Portland Trail Blazers All-Star guard Damian Lillard (center) tries to make
yuanxiao (rice dumplings) during his visit to the Master Kong Ice Tea Chinese New Year Experience Center during the All-Star Weekend in Charlotte. [Provided to China Daily]
LeBron, Giannis and KD weren't the only shining lights of the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend as the league capitalized on the showcase's proximity to Lantern Festival to further woo its Chinese fanbase.
Today's festival marks the end of the Lunar New Year celebrations, with the NBA and its business partners jumping on the chance to reach out to its biggest overseas market throughout the Chinese holiday period.
The "All-Star Chinese New Year Experience Hall", organized in conjunction with Chinese brand Master Kong Ice Tea, in the game's host city of Charlotte, North Carolina, was the culmination of those efforts.
On Saturday, All-Star player Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers was the first NBA star to sample the delights of the hall along with Chinese actor Zhang Zhehan.
Portland Trail Blazers All-Star guard Damian Lillard tries to make paper cutting during his visit to the Master Kong Ice Tea Chinese New Year Experience Center during the All-Star Weekend in Charlotte. [Provided to China Daily]
Under the guidance of a chef, Lillard and Zhang competed with each other to find out who was the best maker of traditional Chinese sweet dumplings, even indulging in creating some ice-tea- flavored versions of the traditional festival snack.
The 28-year-old four-time NBA All-Star also got into the holiday spirit by trying to figure out Chinese lantern riddles and trying his hand at the intricate art of paper cutting. Later, he made the occasion a real cultural exchange by teaching Zhang some basketball skills.
"What has a net but can't catch? Oh! It's a basket," said Lillard, who clearly enjoyed the riddle challenge - an essential element of the Lantern Festival.
The Master Kong Ice Tea slogan is "Cool ice fires your power and excitement" – but the company has been warm-hearted in terms of spreading Chinese culture around the world.
Portland Trail Blazers All-Star guard Damian Lillard (center) eats hotpot during his visit to the Master Kong Ice Tea Chinese New Year Experience Center during the All-Star Weekend in Charlotte. [Provided to China Daily]
It's the second year that Master Kong Ice Tea has promoted traditional Chinese culture via NBA stars.
The company also created a Lillard-themed ice-tea bottle and sent a warm New Year welcome to Chinese all over the world through a giant digital screen in New York's Time Square.
NBA clubs have been celebrating the Chinese New Year since Jan 30, with a record 15 teams hosting in-arena activities and 65 games broadcast live in China.
Earlier this month, the New York Knicks staged a Lunar New Year celebration on the night of their game against the Detriot Pistons at Madison Square Garden. The China Night event featured various in-game elements, merchandise, halftime dragon and lion dances and cultural presentations.
Spectators were also treated to giveaways, including red packets – a traditional Chinese New Year gift symbolizing good fortune - and pig dolls, to coincide with the Year of the Pig. One spectator won $600 during a game called 'Name the Pig'.
Portland Trail Blazers All-Star guard Damian Lillard displays a paper cutting during his visit to the Master Kong Ice Tea Chinese New Year Experience Center during the All-Star Weekend in Charlotte. [Provided to China Daily]
It was the second consecutive time that the Knicks have celebrated Chinese Lunar New Year.
Elsewhere, the Cleveland Cavaliers also hosted a New Year celebration during a game against the Boston Celtics. The Quicken Loans Arena was decked out in red and gold, and a Chinese acrobatics duo took to the court to perform at halftime.
The NBA is keen to optimize the Chinese market, with the league's deputy commissioner, Mark Tatum, valuing NBA China at over $4 billion in a Forbes interview last year.
The NBA has also invested in over 200 lifestyle apparel stores, three NBA play zones, and three basketball academies in China.
The National Football League also took advantage of the Year of the Pig, using players to deliver messages in Mandarin to plug this month's Super Bowl.
