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Excited fans pack arena on NBA's return to China
The Straits Times
|October 12, 2025
The Phoenix Suns beat the Brooklyn Nets 132-127 in overtime in a sold-out preseason game in Macau on Oct 10, as fans cheered the NBA's return to China after a six-year absence sparked by a pro-democracy tweet.
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The first of two matches in Macau capped the National Basketball Association's bid to mend fences with China, a lucrative market where an estimated 125 million people play basketball.
"The atmosphere is amazing. I've been a Suns fan for a long time," said David Jin, who took a day trip from the nearby Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen.
"The NBA should come to mainland China more often. If it's on my doorstep I'll show up to give my support," the 26-year-old said, adding that he spent about 5,000 yuan (S$911) for tickets and travel.
Fans in the packed Venetian Arena gave four-time NBA All-Star Devin Booker a roaring reception, while China's 22-year-old Nets forward Zeng Fanbo made his NBA debut.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver told AFP earlier on Oct 9 that "there's tremendous interest in the NBA throughout China".
This story is from the October 12, 2025 edition of The Straits Times.
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