The NBA and Sands China have partnered to bring 2025 preseason games to Macau, marking the league's return to China after a five-year absence. The Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns will face off in two exhibition games at the Venetian Arena on October 10 and 12, 2025.

The games will feature star players including Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant (pending any trades), bringing top-tier NBA talent to one of Asia's emerging sports markets. NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum emphasized the importance of showcasing the league in Macau's growing sports scene.

This return follows a controversial period that began in 2019 when then-Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey's pro-Hong Kong protest tweet led to Chinese broadcasters boycotting NBA games. The incident reportedly cost the NBA up to $400 million in annual revenue.

The partnership includes plans for an NBA Flagship Store at The Londoner Macau, offering authentic merchandise and customizable products to fans. While financial terms weren't disclosed, the arrangement is expected to be profitable given the NBA's massive popularity among Chinese fans.

This collaboration connects two influential entities: Sands China, a subsidiary of Las Vegas Sands, whose major shareholder Dr. Miriam Adelson and her son-in-law Patrick Dumont own the Dallas Mavericks, and the NBA, which maintains significant appeal in Asian markets.

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