Sports / Basketball |
China would be included on NBA teams overseas tour(Xinhua)Updated: 2007-02-18 11:31 LOS ANGELES - The National Basketball Association commissioner David Stern said on Saturday that China would be included on NBA teams' overseas tour. But he did not release any details, saying that "later on we'll be able to announce a couple of teams, not this weekend, but hopefully in the next month or so that will be playing in China in October as well." He announced that four NBA teams including the Boston Celtics will play exhibition games in four European countries next October. The Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves will also conduct their 2007-08 season training camps in Europe. "Following the success of last year's event, fans throughout Europe will have the opportunity to see four NBA teams embark on this special European tour," Stern said. "This effort between the NBA, Euroleague Basketball and EA Sports is committed grow the sport of basketball across Europe and to embrace fans in each city." The Celtics and Raptors will play the first game of the European tour in Rome on October 6. "Last year we witnessed outstanding games proving the game is growing in popularity and intensity," he said. A new state-of-the-art arena in London, called the 02, will see its first basketball game when the Timberwolves and Celtics play there on October 10. The league will also have its first game in Turkey and Rome will host its first NBA contest. Spain's Pau Gasol will get a rare opportunity to play in front of his home fans when his Grizzlies square off against a Spanish league club October 11 in Madrid. Toronto's Jose Calderon and Jorge Garbajosa, both of Spain, will play in Madrid for the first time wearing NBA uniforms. By the end of 2007, the NBA will have played 41 games in Europe over the past
20 years. |
|