Sheikh Khaled discusses ways for further collaboration with NBA in Abu Dhabi

His Highness Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, has met Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and National Basketball Association (NBA) Deputy Commissioner and COO Mark Tatum, and NBA players in Abu Dhabi.

Also attending the meeting were Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak and Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Chairman and Under-Secretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).

During the meeting, which took place with the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 series underway at Etihad Arena, they discussed exploring further opportunities for collaboration.

The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 forms part of a strategic four-year partnership between the NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi to host preseason games and activations in the Middle East for the first time.

Sheikh Khaled greets NAB players in Abu Dhabi. WAM

The partnership also sees DCT Abu Dhabi, under Visit Abu Dhabi (Abu Dhabi’s tourism promotion initiative) serve as the Official Tourism Destination Partner of the NBA in China, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, further enhancing the emirate's position as a leading destination for international sports events.

Central to the partnership is youth engagement and development through initiatives such as the Jr NBA Abu Dhabi League. This year, the league engaged 900 players aged between 11 and 14 from the emirate’s schools, fostering teamwork and collaboration and providing young people with access to world-leading talent and expertise.

Following last year’s inaugural NBA Abu Dhabi Games at Yas Island’s Etihad Arena, the 2023 series has brought together the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Dallas Mavericks for two games.

WAM