As NBA China Games Begin, Silver Touts Growth Of Sport

The '18 NBA China Games are underway in Shanghai, with the 76ers and Mavericks taking part in the 25th such game since the league's effort began in '04. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in his pregame address said, "The NBA has never been more committed to building the sport of basketball throughout China. It's amazing to see the progress that this nation has made since we first played games here."

Silver: "Everywhere I travel in China, I see evidence of the tremendous interest in this sport. Whether it's billboards that include Chinese players or NBA players who were born outside of China, whether it's the tremendous social media presence we have, or the enormous exposure we have through CCTV, BesTV and Tencent, there's no doubt that the Chinese people love basketball" (NBA.com, 10/5).