By Emmanuel Maijo
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has signed a multiyear partnership with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba ahead of its preseason return to China, marking the league’s first games in the country since 2019.
Alibaba Cloud has been named the official cloud computing and artificial intelligence partner of NBA China. Under the agreement announced on Thursday, Alibaba will provide AI and cloud services to enhance the fan experience through the NBA app in China.
The NBA will stage two preseason games in Macau — on Friday and Sunday — as part of a five-year contract with Las Vegas Sands’ Macau unit, Sands China. This will be the first time the league plays in Macau, the world’s largest gambling hub, and the games are expected to strengthen the NBA’s presence in China, where an estimated 300 million people play basketball.
The NBA’s return comes after a six-year absence triggered by a diplomatic and commercial backlash in 2019. Controversy erupted when then–Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey expressed support for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests, prompting Beijing to suspend NBA broadcasts and causing major financial losses for the league.
This weekend’s games will take place at the Sands Venetian property and will feature the Brooklyn Nets — owned by Alibaba chairman Joseph Tsai — facing the Phoenix Suns in front of sold-out crowds. NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is among the celebrities expected to attend.
The games also arrive at a hopeful moment for Chinese basketball fans, with 7-foot-1 rookie Yang Hansen joining the Portland Trail Blazers this season. “Playing for the Blazers is a wonderful thing for me,” Yang said through an interpreter. “I wish for more games in China. That works for me perfectly.”
The partnership with Alibaba signals the NBA’s renewed commitment to the Chinese market amid ongoing political tensions between Beijing and Washington.
