NBA Returns to China After Six-Year Rift

The NBA has returned to China for the first time since 2019, staging pre-season games in Macau and sealing a new partnership with Alibaba to rebuild relations and expand fan engagement across the country.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) made its highly anticipated return to China on Thursday, staging its first games in Macau since a diplomatic fallout in 2019 over the Hong Kong protests. The comeback marks a symbolic renewal of ties between the American league and its vast Chinese fanbase, underpinned by a new multi-year partnership with technology giant Alibaba.

The Brooklyn Nets and the Phoenix Suns are set to face off in two sold-out pre-season games on Friday and Sunday at the Venetian Macao, as part of a five-year agreement with Sands China, the Macau subsidiary of Las Vegas Sands. The event is the first time the NBA has ever played in Macau — the world’s largest gaming hub — and represents a major milestone in sports diplomacy after years of strained US-China relations.

Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing arm of Alibaba Group, has also been announced as the NBA’s official artificial intelligence and cloud partner in China. The collaboration aims to enhance the fan experience on the NBA’s digital platforms through data-driven content, virtual engagement, and interactive viewing technologies.

The NBA’s return follows a six-year hiatus triggered by a firestorm of controversy in 2019, when then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted in support of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests. The post sparked a backlash from Beijing, leading to the suspension of NBA broadcasts in China, the withdrawal of corporate sponsors, and significant financial losses for the league.

In Macau, the league is using the opportunity not only to reconnect with fans but also to showcase a broader “NBA Experience” — a five-day festival of music, fashion, and technology designed to reinforce its cultural influence. Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal is among the high-profile figures attending, while the Brooklyn Nets’ majority owner, Alibaba chairman Joseph Tsai, has played a key role in bridging relations.

“The Chinese fans are some of our biggest supporters,” Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. told reporters. “Coming out here and being able to play in front of them is a blessing for us and for them.”

Macau’s casino operators, including Sands, Wynn, and Melco, have been under government pressure to diversify beyond gambling, investing over $13 billion collectively in non-gaming ventures such as entertainment, medical tourism, and technology. Hosting NBA games fits squarely within that strategy — using sport to boost tourism, global image, and economic recovery after the pandemic.

While politics once cast a long shadow over basketball diplomacy, the NBA’s return to Chinese soil suggests a cautious but meaningful thaw. As one sports analyst observed, “The NBA’s bounce back in China isn’t just about sport — it’s a masterclass in rebuilding trust through business.”