David Stern is soon on his way to the Philippines and Taiwan. After that, it’s off to Beijing and Shanghai.
His final months as commissioner are the NBA’s boldest yet when it comes to playing internationally, and he thinks bringing the league around the globe will remain important long after he’s left office in February.
“Numerically, without question, to have 10 games this season, it’s our most ambitious,” Stern said of the schedule that begins this weekend.
“It’s really just a continued statement to our international audience of our attempts to play games in their time zones and to demonstrate that we think it’s a global game and we appreciate their support and interest.”
There will be 12 teams playing outside the US and Canada, the most ever, and the league will play regular-season games in two countries beyond those for the first time.
There are stops in old standbys and first-time trips to cities in Brazil and Spain that will be hosting major international competitions in the next few years.