The United Arab Emirates will host teams from Milwaukee and Atlanta in October for two NBA preseason matches, a first in the Middle East, the North American basketball league announced on Tuesday. The meetings between the defending NBA champions Bucks and the Hawks will take place in the capital Abu Dhabi on October 6 and 8.
These matches are part of a multi-year agreement between the NBA and the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism. No preseason fixtures have been played outside of North America since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Previously, some matches had been organized in England, France, Mexico, Japan, China and recently in India.
In 2021, the Milwaukee Bucks won their first NBA championship title since 1971. Team star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 50 points in Game 6 of the Finals against Phoenix, becoming the seventh player in NBA history. finals to cross this bar.