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The first game will start at noon ET on Thursday, and the second game will start at noon ET on SaturdayGetty Images
At the 2022 NBA Abu Dhabi Games, the Eagles and Bucks will play two games at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island, the league’s first match in the UAE and the Arabian Gulf. The first game will start at noon ET on Thursday, and the second game will start at noon ET on Saturday. The NBA has long been operating in the region, playing there for 35 years and seeing several notable players – Kobe Bryant, Hakeem Olajuwon and Dikembe Muto Mbo – Visiting the UAE for clinics and fan events. League executives see this week’s game as the culmination of more than three years of work on the development of the game in the region. “After we play there, we’re going to play in pretty much every region around the world,” NBA vice president Mark Tatum told SBJ. “An important part of our strategy is making sure people can touch and feel the game because we know it’s going to have an impact on growing the fan base.”
Expand your footprint: From today through Sunday, fans can take part in the NBA Zone, an immersive and interactive event that will showcase music, media and art related to NBA culture. The NBA also runs a series of youth basketball engagement programs in partnership with the Hawks and Bucks. The league’s first Jr. NBA Week in the Middle East will run through Sunday and will involve nearly 2,000 youth, coaches and stakeholders from across the UAE, the Middle East and Europe. These events will be attended by Eagles and Bucks players/coaches, NBA and WNBA legends, and others. The games will be broadcast live in the UAE and across the Middle East and North Africa through beIN Sports, The Sports Channel and NBA League Pass. Marketing partners include Gatorade, NBA 2K23, Nike, SAP, Tissot and Abu Dhabi Tourism. “The Bucks and Eagles want to spread the goodwill and joy of NBA basketball in populated areas of the world,” Eagles CEO Steve Kooning told SBJ. “When you look at Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates, they have the resources to really use sport as a way to continue to develop the country and the culture, this is the perfect time to expand our footprint.”
keep busy: Activities around the game this week include:
- Atlanta Hawks Youth Program: Eagles players and coaches hosted three simultaneous youth development events at NYU Abu Dhabi campus facilities, including the first Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League and Abu Dhabi Olympic Program Boys and Girls Basketball Clinic.
- NBA Coaching Clinic: Eagles assistant coaches Joe Plenty and Mike Longabadi and Bucks assistant coaches Mike Dunlap and Vince Legaza have opened clinics for more than 300 men’s and women’s basketball coaches from across the UAE.
- Bucks Youth Program: Bucks players and coaches lead players from the Dubai NBA Basketball School and the Jr. NBA Elite Camp through a series of drills, skill stops and challenges at NYU Abu Dhabi.
- Jr. NBA School Clinic: The NBA is opening eight Jr. NBA Clinics for boys and girls in local schools across Abu Dhabi, two of which will be attended by former NBA standout Dominique Wilkins and WNBA legend Ticha Penicheiro (Portugal).
- NBA Basketball Meet and Greet the Troops: In partnership with the United Services Organization (USO), the NBA will host members of the U.S. military at two games to meet and greet NBA legends.
- NBA Basketball School Showcase: Athletes from the NBA Basketball School in Dubai – a full-time program for boys and girls aged 6-18 – will travel to Abu Dhabi for a multi-day basketball development program.
- Jr. NBA Elite Training Camp: The NBA will host 25 top boys and girls from the Jr. NBA League in Europe and the Middle East and the NBA Basketball School in Dubai at its elite training camp in Abu Dhabi. Athletes come from 11 countries.
- NBA District Youth Basketball Clinic: The league hosts nine youth basketball clinics in the NBA district.
- Wish Experience: In partnership with DCT Abu Dhabi and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the NBA will host four local children and their families at Thursday’s game.
- her time play clinic: On Friday, the NBA will host a “Her Time To Play” clinic at NYU Abu Dhabi for 70 girls from the Jr. NBA Elite Camp and the NBA Basketball School in Dubai.
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