The NBA is returning to China, half a decade after a tweet ignited a firestorm in the league’s second-most lucrative country.
The Brooklyn Nets and the Phoenix Suns will play two preseason games in Macau next October, according to ESPN.
The Nets are owned by Taiwanese-born billionaire Joe Tsai, and the game would be played at the Venetian Arena, controlled by the Adelson family, which also owns the majority of the Dallas Mavericks. The Adelsons company would also collaborate with the NBA on new youth development programs and social impact initiatives in Macau.
ESPN describes these games as the result of a years-long process to repair the league’s relationship with China. NBA China CEO Michael Ma has reportedly been helpful since being hired in 2020.
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NBA China controversy engulfed league in 2019
The NBA’s problems began on October 4, 2019, when Daryl Morey, then general manager of the Houston Rockets, posted an image reading “Fight for freedom, support Hong Kong”, amid a series of protests in the regions special administrative actions against the Chinese government.
The NBA supported Morey’s free speech but immediately distanced itself from the tweet, as did Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta. Morey, now president of basketball operations for the Philadelphia 76ers, later deleted the tweet and clarified that the statement only reflected his personal opinions. This simple criticism and the league’s support for Morey’s free speech nonetheless angered the Chinese government.
NBA games were removed from the country’s television networks and the Rockets became a taboo overnight, despite being the team of national hero Yao Ming. The league played 28 preseason games in China from 2004 to 2019, but not one since The Tweet.
The NBA’s response has also become a domestic political issue, with lawmakers on both sides harshly criticizing the league for allowing China to suppress the free speech of a U.S. citizen. There was no shortage of demonstrations during matches over the following weeks.
