NBA is already hugely popular in China, thanks in large part to the success of All Star and Houston Rockets center Yao Ming in the United States. Even in remote provinces, Chinese fans can watch NBA games on television.

Now the NBA hopes to underpin the sport's appeal to China's young people with a new weekly lifestyle television show that goes behind the scenes of the North American game.

"NBA Zhizao", or "Made in NBA", which went on air on Sunday, features leading players visiting the Great Wall, cheerleaders on shopping sprees in Chinese cities and local celebrities talking about their favourite American teams.

NBA news, local basketball stories and a feature on the best-dressed players should also appeal to the target audience of 15- to 35-year-olds, the NBA said in a press release.

In one regular segment China's youth can learn "handy grooming tips", the "everyday do's and don'ts" and "most importantly, how to be a gentleman," it added.

"Chinese are quite interested in NBA people coming to China, what they think of China, what they think of the people here, what do they think of Chinese food -- things that apply to the pride Chinese people have in their country and their food and so forth," Mark Fischer, managing director of NBA China, told Reuters in a telephone interview.

"It's another way of bringing the NBA to our fan base in China... There's a big demand to show them some behind-the-scenes stuff."

ROLE MODELS

There would be no room though for on-court tussles or players arguing with referees, Fischer said.

"A lot of young people in China look up to NBA players as being role models or being cool -- people to model their behaviour after and style," he said.

"Through the show we can show some of the NBA players that are truly gentleman."

With an emphasis on good behaviour and healthy living, the format nods towards NBA Commissioner David Stern's clean-image campaign, sparked by an ugly brawl involving players and fans at a Detroit Pistons-Indiana Pacers game in 2004, and culminating in an October 2005 edict requiring players to dress in smart casual clothes.

As a curtain-raiser for Stern's visit to China from next Sunday, on a tour to promote the NBA and take in World Championship warm-up games in Guangzhou between China, the United States and Brazil, a polished image beamed into 50 million households is good commercial timing.

"We certainly invested time, resources and finances to get it produced," Fischer said, adding that he hoped the show would break even by the end of the first season.

With Great Sports Media, a unit of China's state-run number-two media company Shanghai Media Group (SMG), providing the political and commercial clout to keep the show screening on 30-odd channels for 26 episodes, the NBA can concentrate on corporate tie-ins and filling in the advertising breaks.

"There's also opportunities for product placement in the segments... McDonalds is interested in showing potentially a 'balanced lifestyle' segment," Fischer said.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

While Big Macs and athletes might seem incongruous, NBA and China made an attractive pair, Fischer said.

"Our biggest challenge is meeting the demand while still maintaining our quality," Fischer said.

Although roughly one in five of China's 1.3 billion people count themselves fans or players of the game, increased television exposure in China -- where basketball still has plenty of ground to make up on soccer -- is crucial to turn grassroots players into grassroots consumers.

Already though, for many young Chinese, image is everything.

Wang Cheng, a 22-year-old university student who loves basketball, favours NBA over China's domestic league -- the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).

"In CBA, the courts look really average and the venues really old. The players look fat. They're slow and aren't that skilful," Wang said. "NBA's much better to watch."

"When I go shopping for shoes, I would consider buying shoes of NBA stars, such as "Adidas T-Mac 4" -- the shoes of my favourite player, Tracy McGrady."