In an interesting turn of events, the NBA has made it official that the Dallas Mavericks will be facing the Houston Rockets in a couple of preseason games later in October in China. The games are all set to be played in Macao’s Venetian Arena. The news was already confirmed by NBA Insider Marc Stein months ago, but the dates are finally out.

“Dallas and Houston will meet in the NBA’s two preseason China games next season on Oct. 9 and 11 at The Venetian Arena in Macao,” Stein’s X post read.

The development has taken place mainly because of the Mavericks’ governor, Patrick Dumont’s connection with China, as he is also the CEO of the Sands Corporation, the company that owns the Venetian Arena. Therefore, playing in China was a logical decision for the Mavericks. Even the Houston Rockets make sense.

The Rockets have a strong following in China, primarily due to NBA Hall of Famer Yao Ming‘s tenure with the franchise.

Ming, an eight-time NBA All-Star, spent a significant portion of his NBA career with the Rockets, which led to several fans from China starting to follow the team. This love and affection have remained unchanged even after many years. So the Rockets playing in China is a welcome move for the fans.

“I could not be prouder of having the Mavericks come to Macao and have the team experience the incredible hospitality that Sands properties provide,” Dumont said in statements released by the NBA.

Since drafting Yao (Ming) in 2002, the Rockets “have received overwhelming love from the passionate basketball fans of China and built several cherished memories playing overseas,” Houston alternate governor Patrick Fertitta said.

Patrick Dumont played a major role in resolving NBA-China relations

The NBA’s popularity in China is well documented, especially during the time Yao Ming was featured in the league. Even after that, the country continued having a strong fandom for the big league.

However, the relationship severed due to several political reasons. Therefore, since 2019, Chinese authorities have cut ties with the NBA, and the league has been absent from Chinese airwaves for three years, with multiple sponsors also moving away.

However, in October 2025, the NBA’s relationship with China took a major turn courtesy of Dumont. The Dallas Mavericks‘ governor and CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp played a crucial role in improving the situation between the two parties. His company owns five casino resorts in Macao while also constructing the Venetian Arena, where the games in 2025 were held.

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Dumont was seen in proximity to the Chinese legend Yao Ming during last year’s NBA China games. Ming, symbolizing the growing connection between the two parties. Ming is close to the Houston Rockets and also to the Chinese Basketball Federation.

Following the event in 2025, it was expected that the NBA would return to China in 2026. The NBA China Games 2026 will be a three-day event where two matches will be played between the Houston Rockets and the Dallas Mavericks from October 9 to 11. The event will include interactive fan events, youth basketball clinics, and Community Impact initiatives co-hosted by NBA Cares and Sands Cares.

According to the NBA’s estimation, the Mavericks have 10 million fans in China. The Mavericks played two preseason games in China against Philadelphia in October 2018, in Shanghai and Shenzhen.

The games will be shown in more than 200 countries on television, digital, and social media. Corporate partners supporting the games and surrounding events include Amazon Web Services, Gatorade, Nike, and Tissot.