The Golden State Warriors will play two preseason games in China against the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of the NBA Global Games China 2017, it was announced today by the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Warriors will face off against the Timberwolves on Thursday, October 5 in Shenzhen at the Shenzhen Universiade Center, followed by a rematch in Shanghai at the Mercedes-Benz Arena on Sunday, October 8.
“I have visited China every year since 2013, and the fans there are incredibly supportive of me, the Warriors and the NBA,” said Warriors Guard Stephen Curry, the NBA’s back-to-back most valuable player (MVP). “I’m excited about the opportunity to return to China, enjoy the country’s culture, and bring the excitement of live NBA games directly to Chinese fans.”
This will mark the third trip the Warriors have made to China following visits in 2008 and 2013. As part of the NBA’s comprehensive global games schedule during the 2013-14 preseason, the Warriors travelled to China to play the Los Angeles Lakers in Beijing’s MasterCard Center on October 15 and in Shanghai’s Mercedes Benz Arena on October 18. Previously, also as part of the NBA Global Games, the Warriors played two preseason contests against the Milwaukee Bucks in Beijing and Guangzhou during the 2008-09 preseason. Following NBA Global Games China 2017, 14 NBA teams will have played 24 games in Greater China since 2004, in Beijing, Guangzhou, Macao, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Taipei.
The Warriors were one of the first teams to launch a Chinese website and a Weibo account in October of 2013 and currently have the most followers in the NBA on Weibo with over 2.8 million followers.
NBA Global Games China 2017 will feature a variety of fan activities, including the sixth annual Fan Appreciation Day presented by Dongfeng Nissan on Oct. 7 in Shanghai, which will provide thousands of fans with the opportunity to participate in on-court games and watch the Warriors and Timberwolves practice. In addition to Fan Appreciation Day, the league and its partners will conduct NBA Cares community events in both cities.