NBA China and Chinese basketball association extend coaching program partnership

Collaboration Highlights NBA's Commitment to Basketball Development in China

BEIJING - NBA China and the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) announced a multiyear extension of their joint coaching development program. The initiative has trained more than 1,100 CBA coaches since 2009 and marks another milestone in the successful partnership between NBA China and the CBA to grow basketball in China.

As part of the extended agreement, NBA China and the CBA will further their investment in the development of Chinese coaches with extensive training opportunities. NBA coaches, athletic trainers and nutritionists will continue to share best practices at the CBA's annual coaching camp, while Chinese coaches will have the chance to observe and participate in coaching clinics hosted by the NBA in the US.

Former San Antonio Spurs strength and conditioning coach Mike Brungardt, former NBA assistant coach and Director of Player Development Dee Brown, former NBA Development League coach Bob MacKinnon will travel to Dalian, Liaoning Province to give lectures at the CBA Middle Level Coaches Clinics from May 15 to 23.

"We are excited to extend our coaching collaboration with the NBA," said CBA Vice-President Hu Jiashi. "Through our successful partnership, we will continue to train more coaches and further develop their skillsets to meet the growing demands of coaching."

"Basketball is fun to play, easy to learn, and it starts with good coaching," said NBA China CEO David Shoemaker. "We are committed to working with the CBA to train more coaches, which is fundamental to getting more boys and girls to play and enjoy the game."

In addition to the coaching program, NBA China and the CBA will continue to work together to identify new opportunities including competition and training opportunities for the Chinese National Team, referee education and development, and team general manager exchanges to share best practices.

The NBA and the CBA have cooperated for decades to grow the game of basketball in China, including training for elite youth players and coaches, referee training, and clinics, scrimmages and games for the Chinese National Team both in China and the US.

About NBA China

The NBA's entity that conducts all of the league's businesses in greater China was formed in January 2008 after its first office opened in Hong Kong in 1992. The NBA has interacted with Chinese basketball for decades, including first hosting the Chinese National team in 1985. The NBA currently has relationships with a strong network of television and digital media outlets in China, including a partnership of more than 25 years with national broadcaster CCTV. The league hosts hundreds of touring basketball events for fans, conducts community enrichment programs, and maintains marketing partnerships with a combination of world-class China-based corporations and US-based multinationals. In October 2014, the NBA and China's Ministry of Education established a groundbreaking partnership that aims to provide enhanced basketball training to at least three million students by 2017.

NBA China is headquartered in Beijing and also has offices in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taipei. NBA licensed products such as apparel and footwear are available through various retail networks and authorized online stores on e-commerce and social media platforms, including Tmall.com, JD.com and WeChat. In 2004, the NBA became the first American professional sports league to play games in China, with two games between the Houston Rockets and the Sacramento Kings in Shanghai and Beijing. The league has played a total of 20 games in China.