NBA Returns to China After 6 Years

The Phoenix Suns and the Brooklyn Nets will play in the first NBA game in China since a social media post supporting Hong Kong’s 2019 pro-democracy protests.
NBA Returns to China After 6 Years
The NBA flagship retail store in Beijing on Oct. 9, 2019. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
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The National Basketball Association (NBA) will play games again in China for the first time since 2019, according to an Oct. 9 statement from the league. The NBA has not held games in China since a controversy erupted in connection with the 2019 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

On Oct. 10 and Oct. 12, the Phoenix Suns will play the Brooklyn Nets at the Venetian Arena in Macao, China. Alibaba Group is a major sponsor of the event and will put on a Fan Day event on Oct. 11.