'I saw one NBA player in my first 15 years of life'

JACKSON SAYS NBA ABU DHABI GAMES BRINGS STARS TO NEW PLACES

- BY JAI PRASAD V. RAI Assistant Editor

For millions of young basketball fans worldwide, the dream of making it to the NBA often starts with a moment of inspiration — a highlight reel, a signature move, or, if you’re lucky, the chance to see your heroes in the flesh.

For decades, that opportunity was reserved almost exclusively for those in the United States. But the game has changed.

As the NBA continues to expand its global presence, events like the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2025 are bringing the world’s top basketball stars to new corners of the globe — and inspiring the next generation in the process.

Few understand the power of these experiences better than Mark Jackson, a former NBA All-Star and New York Knicks point guard, who will be part of this year’s festivities in Abu Dhabi. “I saw just one NBA player in my first 15 years of life,” Jackson shared. “And he wasn’t even in the NBA at the time — he was in the ABA, coming off the bench for the New Jersey Nets.”