The NBA G League United team made two trips to China in less than a month, where they competed against teams from the Chinese Basketball Association in Shanghai and Beijing, as well as participated in exchanges with professional players and young talents from the country.
The developmental team's debut in China took place in Shanghai at the end of August. There, they played two friendly matches at the inaugural NBA Basketball Festival in Shanghai on August 28 and 30 against the reigning CBA champions, the Shanghai Sharks.
Afterward, NBA G League United returned to China to participate in the 2026 FIBA Continental Cup in Beijing. In this match, the team defeated the Beijing Royal Fighters with a score of 119-89 at the National Indoor Stadium on Wednesday.
Created in 2024 to represent the NBA's developmental league on the international stage, the NBA G League United roster included a player with recent ties to Chinese basketball. Guard Lester Kinones played for the Qingdao Eagles CBA last season before joining the squad for its latest international campaign.
Familiar faces were also present on the court. Beijing guards Grant Riller and Daisen Knox previously played in the NBA G League; Riller has been with the CBA Royal Fighters since 2023.
These visits provided an opportunity for players from both countries to exchange ideas and get acquainted with different playing styles. Shanghai guard Li Tianrong noted that his team learned lessons from the pace of NBA G League United in both offense and defense, and also studied various aspects of the individual skills of American players.
Sharks coach Lu Wei also welcomed the cross-border basketball exchange, stating that Chinese teams could benefit by traveling to the United States or hosting American clubs at home.
The interaction extended beyond professional competitions. During the first trip, NBA G League United players visited the Bund and met with young athletes from the Shanghai Guangming high school basketball team.
Thanks to the friendly matches in Shanghai, the international competition in Beijing, and the meetings with youth, the two trips became the latest platform for basketball interaction between China and the United States.