James Wei, CEO of Master Kong

Q: Why did Master Kong choose basketball as a marketing tool?

A: "With the growth of the middle class in China, people have been paying more attention to entertainment and sports. Master Kong wants to be a part of those worlds. Sport is becoming more and more popular in China because of the government support it receives and its rapid economic expansion.

"As a food-and-beverage company, we like to follow the trends that our consumers engage with. On the other hand, we cannot afford to participate in all kinds of sports. We need focus. The reason we chose basketball is that it's a game with a massive fan base, which, coincidentally, is our target market.

"Also, we have a tradition of working with basketball leagues, including the Chinese University Basketball Association (CUBA)."

Q: How do you view the partnership with the NBA over the years?

A: "The NBA has many marketing partners, so we have to highlight our own specific strengths and advantages. For example, we can connect the NBA with CUBA, another partner of Master Kong. As a result of that link the NBA can establish connections with up-and-coming Chinese basketball talent in universities.

"For most fans in China, their engagement with NBA games is only via TV. We want to bring the NBA into their real lives, so they are not merely seeing it but touching it too."