In the group hotel lounge in Paris, NBA deputy director Mark Tatum sat over. He had only emerged from one gathering, and had two more on his case.

The night before, he watched the U. S. beat Serbia in a men’s final game, and after in the day, he planned to attend the U. S. women’s quarterfinal match at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Tatum’s active July-August plan, which included nearly a quarter in France and a quick return to the United States for a GM conference where he sits on the table, was merely a snapshot.

Temple is accustomed to doing this kind of globetrotting as the NBA’s global coach.

The league’s global footprint continues to grow, and Saturday, the Washington Wizards play the Miami Heat in Mexico City, marking the 33rd game in the country ( preseason and regular-season ). Following the preseason game between the Boston Celtics and the Denver Nuggets in Abu Dhabi and the two scheduled games between the San Antonio Spurs ( bonjour, Victor Wembanyama ) and the Indiana Pacers in Paris, this is a major development.

The NBA matched a group large with 125 foreign athletes from a group record-tying 43 states on opening-night schedules. No. 1 was Wembanyama. 1 get in the 2023 review, and other Frenchmen Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr were the best two pulls in the 2024 review.

Outside of the United States, grassroots initiatives like Basketball Without Borders ( BWB ) are assisting African countries develop players, with the exception of Nickola Jokic three times, Giannis Antetokounmpo twice, and Joel Embiid once. That is underlined by South Sudan’s impressive Olympic efficiency.

The NBA even continues to investigate a financial interest in Western sports events, perhaps the Euroleague, to help increase revenue and publicity.

Tatum spoke with YSL News Sports about the NBA’s expansion abroad.

( Questions and responses condensed for brevity and clarity ):

What potential options do the NBA have for German teams, asks YSL News?

Temple: We ( the NBA and FIBA, sport’s global governing body ) both have an interest in developing the game of basketball and however we can be useful in that process, whether it be a new contest or some new construction, we’re going to be interested in accomplishing that. And that’s what we’re discussing to the various participants about: What’s the best and appropriate way for us to get engaged in that approach? What kind of solution should be made available to the industry that will captivate viewers in a significant way and help the baseball game grow?

YSL News: Despite what we know, there is still a distinction between what South Sudan has produced and what is now. What is happening? What are you going to see on the globe?

Temple: We’ve got a three-prong approach in terms of developing the sport at the local level. Khaman Maluach was a young child who was 14 years old when we found him at our club, taught him the basketball game, provided him with the education, training, and advancement he needed to play at Duke, and is now known as such. And everyone’s saying he’s a projected ( lottery ) pick in next year’s draft. Because we are building the infrastructure there, that is what is now a possibility.

Making sure fans can access our content wherever they are is another component of that strategy. And we’re working to ensure that the BAL ( Basketball Africa League ) and our games are widely distributed throughout the continent. We’re seeing viewership metrics grow, we’re seeing social media engagements grow. The third component of that strategy is to bring the live-game experience there. In order for young African children to see a path from a grassroots program playing basketball in Africa to playing professional basketball there, we created the Basketball Africa League. The NBA can sometimes seem so far away, so now they have a choice where people can see there is a very clear path from grassroots to professional basketball.

YSL News: With the growth of the game internationally, is there a fine line in making sure that American players are still part of the conversation?

Tatum: It demonstrates how crucial it is to keep funding basketball development in every nation, including the United States. And I believe that’s a topic that our junior NBA programs and our partnership with USA Basketball’s youth programs both have a lot of attention to. So we are very focused on this area, and how do we continue to make sure that we are funding young players in the United States to ensure that the Anthony Edwards, the Devin Bookers, the Jayson Tatums, and that talent is still present in our league?

But I will say, having these international players, Giannis, Jokic, Luka ( Doncic ) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander– they are players born outside the United States, but they are global superstars. They are relevant to American fans and international fans alike. … That is what we’re looking for – the talent, wherever they come from around the world, to come play in our league. No matter where they are from, I believe our fans will appreciate the talent they are bringing to this league.

YSL News: What are plans to, or what are thoughts about making the WNBA game a little bit more international?

Tatum: Huge plans … So talk about in Africa– the investments that we’re making are both in men’s basketball and women’s basketball. The BWB camp is a women’s camp as well. We’ve got women’s programs at our academy. … The growth of the women’s game is global, too. And of course, we made the announcement that the WNBA expansion team would be in Canada ( Toronto ). There were no sales when we played there. I know ( WNBA commissioner ) Cathy ( Engelbert ) and her team are actually looking at other markets. There is a lot of demand for bringing WNBA games to various European locations. Numerous people have contacted us about introducing a game to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Watching WNBA games be played in foreign markets as well, both in the lead up to their season and potentially during their season, is definitely one of the things you can expect in the near future, in my opinion.

Is there a reason why the NBA does n’t stand out as a place to play year after year when Wembanyama and the top two picks in 2024 came from France, we talked about?

Tatum: There’s something that’s special that’s going on in this market in France where the love for basketball is just growing. Of course, football, or international soccer, continues to be a global sport, but basketball in France, we’re seeing all of our metrics going in the right direction – the talent, the number of players, the viewership, League Pass subscribers, and the San Antonio Spurs have become the No. One team in France to follow and watch with a League Pass.

Because there is such a high demand here, we will continue to come in, play games, and hold events. I will say this, there’s tremendous demand across the rest of the continent, too, and in other parts of the world. We have n’t yet decided where we’ll play in 2026, but we do know that it will because that scheme works. And the game has grown, not just here in France, it’s grown phenomenally in France, but it’s grown phenomenally in Germany.

” We’re seeing growth in the UK, in Spain, in all these European markets. But as we consider the landscape in which we play games internationally, there is no denying that France will continue to be present.