Lakers to visit China for NBA pre-season
THE LeBron Ja mes-led Los Angeles Lakers are set to play NBA pre-sea son ga mes i n China nex t October, faci ng the Brook lyn Nets in Shanghai and Shenzhen, the league announced on Monday.
The 13t h ed it ion of NBA C h i n a Ga mes w i l l ma r k t he 27t h a nd 28t h leag ue contests in t he nat ion since 2004, w it h t he L a kers a nd Nets meeting on October 10 at Shanghai and October 12 at Shenzhen.
It w i l l ma r k t he second appearance in China for the Lakers, who played pre-season ga mes at Beiji ng a nd Shanghai in 2013.
“T he ent i re L os A ngeles Lakers organisation is excited to return to China to play in f ront of t he passionate Chinese fa ns,” La kers for ward Kyle Kuzma said.
Love and excitement
“During my v isit to China, I was absolutely amazed by the fans’ love and excitement for t he ga me of basketba l l . . . I know the atmosphere at the games will be great.”
T he L a kers feat u re f ou rt i me NBA Most Va luable Player James, who has played in t he past eight NBA Fina ls.
Ja mes, who lef t t he Cleveland Cavaliers last July to join t he Lakers, is averaging 27.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists a ga me t his season. The Lakers, 21-19, are eight h i n t he Wester n Conference t his season.
The Nets, sevent h i n t he NBA Eastern Conference on 20 -21 at mid-s e a s on, w i l l make their third trip to China a f ter ga mes i n Beiji ng a nd Gua ng z hou i n 2010 whi le based in New Jersey a nd in Beiji ng a nd Sh a ng h a i i n 2014.
“It’s an honour to help celebrate basketba l l’s g row t h abroad and represent Brookly n a nd t he L eag ue on a n i nter nat iona l st age,” Net s guard Caris LeVert said. “The Nets have a con nect ion to fa ns a l l over t he world a nd I’m t h r i l l e d to have t he oppor t unit y to v isit Chi na a nd play for our passionate Chinese fans for the ver y first time.”
The Nets are owned by Russ i a n bi l l i on a i r e Mi k h a i l Prok horov a nd Ta iwa neseCanadian billionaire Joe Tsai, execut ive v ice cha i r man of Ch i na-ba s e d e-c om merc e giant Alibaba.
The leag ue wil l conduct a day of fa n activ ities as well as community outreach events in Shanghai and Shenzhen.
“These ga mes a re t he pi lla rs of our ef for t s to br i ng authentic NBA action to our Chi nese fa ns,” NBA Chi na CEO Derek Chang said.