For the Chinese people, basketball has been part of their life, their culture. To pay homage to Chinese basketball fans all over the world, the National Basketball Association will join the celebration of the Chinese New Year from Jan. 26 to Feb. 11. that will feature NBA's biggest stars who will don specially designed uniforms.
The NBA launched on Wednesday the new NBA Chinese New Year television spot, "Secret Envelope," that stars James Harden of the Houston Rockets, Jeremy Lin of the Brooklyn Nets, Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans, NBA.com reported.
Four of the top NBA teams will square off against each other wearing special Chinese New Year uniforms while nine NBA teams will hold Chinese New Year programs in their home courts. Aside from that, legendary Chinese basketball player Yao Ming, who was recently inducted in the Baskeball Hall of Fame, will have his jersey No. 11 retired by the Houston Rockets during the halftime of Rockets' game against the Chicago Bulls on Feb. 3.
Basketball and the NBA has been popular in China that more than 760 million people from China watch at least one NBA game on television last year, ESPN reported. China has been a usual pit stop for NBA Global Games that 22 preseason games have been played in the country all over the years, and all games have been sellouts.
Fans in China will be able to watch a record 60 games that will feature all the 30 NBA teams in the span of the 17-day celebration of the NBA. The first game of the NBA's Chinese New Year celebration will feature the Rockets against the Philadelphia 76ers where the Rockets will unveil their Chinese New Year uniforms. The celebration will end on Feb. 11 when the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Golden State Warriors lock horns.
Here are the highly anticipated matchups during the Chinese New Year celebration:
Jan. 27-Rockets vs. Sixers
Jan. 27-Nets vs. Cavaliers
Jan. 28 and Feb. 2-Warriors vs. Clippers
Feb. 3-Rockets vs. Bulls, Yao Ming Jersey Retirement Ceremony
Feb. 11-Thunder vs. Warriors
Watch the video below for the NBA Chinese New Year Secret Envelope commercial: