Quite the hoop-la: Macao revels in NBA's China return

Sold-out games, raucous fan support and a city bustling like never before — the NBA's China return ended in great fanfare in Macao, as the league reiterated its commitment to growing the game on all fronts in its biggest overseas market.

Despite the six-year wait, China's interest in NBA basketball has only grown stronger, as proven by the overwhelming response to the league's first preseason tour to the country since 2019, which featured the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns. This latest two-game edition of the NBA China Games drew huge crowds to Macao, and shone a global spotlight on the tourism and gaming hub bright enough to eclipse all of the other big-ticket concerts and art exhibitions taking place in the city over the weekend.

Tickets were hot commodities, hotels were overbooked and the NBA House, a large free-access hoops festival set in the Venetian Macao, was easily among the most visited attractions in town, where fans enjoyed interactive games, as well as meet-and-greets with NBA legends and celebrities.

It all felt as exciting and familiar as it's ever been with the NBA China Games, which had been held consistently in the country since their 2004 debut until the COVID-19 pandemic intervened.

"The energy was off the charts," the Suns' All-Star guard Devin Booker said of the electrifying atmosphere in the city, after leading Phoenix to a 132-127 victory over Brooklyn in the first game at the packed Venetian Arena on Friday.