Basketball’s rise in China is one of the most fascinating sports success stories, blending over a century of history with modern marketing and cultural influence.
It all began in 1895, when the YMCA brought basketball to Tianjin just a few years after James Naismith invented the game in the U.S. By the early 1900s, it was already featured in China’s National Games, and in 1935, it was officially declared one of the country’s two national sports alongside table tennis.
The post-1949 era gave basketball a political and diplomatic role, with Chinese teams competing internationally. The breakthrough came in 1984, when China won its first Olympic basketball medal, cementing the sport’s nationwide popularity. The NBA entered the picture in 1979, when the Washington Bullets played exhibition games in China—an early step in connecting U.S. pro basketball with Chinese fans. David Stern’s push to televise games fueled an audience boom, which exploded with Yao Ming’s arrival in 2002 as the first international player drafted first overall. Yao’s success in the NBA triggered massive TV ratings, expanded broadcasts, and even brought NBA preseason games to China in 2004.
The NBA’s relationship with China hasn’t been without strain—2019 saw a halt in broadcasts after political controversy—but by 2021, games were back on CCTV. NBA China, established in 2008 with headquarters in Beijing, now oversees all league business in the region, valued at over $4 billion. High-profile investors like ESPN, the Bank of China, and Lenovo’s parent company contributed to its early growth.
Basketball’s appeal in China isn’t just at the pro level. The People’s Liberation Army played a huge role in promoting the game from the 1950s onward, with military teams like the Bayi Rockets producing stars such as Wang Zhizhi. Today, basketball is the most popular sport in China—2020 data shows about 625 million fans, 143 million of them hardcore followers.
The NBA’s Chinese fan engagement is unmatched:
- Douyin (TikTok China) – 12.3M followers, 410M+ likes
- WeChat – 1.4M followers
- Weibo – 44M+ followers
Beyond social media, the NBA has invested heavily in youth development. Partnerships with local schools, government programs, and training academies (in Ürümqi, Jinan, and Hangzhou) aim to grow basketball talent and integrate the sport into everyday life. Initiatives like the Dongguan Basketball School and after-school programs launched with Yao Ming show a commitment to grassroots growth.
From a YMCA gym in Tianjin to a multibillion-dollar sports empire, basketball in China has evolved into a cultural and commercial powerhouse—with the NBA at the heart of its story.
Do you want me to create a timeline graphic showing the key milestones in basketball’s growth in China? That would make the history even easier to follow.
