The NBA announced two-time reigning MVP Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors are "headed to China for two preseason games against the Minnesota Timberwolves in October," according to Frank Pingue of REUTERS. The teams will play Oct. 5 in Shenzhen at the Shenzhen Universiade Center, "followed by a contest in Shanghai at the Mercedes-Benz Arena on Oct. 8." The games "will mark the Warriors' third trip to China" following visits in '08 and '13, while the Timberwolves "will be playing in China for the first time." Curry said, "I have visited China every year since 2013, and the fans there are incredibly supportive of me, the Warriors and the NBA" (REUTERS, 3/20). USA TODAY's Sam Amick reported after the Warriors-Timberwolves games, "14 NBA teams will have played 24 games in China, which has become the unofficial epicenter of the games' growth." With an estimated 300 million people playing basketball in China, and the "more popular players like Curry making it a regular stop on their personal marketing tours, these games have become a welcome addition to the NBA calendar for players" (USA TODAY, 3/20).
