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The world’s premier basketball league is enjoying within the United Arab Emirates for the primary time.
Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island hosted a preseason matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks on Oct. 6. The Hawks received 123-113 and the 2 groups will face off once more on Oct. 8.
Each groups play within the Nationwide Basketball Affiliation, which incorporates groups from the USA in addition to one from Canada.
NBA gamers are inclined to not play a lot within the preseason, however Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo performed 21 out 48 minutes within the first sport. Antetokounmpo, who grew up in Greece in a Nigerian household, is maybe the largest non-American star within the sport.
A number of celebrities attended the Oct. 6 sport, together with Lebanese singer Maya Diab and Bollywood star Ranveer Singh, The National in Abu Dhabi reported.
Why it issues: The NBA is in search of to develop the sport internationally, together with within the Center East. NBA commissioner Adam Silver got here to Abu Dhabi for the sport. Round 25 NBA players have come from the Center East and North Africa, the league stated a press launch.
Turkey, Israel and Iran have produced NBA gamers, for instance.
The NBA sport is a part of Abu Dhabi’s quest to turn out to be a hub for worldwide sporting occasions. Through the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Yas Island stepped as much as host mixed martial arts (MMA) occasions for the Final Combating Championship.
Yas is now a middle of kinds for the game. Later this month, the island will host Russian MMA star Islam Makhachev and Brazil’s Charles Oliveira for the world light-weight championship.
Know extra: The UAE has additionally been in sports activities headlines with regard to golf not too long ago. This week, the Saudi-funded LIV Golf league introduced a partnership with Dubai’s MENA Tour.
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