美国职业篮球协会正式启动NBA（中国）公司，负责NBA在中国的业务。5家公司为NBA（中国）投资2亿5千3百万美元，拥有“NBA中国”11％的股份。这5家公司是隶属迪斯尼公司的ESPN公司、中银集团投资有限公司、联想控股有限公司、李嘉诚基金会和招商局中国基金有限公司。
NBA总裁David Stern说：“NBA（中国）的意义非凡。这些知名公司将帮助我们挖掘这个地区的潜力。这个战略性的投资将使NBA与中国国家体育总局及中国篮球协会继续合作并发展篮球事业，并为中国的城乡带去健康的生活方式，同时让他们享受团队合作的乐趣”。
中国篮球协会的官员表示，“热烈庆祝NBA（中国）公司成立。有这些投资方的支持，我想NBA和CBA联赛在中国能够扩展。我们的合作会进一步促进篮球运动在中国的发展”。
微软（中国）的前首席执行官Tim Chen在2007年10月15日加入了NBA（中国）, 并成为NBA（中国）的首席执行官。将有一个理事会管理NBA（中国）。理事会的成员包括5家投资赞助商，NBA总监David Stern以及其他成员。
早在20年前，NBA就和中国篮球往来。例如1985年协助主办中国国家队，并定期提供培训，以及邀请中国国家队参加2007年NBA夏季联赛。NBA目前与51个中文电台合作包括CCTV，组织了数百场篮球巡回赛，目前和16个营销伙伴合作。
1992年，NBA在香港开设办事处。共有100名员工在中国工作.NBA中文网站在中国很流行，NBA这个单词在百度的搜索率很高。500余种的NBA产品在中国的沃尔玛，家乐福，爱迪达斯店和其他零售店里都有售。2004年，NBA在北京和上海举办了NBA中国联赛。2007年，NBA在上海和澳门举办了三场季前赛。
Goldman Sachs高盛有限公司将担任NBA（中国）公司的战略顾问以及独家配售代理。Proskauer Rose LLP公司担任NBA（中国）公司的法律顾问。
原文：NBA Launches NBA China
SportsOneSource Media Posted: 1/14/2008
The National Basketball Association formally launched its NBA China, a new entity that will conduct all of the league's businesses in Greater China. Five strategic partners will invest $253 million to acquire 11% of the company in preferred equity. The strategic partners are: ESPN, a division of The Walt Disney Company, Bank of China Group Investment, Legend Holdings Limited, Li Ka Shing Foundation and China Merchants Investments.
"The opportunity for basketball and the NBA in China is simply extraordinary," said NBA Commissioner David Stern. "The expertise, resources and shared vision of these immensely successful companies will help us to achieve the potential we see in the region. The strategic investment from these companies will allow us to continue working with the General Administration of Sports and the Chinese Basketball Association to grow our sport and emphasize, in both rural and urban Chinese communities, its contributions to fitness, healthy lifestyle and an appreciation of teamwork."
"I would like to congratulate the NBA on forming NBA China," said Mr. Li Yuanwei, Chinese Basketball Association Executive Vice President and Secretary General. "With the support of its strategic investors and additional investments in China, I think the NBA and the CBA can expand upon our past cooperation to further develop basketball in China."
Tim Chen, the former CEO of Microsoft Greater China, joined the NBA on October 15, 2007, and will lead the new entity as its CEO. NBA China will be governed by a Board of Directors that will include representatives of the strategic investors as well as Indiana Pacers owner Herb Simon, Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor and NBA executives Adam Silver, Deputy Commissioner and COO, Heidi Ueberroth, President of Global Marketing Partnerships and International Business Operations, and Commissioner Stern.
The NBA has interacted with Chinese basketball for decades, including first hosting the Chinese National team in 1985 and regularly providing training for the Team through U.S. coaching clinics, exhibition matches against NBA Development League teams and an invitation to the 2007 NBA Summer League. The NBA currently has relationships with 51 Chinese telecasters including a partnership of more than 20 years with national broadcaster CCTV, has organized hundreds of touring basketball events for fans and currently maintains 16 marketing partnerships with a combination of Chinese-based corporations and U.S.-based multinationals.
The NBA opened its Hong Kong office in 1992 and currently employs 100 people in four offices in Greater China. NBA.com/China has become the most popular single sports site in China and NBA is consistently the most searched sports term on Baidu.com, the top search engine in China. More than 500 unique NBA products are available in China at Wal-Mart, Carrefour, adidas stores and many other retail locations. The NBA became the first American sports league to stage games in China in 2004 with the NBA China Games 2004 in Beijing and Shanghai. The league returned this season for NBA China Games 2007, three preseason games played in Shanghai and Macao.
Goldman, Sachs & Co. acted as strategic advisor to NBA China and as exclusive placement agent for the offering. Proskauer Rose LLP acted as the legal advisor for NBA China.
