Hoops harmony helping build bridges

Since 2004, the league has sent over half of its franchises to play 26 preseason games here, with this year's China Games set to feature the 16-time champion Lakers against the Brooklyn Nets, on Oct 10 in Shanghai and in Shenzhen two days later.

Nine Chinese players have played in or been drafted by the NBA since 1987 - the most successful being current CBA president Yao, who was an eight-time All Star with the Houston Rockets.

"I see it as an opportunity to demonstrate to people that through sports there's commonality and we can use the values of sports hopefully as a positive force to continue to bring people together," added Silver on the countries' basketball links.

With an estimated 300 million people playing the game in China, basketball has transcended sport to become a tool of communication and inspiration, argues Hong Jianping, a researcher with Beijing Sport University.

"Sport is the common ground where two countries can put aside disputes politically and culturally to play under the same rules," said Hong.

"Basketball is enjoying mainstream popularity in both countries and is an ideal platform to bring people together and to reach mutual understandings beyond."

As part of the NBA's partnership with the Ministry of Education launched in 2014, a basketball curriculum, jointly developed by the two sides, was expanded to 4,000 schools and 4 million students in the 2018-19 school year.

The curriculum will be expanded to 6 million students across 6,000 schools in the next school year, starting this September.

The NBA is also extending a helping hand to China's men's national team, which has accepted an invitation to play in the NBA Summer League from July 5-15 in Las Vegas.

The trip is designed to help Team China prepare for this fall's FIBA World Cup on home courts, and mirrors a similar move when the nation's elite hoopsters warmed up for the 2008 Beijing Olympics by playing in the 2007 Summer League.

"Sport is universal and a great way to bridge cultures," said NBA China CEO Derek Chang.

"We are supportive of what the CBA and the Ministry of Education are trying to accomplish in growing the game and promoting a healthy lifestyle in China."