For the first time in six years, the NBA is back in China. The Nets will meet the Phoenix Suns for preseason games at The Venetian Arena in Macao on Friday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 12.

Brooklyn began its 17-hour journey to China on Monday afternoon, marking the start of a weeklong overseas trip. After rolling past Hapoel Jerusalem 123–88 on Saturday at Barclays Center, the Nets will look to shake off the jet lag and carry that momentum into matchups against NBA competition.

“When you get there, I think it’s a complete time difference overall, so for the first few days you’re on the opposite schedule,” Michael Porter Jr. said. “That’s a challenge when you go that far, but other than that, I’m excited to bring the NBA to China. I know there’s so many fans, so it’ll be fun. It’ll be fun to get our first taste against another NBA team in the Phoenix Suns, so we’ll really get to see where we’re at.”

The last time the NBA held a preseason game in Macao was in 2007, when the Orlando Magic faced the Cleveland Cavaliers. USA Basketball also played exhibitions there ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

From 2004 to 2019, 17 NBA teams competed in China as part of the NBA China Games. That partnership paused after then–Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted support for Hong Kong protesters in 2019. The controversy, and commissioner Adam Silver’s defense of Morey, led to NBA games being pulled from Chinese television and the loss of major sponsorships.

This marks Brooklyn’s fourth trip to China after previous visits in 2010, 2014 and 2019. The franchise has also played international games in Japan, France, England, Mexico, Italy and Israel. Now, with the league’s return to Chinese soil, the NBA sees an opportunity to rebuild ties and reintroduce its global brand to a massive audience.

According to the Mailman Group’s “NBA Red Card” report, which analyzes NBA digital performance in China based on social media metrics like followers and engagement on platforms such as Weibo and Douyin, the Nets were the third most popular NBA team in China as of late 2023, trailing only the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers.

“It’s really great to have this opportunity, not only to play overseas like we’re going to China, but also to play against a foreign team here at home,” head coach Jordi Fernández said. “So, you see, it really shows how global the NBA is, how well the league promotes itself, and the support we have from all over the world.”

The Nets are owned by Joe Tsai, the chairman of Chinese tech giant Alibaba.

Adding to the excitement, rookie guard Drake Powell is expected to make his Nets debut at some point this week. He was limited early in training camp with left knee tendinopathy, the same issue that kept him out of Summer League.

“I’ve been really impressed with him,” Porter said of Powell. “I had just seen him in the weight room kind of doing some rehab, so I didn’t realize the athlete he was, but he’s probably one of the most athletic dudes I probably have seen in terms of speed up and down the floor, vertical, move laterally… So, I just feel like with his frame and his height, if he keeps focused then he can just keep elevating.”

For Fanbo Zeng, this trip to China is about more than preseason basketball. The 22-year-old forward, born in Harbin, returns home as both a local favorite and an Exhibit 10 signee fighting for a roster spot.

Playing in Macao gives him a chance to showcase his growth to fans who’ve followed his path from the G League Ignite to the CBA and now Brooklyn’s camp roster. His presence will also help the Nets connect with one of basketball’s most passionate markets through one of their own.

“I can play a game in part of China,” Zeng said. “As a Chinese player here, I got to keep working hard and clean out the stereotypes for all the Asians.”

Originally Published: October 6, 2025 at 4:48 PM EDT