NBA Returns to Macau with Preseason Games

The NBA has announced a multiyear deal to host pre-season games in Macau starting in October 2025, marking its return to the Chinese market after a significant hiatus due to a controversy surrounding a 2019 tweet by then-Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey. The first games will feature the Brooklyn Nets against the Phoenix Suns at the Venetian Arena, with two games scheduled annually for the next five years. This decision follows a gradual thawing of relations between the NBA and China, as the league has sought to repair its image after losing substantial revenue due to the fallout from Morey's tweet in support of Hong Kong protests. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has expressed optimism about restoring ties, indicating that the league's absence had resulted in dramatic financial losses. Despite recent celebrity games held in China, this will be the first instance of regular NBA play in the country since 2019. Macau, where these games will occur, remains the only place in China where gambling is legal, adding an economic incentive for the NBA's return.