Next Olympic and Paralympic Games host city, Rio de Janeiro hosts an NBA (National Basketball Association, the US Professional Basketball League) match for the first time. On Saturday, the 12^th, the match between the Chicago Bulls, including star Derrick Rose, and the Washington Wizards, including Brazilian Nenê, will rock Rio Olympic Arena in Barra da Tijuca neighbourhood from 18h00. And Basketball fans from around the world can be sure of an unforgettable evening.

“The league had plans to come to Brazil for many years, to settle here, it’s an old dream that is coming true now. Brazil goes through a very good international moment, Basketball is growing once again and there couldn’t be a better time for NBA to enter Brazil for good. Today, this is real and we are very happy. It’s an achievement, not only for NBA but for Brazilian fans as well”, NBA Brasil Executive Director Arnon de Mello Neto celebrates. He praised the choice of Rio Olympic Arena, one of Rio 2007 Pan American Games’ greatest legacies, to host the event.

“We visited a few arenas and gymnasiums. Rio Olympic Arena was the one that offered the ideal conditions to host the event. It’s a structure of international standards, this is fundamental to host large events”, he highlighted.

The teams have two athletes that already competed in a Games edition.  French Kevin Séraphin, American Emeka Okafor and Brazilian Nenê Hilário plays for the Wizards and British Luol Deng plays for the Bulls. Other NBA stars such as Joakim Noah, the son of former French Tennis player Yannick Noah, John Wall and Derrick Rose, who received the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award in 2011, besides living legends of Basketball like Scottie Pippen, John Paxson and Horace Grant, will also attend the event.

The match between the Bulls and the Wizards is part of a series of eight preseason games called NBA Global Games. Brazil and the Philippines debut in the circuit, raising the number of countries that have already hosted the league since 1978 to 20. This month, cities like Bilbao, Spain, Manchester, England, Beijing and Shanghai, China and Istanbul, Turkey, will also host matches.

“Of course the fact that Brazil is hosting important events further promoted the country. Various international events already took place or will take place soon, like the Pan American Games in 2007 and the Confederations Cup this year, besides the World Cup and the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. All this creates the perfect setting for the sport’s growth and economic growth as well, and NBA is in Brazil in order to be part of this”, NBA Brasil Director said.

Shanghai and Rio de Janeiro will also celebrate Fan Appreciation Day, a free event that allows sports fans to interact with NBA teams players. All eight games will be broadcast live on NBA TV in the US besides NBA League Pass International. The match at Rio Olympic Arena will be broadcast countrywide on ESPN Brasil.

In 2016, Basketball matches will take place in the Olympic Park, also in Barra neighbourhood. Rio Olympic Arena will be the stage for Gymnastics (Artistic, Rhythmic and Trampoline) competitions as well as Wheelchair Basketball matches in the Paralympic Games. The arena is located inside Rio Olympic Park Precinct, only five minutes from the Olympic and Paralympic Village.