Sixers to play two preseason games in China in October

By Josh Liddick, Sports Talk Philly editor 

The NBA is a global game for sure, and one of their major initiatives is to expose the game to as many countries as possible.

On Tuesday, the Sixers announced they will be teaming up with the Dallas Mavericks to play two preseason games on October 5 and 8 in Shanghai and Shenzhen respectively.

This will be the Sixers' first trip to China in franchise history, as the team and the Mavs become just the 16th and 17th teams to participate since the inaugural NBA China Games in 2004.

Both Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid expressed their excitement towards getting to play in China this upcoming preseason.

“It will be an honor to be the first 76ers team to play in front of the amazing fan base in China in October,” said Embiid. 

“Getting a chance to play all over the world has always been a dream of mine and I’m excited to play in China in October,” said Simmons. “I know the fans there are passionate about basketball and I’m really looking forward to the trip to Shanghai and Shenzhen.”

President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo and Head Coach Brett Brown also look forward in bringing the game back to China.

“With over 300 million participants, basketball has emerged as the number-one team sport in China and is a major driver of the incredible global growth of the game," Colangelo said. "We are thrilled to be able to bring some of the world’s best players to showcase their talents on such a big stage with such passionate and knowledgeable fans.”

“We pride ourselves on the unique, international culture we have created here in Philadelphia. It is something that we pay close attention to and it resonates throughout our roster, front office and staff," Brown said. "We are excited to bring our team to China in the fall and connect with the truly great fans of a basketball-rich country.” 

The Sixers played in London back in January against the Boston Celtics, so playing overseas with popular players like Embiid and Simmons may be in the best interest of not just the Sixers, but also the NBA's future growth and marketing a brand that can grow even further.