Silver's long-term aim is growing the game

As the NBA celebrates its 10th edition of preseason games in China, commissioner Adam Silver can't help but marvel at the league's amazing growth in its biggest overseas market.

"Seeing Yao Ming watch from courtside in Shanghai was a reminder of just how far we've come in China," Silver told China Daily on the eve of Wednesday's clash between the Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans in Beijing.

"It allowed me to sit back and think that I am now going into my 25th year working in the league. That gives me some perspective on my life."

Even though the legendary Yao, once the biggest magnet for Chinese fans, has long since retired, the NBA's popularity in the world's most populous nation continues to expand, drawing increased media exposure and sponsorship interest for the two-game preseason tour.

Silver said his role in contributing to that growth is one of the highlights of his resume.

"Bringing games to China has been very effective when you look at the growth of our business and our impact in this market since 2004," said Silver, who succeeded long-serving former commissioner David Stern in early 2014.

"When Yao retired in 2011, many people predicted the NBA would be in decline in China, but in fact we have continued to grow."

Stern launched the NBA's debut in China with a 2004 exhibition game between the Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings. Silver has since introduced more fan-friendly initiatives while increasing the league's exposure on all media platforms in China.

The NBA signed a five-year partnership extension with China's leading internet service provider Tencent in early 2015 and recently expanded its cooperation with BesTV, a member of the Shanghai Oriental Pearl Group, in delivering 1,300 games per season on multimedia platforms.

According to NBA China, more than 760 million fans watched the NBA in China during the 2015-16 season - an increase of more than 10 percent from the previous season.

On social media, the NBA has emerged as the most popular sports league in China, with more than 113 million followers across league and team accounts on all major platforms, while 119 players have registered personal accounts on micro-blog portal Sina Weibo.

Sales of NBA Stores on major e-commerce platforms such as Tmall.com and JD.com were up 227 percent during the 2015-16 season over the previous year.

Still, Silver believes there is more to be done.

"Despite all the televised and streamed games to China, it's still important for players and the market to develop people-to-people relations," said the commissioner. "Technology can't replace human interaction."

As part of the NBA Cares program, Pelicans players participated in the dedication of a Learn and Play Center at west Beijing suburb's Huangzhuang Migrant School on Tuesday and hosted a mini clinic for students.

To further help promote the game, NBA China, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, has provided enhanced basketball training to students in more than 500 elementary schools across China by using the new basketball curriculum created by the NBA.

"When I look at the opportunities for the sport to develop here in the next decade or two, we should be able to build a pipeline of truly excellent players coming out of China," he said.

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn