Today's Edition
ISIDORA CIRIC (ABU DHABI)
The NBA’s plans for Abu Dhabi extend beyond hosting preseason games, with the city being eyed as a potential location for an elite basketball academy, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver revealed on Friday while attending the two exhibition matches as part of the third season of the NBA Showcase at Etihad Arena.
Speaking during a closed media roundtable with Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum by his side, Silver said that the city’s growing influence, alongside the increasing interest in basketball throughout the Gulf region, makes it a frontrunner candidate for this ambitious initiative.
“Abu Dhabi has become, I'd say, a sports and entertainment hub for the whole region. And we see an opportunity, potentially, with an elite academy here, to bring in young people from the region,” the NBA Commissioner said.
This academy, according to Silver, would serve as a training ground where young athletes could develop their skills to compete at the highest levels, including on their national teams and, potentially, in professional leagues around the world.
“I think that what I appreciate here about our relationship with Abu Dhabi is they take a very long-term view, and I think that's what's necessary here,” Silver said.
Tatum reinforced this point by explaining that from the very beginning of the discussions, Abu Dhabi leadership focused on creating lasting, community-driven initiatives that would benefit local youth and the wider population.
“When we first sat down with Abu Dhabi, it wasn’t just about the games - it was about the activities we would create around the games. They understood it was a good thing to get more kids active, to get them playing the game of basketball,” Tatum said.
He explained that the joint programmes have seen so much success so far because both the NBA and the Abu Dhabi government agree that sports are not just about developing athletes but about shaping well-rounded individuals who the lessons they learn on the court - teamwork, discipline, perseverance - in other aspects of their lives and contribute to their communities in meaningful ways.
Tatum shared some numbers to drive in the verdict, revealing that the NBA Junior leagues in the UAE have witnessed a 60% increase in participation and that 120 teams – split evenly between boys and girls - are set to tip off this season.
“Just from 2022 alone, we've seen 2 million incremental fans in the UAE, and now about 75% of people in the UAE say that they're interested in the NBA. So we're really seeing the impact here,” Tatum added.
He shared that local companies have also stepped up to support the sport’s expansion in the UAE and the region and hinted that more partnerships are on the horizon in the next five years.
He mentioned a recent partnership with Emirates, which was named the global airline partner of the NBA and title partner of the newly renamed Emirates NBA Cup - previously the NBA In-Season Tournament. Emirates also became the first-ever referee jersey patch partner of the NBA, with the patch set to feature on referee jerseys in the NBA, WNBA from 2025, and the NBA G League starting in the 2024-25 season.
Tatum also highlighted the contributions of Abu Dhabi-based giants Aldar and ADQ. Aldar’s collaboration with the NBA Abu Dhabi Games, established in 2022, allows the company to engage the local community through Jr. NBA Clinics, where young players can develop essential skills like shooting, passing, dribbling, and defence.
At the same time, ADQ is contributing to a wider range of NBA-led initiatives, including the Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League, NBA FIT clinics, NBA Cares events, and summer basketball camps, all of which are focused on supporting the next generation of fans and players in the UAE and promoting a healthy, active lifestyle.
