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NBA returns to Mexico for Wizards-Heat game on Saturday

Posted on by L. Dreeye
NBA returns to Mexico for Wizards-Heat game on Saturday

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NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum sat in the lobby of the USA Basketball team’s hotel in Paris. He had just returned from one meeting and had two more on his list.

The night before, he had watched the U.S. defeat Serbia in the men’s semifinal match, and later that day he planned to attend the U.S. women’s semifinal match at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. It was just a snapshot of Tatum’s busy July-August schedule, which included nearly a month in France plus a short trip back to the United States for a CEO meeting where he sits on the board of directors.

It’s the kind of globetrotting that Tatum is accustomed to as the man leading the NBA’s international efforts.

The league’s global presence continues to grow, and on Saturday the Washington Wizards will play the Miami Heat in Mexico City for their 33rd game in the country (preseason and regular season). This came after a preseason game in Abu Dhabi between the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets and before two scheduled games in Paris in January between the San Antonio Spurs (good afternoon, Victor Vembanyama) and the Indiana Pacers.

The NBA reached a league-high 125 international players from a league-record 43 countries on opening night rosters. Wembanyama was the first pick in the 2023 draft, while France’s Zaccary Risacker and Alex Sarr were the top two picks in the 2024 draft.

The last six MVPs (Nikola Jokic three times, Giannis Antetokounmpo twice and Joel Embiid once) were born outside of grassroots US projects such as Basketball Without Borders (BWB), which helps African countries develop players. South Sudan’s strong performance at the Olympics underscores this point.

The NBA also continues to explore the possibility of a financial interest in European basketball events, possibly the EuroLeague, to maximize revenue and exposure.

USA TODAY Sports spoke with Tatum about the growth of basketball and the NBA internationally.

(Q&A edited for clarity and brevity):

USA TODAY: What options might exist for the NBA regarding European leagues?

Tatum: We (the NBA and FIBA, basketball’s international governing body) are both interested in the development of basketball, and however we can be helpful in that process, whether it’s a new competition or some new structure, we will be interested in that. doing this. And that’s what we’re talking about with different stakeholders: how can we better and more appropriately participate in this process? What is the best product to bring to market that will meaningfully engage fans and continue to grow the game of basketball?

USA TODAY: We know that Sudan and what is now South Sudan have produced players, but there seems to be a difference now. What’s happening? What are you starting to see on the continent?

Tatum: We have a three-pronged strategy to develop the game at the grassroots level. People see that Haman Maluach was a young guy that we found at 14 years old, brought him to our academy, taught him to play basketball, gave him the training, mentoring and development that he will now need to continue to play at Duke. . And everyone says he’s going to be a (lottery) pick in next year’s draft. This is possible now because we are investing in the infrastructure there.

Another part of this strategy is to ensure our content is accessible to fans wherever they are. And we make sure that our games are widely distributed across the continent and the BAL (Basketball African League). We see an increase in viewership indicators and an increase in activity on social networks. And the third part of this strategy is to bring in the live gaming experience. That’s why we launched the Africa Basketball League, so that young kids in Africa can see the path from a grassroots basketball program in Africa to playing professional basketball on the continent. Sometimes the NBA can seem so far away, so now they have an opportunity in their own countries where they see a very clear path of “how can I start playing at the grassroots level and start making a living playing professional basketball.”

USA TODAY: With the game’s growing popularity internationally, is there a fine line to allow American players to still be part of the conversation?

Tatum: This speaks to the importance of continued investment in the development of basketball in all countries of the world, including in the United States. And I think that’s an area that we’re also very focused on in our junior NBA programs and work very closely with USA Basketball in their youth programs. So that’s an area that we’re very focused on and how do we continue to invest in youth basketball in the United States to make sure that Anthony Edwards, Devin Bueckers, Jayson Tatums, that talent continues to permeate our league?

But I will say that having international players like Giannis, Jokic, Luka (Doncic) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, they are players born outside of the United States, but they are global superstars. They are relevant to both fans in the US and fans around the world. … That’s what we’re looking for – talent from wherever they come from, from all over the world, so they can play in our league. And I think our fans will appreciate the talent they bring to this league, no matter where they come from.

USA TODAY: Any plans or thoughts on making the WNBA game a little more international?

Tatum: Huge plans… So, let’s talk about Africa – the investments we are making are aimed at both men’s basketball and women’s basketball. Camp BWB is also a women’s camp. We have women’s programs at the academy. … The growth of the women’s game is also global. And of course we announced that we were going to Canada (WNBA expansion team in Toronto). We played games there and sold out. I know (WNBA commissioner) Katie (Engelbert) and her team are really looking at other markets. There is huge demand to host WNBA games in different parts of Europe. A lot of people have talked to us about taking the game to Europe, the Middle East, Asia. And so I think one of the things that you can expect in the near future is watching WNBA games that are played in international markets leading up to their season and potentially during their season.

USA TODAY: We talked about Wembanyama and the two top 2024 players from France. Is there any reason the market doesn’t stand out as a place where the NBA plays year after year?

Tatum: Something special is happening in the French market, where the love for basketball is only growing. Of course, soccer, or international soccer, continues to be a global sport, but in basketball in France, we see all our indicators going in the right direction – talent, number of players, viewership, League Pass subscribers, and the San Antonio Spurs. have become the number one team to watch and watch in France on League Pass.

This is a place where we will continue to come and play games and have events because there is such a demand here. I will say this: there is a huge demand in the rest of the continent and other parts of the world. So, we haven’t decided where we’ll be playing in 2026, but we know we’ll be playing somewhere in Europe because it works. And the game has not only grown here in France, it has grown phenomenally in France, but it has also grown phenomenally in Germany. …

“We are seeing growth in the UK, Spain and all European markets. But there is no doubt that France will continue to have a presence as we think about where we play games internationally.”

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media. @JeffZillgitt