think it’s a beautiful thing just for the experience,” Butler said. “Me, I’ve never been to China and I know a lot of guys haven’t been to China. So, experiencing something new with your guys is going to just be a bonding moment.”

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AP Sports Writers Brian Mahoney in Stamford, Connecticut, and Anne M. Peterson in Portland, Oregon, contributed to this report.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA