Bucks Zone

Giannis Antetokounmpo would love to play in China and India

Adam Silver is hoping to bring back NBA Games to India, says the pandemic halted plans.
Matthew Dugandzic|
© Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

In this story:

Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s presence on social media over the last few days has highlighted how good a time he’s having in Abu Dhabi. He’s been involved in the coaching clinics, and exploring Abu Dhabi with his family.

Antetokounmpo’s energy in the first match-up against the Atlanta Hawks was spectacular to watch, and he’s as cheerful as he can be - entering his 10th NBA season.

Giannis wants to take the game everywhere

The Milwaukee Bucks star is one of the most dominant international players in the NBA. In a short time, he’s elevated his game to a level where he is now consistently in MVP discussions. Giannis has grown so much since he entered the league and wants to do everything he can to help more athletes get that chance.

During the post-game interview in Abu Dhabi, Giannis shared his desire to play in China and India.

“I would love to play in China, maybe Shanghai or Beijing; that will be a fine experience. And maybe somewhere in India - try to expand the game as much as possible and make it global and reach places that we have not reached,” Giannis said. “A lot of people around the world love basketball and we have got to present [NBA] and we want to create something for the fans.”

NBA’s plans for India

The NBA hosted a pre-season match-up between the Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers in Mumbai, India, back in 2019 – and it was a huge hit. The country has a huge fan base for NBA basketball, and the Kings owner Vivek Ranadive is a Mumbai native. India has had representatives in the G League, which includes Satnam Singh, Amjyot Singh, and Princepal Singh – a testament to the scope of the country.

While there was no confirmation on the time frame, Adam Silver has kept the option of returning to India open.

“We do have plans to come back to India and again that was one of the setbacks that occurred with the pandemic, as you recall, it was the fall right before the pandemic really hit the whole world,” Silver said.

Published
Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.