The Middle East has sought to become a prominent figure in professional sports over the past few years, and basketball is a key component of their efforts.
With the NBA expanding its presence in the Middle East, the stage is set for a series of high-profile partnerships, investments and competitions that will reshape the global scene.
Abu Dhabi’s Expanding NBA Footprint
The 2025-26 NBA preseason began with international fixtures, with the first clash taking place in Abu Dhabi at the Etihad Arena.
Everywhere you looked, there were signs of the increasing role the Middle East is playing in the NBA world. The crowd was composed of locals, expats and travelling supporters, while former stars and celebrities filled the sidelines.
However, the most intriguing sight was the cordial warmth between NBA commissioner Adam Silver and New York Knicks owner James Dolan – two men who usually don’t see eye to eye.
His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak played a key role in reconciling the pair. The influential Abu Dhabi official has been nurturing connections with major American sports organizations.
His work paved the way for the Knicks’ jersey patch deal with Experience Abu Dhabi and the blockbuster agreement between the Department of Culture and Tourism and Sphere Entertainment.
The latter is expected to bring an advanced Sphere venue to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of a long-term strategy that includes playing more pre-season games in the Middle East.
The basketball organization has also launched the NBA Global Academy in Abu Dhabi.
NBA Europe and the Gulf’s Strategic Influence
While Abu Dhabi continues to establish itself in the global basketball ecosystem, the league is pushing to create NBA Europe.
The potentially transformative project has been in the pipeline for quite some time, but recent developments regarding its establishment were remarkably positive.
Discussions were more serious in the past year, with the league now plotting to launch the competition by 2027.
Abu Dhabi proved pivotal in the talks and will even be more involved in the league if they go ahead with plans to invest in a Manchester-based team, which is pointing in that direction.
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It has been extremely successful with its venture into football via its City Football Group assets, including Manchester City, Girona, Troyes and Melbourne City.
Based on their success with Man City, any Abu Dhabi-backed team would immediately be odds-on favourites with the bookmakers for the NBA Europe title.
Reputable Arabian basketball betting platforms would be inundated with wagers on the new team, which would feature some of the best coaching and playing talents around. That betting interest will also be key for attracting wider attention to the new league.
Silver and deputy commissioner Mark Tatum have toured London, Paris and Madrid to gauge interest from established clubs. Organisations such as ASVEL, Galatasaray and Real Madrid are willing to join the new NBA Europe.
Expansion fees are likely to reach hundreds of millions, and Gulf investment from powerhouses such as Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Saudi Arabia will be decisive.
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The Middle East’s Wider Basketball Ambitions
Besides the NBA, the Middle East has been keenly investing in basketball, and it is already reaping the fruits of its labor.
Dubai Basketball entered the EuroLeague through a five-year wild-card berth, which left stakeholders stunned but showed the Emirates’ determination to solidify itself as a basketball hub.
Etihad Airways replaced Turkish Airlines as the league’s title sponsor, offering subsidised costs to travelling fans.
The 2025 EuroLeague Final Four was played at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, marking the first time the competition had been held outside Europe.
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Elsewhere, sovereign wealth funds from Qatar and the UAE have been infiltrating the NBA. Mubadala Capital’s $10 billion commitment to TWG Global paved the way for a controlling stake in the Los Angeles Lakers.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s investment authority bought a stake in the Washington Wizards’ parent company and continues to discuss potential future endeavors.
Controllers of the Saudi Public Investment Fund have discussed supporting other NBA ventures, embedding the Middle East more in the basketball landscape.
The NBA will embrace the relationship as it looks to capitalize on its own data, which shows increased participation in basketball in the Middle East.
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