Walking the tightrope, NBA's money machine revs up on China comeback
The NBA returned to Macau this week with a lineup of stars, marking its comeback to China after six years. However, the league's most significant victories were not on the basketball court but in the realm of business and diplomacy, according to industry insiders and experts. Thousands of fans gathered on Friday as the Phoenix Suns, led by four-time NBA All-Star Devin Booker, defeated the Brooklyn Nets. The event was attended by high-profile celebrities such as David Beckham, actor Jackie Chan, and Alibaba founder Jack Ma, who sat in the front row. This match symbolized the NBA's re-entry into the Chinese market, which had been effectively frozen since 2019 following a team official's tweet supporting democracy protests in Hong Kong. Just hours after the pre-season game at the sold-out Venetian Arena, US President Donald Trump announced an additional 100% tariff on China, highlighting the tense relationship between the two nations. Despite this volatile environment, the ...