NBA China?

[NaptownKnight]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/6760360

It seems the ambitious David Stern thinks a NBA branded and sponsored league could be possible, is he crazy? China, out of all places? Europe sounds like a much better choice to me, there are more successful NBA players from Europe than China, including maybe even the league MVP. Wow, Yao's from China. There seriously isn't much of an audience there, nor as good of players as Europe.

[plasticfigurine]

There seriously isn't much of an audience there, nor as good of players as Europe.

Yao has the most, or close to the most all-star votes each and every year. I'd bet that more than 90% of the votes he gets come from China.

[DisgruntledGoat]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/6760360

It seems the ambitious David Stern thinks a NBA branded and sponsored league could be possible, is he crazy? China, out of all places? Europe sounds like a much better choice to me, there are more successful NBA players from Europe than China, including maybe even the league MVP. Wow, Yao's from China. There seriously isn't much of an audience there, nor as good of players as Europe.

Basketball is actually HUGE in china. Sure there aren't any NBA players other than Yao. But in China itself its the biggest sport around. Its hardly not "much of an audience."

[NaptownKnight]

Basketball is actually HUGE in china. Sure there aren't any NBA players other than Yao. But in China itself its the biggest sport around. Its hardly not "much of an audience."

But leagues like this really require some degree of talent to succeed, and Europe has far more talented players than China.

[danzig]

He is probably thinking long term here with China's huge population and growth. In Europe you also have to deal with competing with Soccer being clearly the #1 sport there even though basketball has a level of popularity on the continent.No real room to expand more in the US, central/south American you'd be competing with soccer and baseball so it leaves Asia and China specifically.

[NaptownKnight]

He is probably thinking long term here with China's huge population and growth. In Europe you also have to deal with competing with Soccer being clearly the #1 sport there even though basketball has a level of popularity on the continent.No real room to expand more in the US, central/south American you'd be competing with soccer and baseball so it leaves Asia and China specifically.

Well the players would be mostly Chineese, and I just don't see the kind of talent there to have a successful league.

[zingerburger]

Basketball is indeed hugely popular in China. They already have a league over there - the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) that has extremely popular followings behind the NBA. Having NBA branding would probably boost the league's credibility greatly.

[Kanaric]

They have a NFL europe thats starting to catch on in germany, they are working on making it a fully independent league so why not an NBA china? I dont see how thats impossible or bad.

But leagues like this really require some degree of talent to succeed, and Europe has far more talented players than China.

They could send players who need experiance like baseball with minor leagues. Also China is using american players on its olympic team, whose to say they wont take undrafted players out of college?