The Phoenix Suns have touched down in Macau, setting the stage for two highly anticipated pre-season games against the Brooklyn Nets, marking the NBA’s first return to China since 2019. The matches, scheduled for Friday and Sunday, will be held at the Venetian casino and hotel arena in Macau, a special administrative region renowned for its vibrant casino culture. This event signifies a pivotal moment in the NBA’s efforts to rekindle its relationship with China, which had been strained since 2019 due to political tensions. The games are part of a multi-year partnership between the NBA and Chinese tech giant Alibaba, announced late last year. Notably, the Brooklyn Nets are owned by Alibaba’s chair, Joseph Tsai. This marks the first NBA fixture in Macau since 2007, underscoring the league’s commitment to expanding its footprint in the region. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver emphasized the “tremendous interest in the NBA throughout China,” highlighting the league’s strategic push to tap into the country’s burgeoning basketball fanbase. Basketball’s popularity in China surged after Yao Ming was drafted by the Houston Rockets in 2002, with the NBA estimating in 2019 that 300 million Chinese citizens played the sport. The upcoming games are seen as a milestone in the gradual reconciliation between the NBA and China, following a period of tension sparked by a 2019 controversy involving a Houston Rockets executive’s social media post supporting Hong Kong pro-democracy protests. The incident led to a temporary suspension of NBA broadcasts in China, but games have since returned to Chinese TV channels. Fans in Macau have expressed their excitement, with many viewing the event as a long-awaited reunion with the league. Lyu Yizhe from Xiamen shared, “We’ve been preparing for this for two months. It feels special because we’ve been NBA fans since the Michael Jordan era.” Mole Zeng from Hangzhou added, “As the NBA grows in China, more star players will come here to meet us.” The games not only celebrate basketball but also symbolize a renewed cultural and commercial bridge between the NBA and China.