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The Mavericks will expand their global presence next season with two preseason games against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Abu Dhabi.
The Etihad Arena on Yas Island will be the venue for games on October 5 and 7, the NBA and the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism announced Tuesday morning.
It will be the second consecutive NBA season to host games in Abu Dhabi, following two preseason games in Atlanta and Milwaukee in 2022.
Primarily an entertainment and resort area, Yas Island is the main tourist area in the Persian Gulf, located approximately 90 miles southwest of Dubai. The Etihad Arena has a capacity of 18,000 seats.
“The Dallas Mavericks certainly recognize the importance of globalizing the game of basketball,” CEO Hinter Marshall said in an NBA news release. “We have enjoyed international players and a growing international fan base over the years.
“We are honored to be able to play the game we love for NBA fans in Abu Dhabi and around the world. We thank everyone who has worked so hard to create this exciting opportunity for our team and fans.”
Tickets for the Abu Dhabi match will go on sale at a later date. Fans can sign up at NBA.com/AbuDhabi for more information.
Those games will feature a variety of international players, including Mavs superstar point guard Luka Doncic. The Mavs have other multilingual players like Maxi Kleber, Davis Bertans and Frank Ntilikina. The Minnesota Timberwolves own Rudy Gobert of France.
The last time the Mavericks played overseas was in 2018, when they played two preseason games against the Philadelphia 76ers in China, Dirk Nowitzki’s final season and Doncic’s rookie season.
They also played a regular season game against the Detroit Pistons in Mexico City on December 12, 2019.
The 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games will be broadcast live in the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East and North Africa on beIn Sports, Sports Channel and NBA League Pass, reaching fans in more than 200 countries and territories across a variety of platforms.
These games are part of a multi-year partnership between the NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi. In January, the NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi launched an expanded second season of the NBA Abu Dhabi Youth League, which includes both boys’ and girls’ leagues for players ages 11-14.
“We are excited to prepare for the new season of the NBA Abu Dhabi Games in 2023,” said HE Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director of Tourism Abu Dhabi, DPT. “We look forward to welcoming players, teams and fans to experience this destination and enhancing our efforts to bring the best of sports entertainment and engagement to Abu Dhabi.”
Twitter: @ESefko
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