Chinese basketball talent given boost with NBA partnership

By offering Chinese talent the chance to train and compete in the United States, a new partnership extension between the premier basketball associations in China and the US is expected to help elevate basketball development in China at both elite and grassroots levels.

The multi-year collaboration between the Chinese Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association was announced just a few hours ahead of tip-off in the first of the NBA China Games 2025, between the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns, at the Venetian Arena in Macao on Friday night.

Through the extended partnership, NBA China and the CBA will provide opportunities for the Chinese men's and women's national teams to train and compete in the US, offer top Chinese prospects opportunities to participate in the NBA's elite basketball programs, and support the development of Chinese coaches and referees.

The announcement was made by CBA president Guo Zhenming and NBA commissioner Adam Silver at a signing ceremony in Macao, where the Nets and Suns square off against each other in a highly anticipated pair of preseason games, with the second scheduled for Sunday.

"The Chinese Basketball Association remains committed to an open approach and continuously deepening international exchanges," said Guo, who took over the reins of the CBA from NBA legend Yao Ming last year.

"We aim to leverage this collaboration as an opportunity to actively learn from the NBA's proven expertise in talent development and game operations. By integrating these insights with the needs of Chinese basketball, we will further refine our work and drive new breakthroughs in both competitive performance and talent development."

Silver said he expects to see more talented Chinese players make their way into the world's high-level basketball league through the new development pathway built together with the CBA.

"This collaboration is a continuation of our long-term efforts to elevate the game of basketball in China at all levels," he said.

"We look forward to strengthening our collective commitment to developing the next generation of NBA and WNBA players from China."

NBA China and the CBA will work together on several initiatives, including providing opportunities for the national squads to train and compete in the NBA Summer League and preseason WNBA games, offering top Chinese prospects the opportunity to grow their game on NBA talent development programs, such as Basketball Without Borders camps, NBA Academy and tryouts conducted by NBA, WNBA and NBA G League teams.

According to the agreement, NBA China will also provide the chance for Chinese coaches and referees to participate in training programs held in the US, China and on online platforms to support their development.

Since 2009, NBA China and the CBA have collaborated to assist more than 3,500 coaches, players and referees through a variety of programs and initiatives.