NBA keeping it real in China with TV show
China's answers to American Idol (Super Girl) and Dancing with the Stars have proven massive hits in recent years, prompting the National Basketball Association (NBA) to follow suit last Friday by starting production work on Mengniu NBA Basketball Disciple, the first basketball TV show to air in the country.
The reality TV show will chart the progression of a three-month-long hoops tournament with public tryouts in 64 Chinese cities. Players will compete in a variety of skills competitions and earn points based on their performance over the course of four rounds.
Following a final all-star game, the player with the most points will be crowned the MVP and win an all-expenses-paid trip to the United States for a tryout with a team from the NBA Development League, the NBA's official minor league.
