NBA switches its London game to Paris

London will not host a regularseasonnbagamenext year as the league switches its European focus to Paris. The NBA announced yesterday that the Charlotte Hornets and Milwaukee Bucks will play at the Accorhotels Arena in Paris on 24 January.

London has hosted nine regular season games at the O2 Arena since 2011, all of them sell-outs, but the league hinted after the Washington Wizards’ 101100 win over the New York Knicks in January that the run could be ending. NBA commissioner Adam Silver warned in 2017 that the “symbolism of Brexit” made London’s position as the NBA’S goto destination in Europe uncertain given the league’s own values.

It is understood the NBA is not closing the door on London as a venue but the move to Paris will open up new markets. The Hornets, owned by Michael Jordan, should be a particular draw given the presence of France internationals Tony Parker and Nicolas Batum on their roster.

“Our NBA Paris Game will showcase the continued global growth of basketball in one of the world’s greatest cities,” Silver said in a statement.