NBA stars, teams court fans in China
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.
