Players compete at the XBA All-Star Weekend, which was held at Shanghai's Jing'an Sports Center on Sunday. They were watched by NBA stars from the Phoenix Suns. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Basketball fever gripped Shanghai last weekend, as the city played host to top NBA teams and stars, as well as the XBA Street Basketball Tournament's All-Star Weekend.
After the Paris Olympics, a group of the NBA's top players, including Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic, made the trip to China, while the Phoenix Suns held a fan festival on Saturday at Xujiahui Sports Park in Shanghai.
In addition to the Suns' mascot, Go the Gorilla, making a surprise appearance, current Suns center Jusuf Nurkic, general manager James Jones, former Suns shooting guard Rex Chapman and franchise legend Cedric Ceballos all interacted with fans during the event.
"Our goal is to win a championship, but more importantly, we go where our fans are," said Jones.
"We have a lot of great fans here in China and across the world, and anytime you can go to a place where your fans show you love, we try to show love back. We've been here having a great time, they've given us a great experience.
"We're excited to be here and looking forward to coming back at some point," he added.
"Seeing all the Suns stuff here in Shanghai is amazing. It's beyond what I expected; today's experience has truly impressed me — the paintings, the energy in the venue — it's all so enjoyable," said Chapman, noting that not only the Suns, but the NBA as a whole is striving to make an impact in Shanghai.
Nurkic, visiting China for the first time, highlighted that the best aspect of the NBA as a global sports brand is that it allows players to explore new places, immerse themselves in different cultures, and engage with fans.
From left: Rex Chapman, Jusuf Nurkic, James Jones and Cedric Ceballos attend a Phoenix Suns fan festival at Xujiahui Sports Park in Shanghai on Saturday. [Photo provided to China Daily]
"Everything I've experienced in these few days has been amazing. I'm truly excited and happy to be here," Nurkic said.
According to Jones, a series of commercial and fan events will be held in Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions over the course of the week.
Since the 2017 NBA China Games, between the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves, there have been few instances of NBA team executives traveling to China.
The presence of the Suns' team this weekend sends a positive message, showcasing the NBA's commitment to Chinese fans and the Chinese market.
Jones, who had participated in the NBA China Games 2012 in Shanghai, expressed his desire to bring the game back to the city.
"Looking back on my participation in 2012, it was an amazing experience, not only for the players, but for everyone involved. And, as a global sport, we want to come to places where the fans want us to be, so it was great back and hopefully, in the future, we'll get a chance to come back again," added Jones.
Jones, Nurkic and Ceballos also watched the XBA All-Star weekend, serving as judges for the final round of the dunk contest.
The defending champion, Canadian Jordan Kilganon, successfully retained his crown.
Canadian Jordan Kilganon defended his crown in the XBA All-Star Weekend dunk contest in Shanghai on Sunday. [Photo provided to China Daily]
"Each dunk ignites the court; the creativity and passion brought by this sport are very much loved by everyone," remarked Ceballos.
The XBA Street Basketball Tournament officially commenced on March 28, with a total of 12 street basketball teams participating in the league competition. More than 80 matches, across several cities, including national qualifiers, exhibition matches and competitions, attracted a large number of spectators, while garnering over 200 million fans across all online platforms.
Celebrities such as current CBA player Yang Zheng and former Bayi Rockets basketball team captain Cao Yan attended the tournament.
"I believe the XBA Street Basketball Tournament is the most professionally organized amateur event I have ever participated in," stated Cao, emphasizing the significant progress street basketball has made in recent years.
"This initiative not only fosters a love for basketball among more children, but also encourages grassroots players who may not have access to professional competitions to set goals for themselves. It's a fantastic project for promoting basketball in our current market," he added.
