Follow usNBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed optimism about the possibility of bringing NBA games back to China after relations were severed five years ago due to a political controversy.
In 2019, former Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey publicly supported the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, which led to China canceling several scheduled preseason games and imposing an 18-month ban on televising NBA games in the country.
Today at the @Columbia_SPS sports conference @NBA commissioner Adam Silver said “I think we will bring games back to China,” and added that the league stood by its values after the Daryl Morey situation a few years back. @novy_williams was in attendance pic.twitter.com/iWHW9G1WdN
— Sportico (@Sportico) October 10, 2024
Speaking at a sports management conference at Columbia University in New York, Silver said, “I think we can bring games back to China in some form.” He acknowledged the ban but emphasized that the NBA continues to uphold its values, including the freedom for individuals within the league to speak on political issues.
The last NBA game in China was played in October 2019 between the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the league has been hosting preseason games in Japan and Abu Dhabi, along with regular-season games in Paris and Mexico City.
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