Net Gains

Despite a rough offseason, commissioner David Stern is bullish on the NBA's future in China, Sun Xiaochen writes.

Suddenly, everything's looking sunny for the NBA again - and that goes double in China. Despite the season being delayed due to a lockout, and some of the league's stars heading overseas, Commissioner David Stern said he isn't worried the NBA's appeal has been damaged. "We feel confident that basketball will still be number one among Chinese sports fans," Stern told China Daily during a video conference on Thursday.

The shortened 66-game schedule hasn't prevented TV ratings, social media followers or online highlight viewers from continuing to grow in China.

The league got some help on the court, too. The recent hype surrounding Jeremy Lin - the New York Knicks' point guard, whose parents were from Taiwan - has taken some of the sting out of Yao Ming's retirement and the fact Yi Jianlian is struggling on the bench in Dallas.

Still upbeat after last year's gloom, Stern attributed the league's strong season to the game's consistent high quality.

"There are some questions about injuries, lower shooting percentages. But to me, all of the storylines are there. The quality is very high," Stern said. "The numbers may be down from last year. Whether our players are shooting at 46 percent or 44 percent, they're still the best basketball players in the world. It is still NBA basketball.

"I think by the time we get to the playoffs, you're going to see the great NBA that you have become accustomed. On that basis, I say we're having a very good season."

Meanwhile, the league's deep roots in China after more than 20 years of multi-level promotion have cultivated a loyal fan base, Stern said.

"For us, the long-term growth in China and the popularity of the NBA will come from the fans who understand our game and follow our stars," Stern said. "Wherever the stars are from and wherever the fans are from. As Yao said recently, the NBA is stronger than ever in China because fans are focusing on LeBron and Kobe and other great players.

"It's always good to have a star from that country because it will get additional fans interested. But those are the two things together: training and discovering local young talents, but also connecting with NBA stars."

In cooperation with the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), the NBA launched its basketball academy in Dongguan, Guangdong province in November.

The league hopes to produce future stars by providing them with advanced coaching methods, fitness programs and sports nutrition.

Stern also said the league has plans to stage two more exhibition games in China prior to next season.

"That's the kind of relationship that we would like to have with the CBA, to work together to improve the talent, the coaching, and to share what we think we know about the sport," he said. "Together we can grow the sport of basketball in China and around the world."

The NBA's close ties to the CBA took a hit last week, when FIBA cleared Kenyon Martin, who opted out his one-year contract with the CBA's Xinjiang Flying Tigers, to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers before the Flying Tigers' season was over.

The other top imports, J.R. Smith and Wilson Chandler, have also failed to meet expectations.

Still, Stern says his players improved the CBA's level of competition.

"I think the answer is that the opportunity for the Chinese fans to see NBA players, the opportunity for Chinese players to play with and against NBA players, the opportunity for coaches and referees and trainers to see what the experience is, is something that will continue to raise the quality of the game in China, the same way it raised the quality of the game on a global basis coming out of the Olympics."

Stern said he expects the league's new collective bargaining agreement to level the NBA's playing field.

"If you want to sign another team's free agent now, you may only sign him for four years under the new deal," said Stern. "When that contract is over, the players who have performed well will get new contracts and more money, and those who haven't will not do as well. That will make the league more competitive."

Stern also praised the NBA's new tax system.

"We are going to have a very high luxury tax the year after next so that if you sign a player and you are over the tax threshold, let's say you sign a player for $20 million, you will have to pay $45 million in additional taxes, so that player will cost you $65 million," he said.

"We think that will discourage the teams that have lots of money from overspending because they would rather save that money and we think that will, in our opinion, level the playing field."