Adam Silver launches 2026 NBA China Games Basketball Community Week in Macao

“There is nothing more important to the NBA than events like this,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told dozens of young players at the Sands Cotai Theatre on Oct. 8. With that assessment from the league’s top executive, the launch of the 2026 NBA China Games Basketball Community Week signaled an expanded push by the league to connect directly with local communities in Macao through outreach and youth engagement.

The opening ceremony brought together active players from the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets, who hosted on-court training sessions for children from Macao and the Chinese mainland. Alongside students and teachers, the visiting players also assembled commemorative gift packages destined for local community groups. According to the event’s organizers, the community week is running for five days with five themed public welfare events, marking the second straight year the initiative has accompanied the NBA China Games to Macao.

Basketball Community Week Brings Stars and Students Together in Macao

A high-profile group of executives, league officials, and basketball legends attended the opening ceremony alongside the active players.

The formal launch followed a Youth Basketball Day held the previous day, which drew more than 200 students and teachers from Macao, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Hainan. The participants took part in joint basketball clinics and classroom sessions designed to broaden youth perspectives through sport. Following the opening ceremony, Mavericks and Rockets players transitioned from drills to interactive games, high-fiving young participants across the court in a series of collaborative team exercises.

Silver Encourages Young Athletes to Dream Big

Addressing the young athletes during the training session, Silver encouraged participants to maintain long-term dedication to physical fitness and personal ambition.

“Basketball can build perseverance and resilience, letting children pursue their dreams bravely, hold fast to their aspirations, and work hard for them,” Silver told the players, adding a specific piece of advice referencing former star Yao Ming. “I want to leave you with one sentence: Dare to dream big. That is precisely what many NBA players practice, and what our familiar Yao Ming has achieved. No matter what dreams you pursue, everything you learn in sports will help you achieve success on your life’s journey.”

Following the on-court instruction, Mavericks and Rockets players joined Sands volunteers and local students to pack health and wellness kits for local neighborhoods. Sands President Patrick Dumont noted that the collaborative packing effort aimed to translate the league’s focus on community cohesion into tangible acts of support.

Expanding Outreach Across Twenty Years of NBA Cares Programming

The partnership builds on the foundation of NBA Cares, the league’s global social responsibility platform that has operated for two decades across schools and community centers. Last year’s return of the NBA China Games to Macao after a six-year hiatus established the inaugural Basketball Community Week, transforming traditional single-day appearances into an extended schedule of community engagement.

Organizers confirmed that future programming under the initiative will continue to use basketball as a medium to link diverse communities and foster cultural exchange between visiting athletes and local youth groups.

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