The NBA introduced that the Miami Warmth and Washington Wizards will play a regular-season recreation in Mexico Metropolis on Nov. 2 subsequent season. This would be the thirty third time the NBA has performed a recreation in Mexico since 1992.
The Warmth, led by Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, can be enjoying their third recreation in Mexico, whereas this would be the Wizards’ fourth time touring south of the border for a recreation. Whereas it is not probably the most thrilling matchup, as Washington completed with the second-worst document within the league, it should draw some consideration because the Wizards have the No. 2 general decide within the upcoming NBA Draft. Couple that with already having Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole, and Washington ought to have an entertaining staff subsequent season.
Miami final performed in Mexico Metropolis in December 2022, when it beat the Spurs throughout a regular-season matchup. The Warmth additionally beat the Brooklyn Nets in Mexico Metropolis throughout their 2017 assembly. Whereas the Wizards are enjoying their fourth recreation in Mexico Metropolis, this can be their first regular-season contest, with the earlier three being preseason matchups. That is additionally the primary time since 2000 that they have been again, and solely the second time they have been to the nation because the Wizards. Throughout their different two visits, the staff was nonetheless often called the Washington Bullets.
The NBA’s relationship with Mexico Metropolis builds on the purpose of increasing the attain of the league. Along with Mexico Metropolis, the NBA has held video games in London, Abu Dhabi, Tokyo and Paris, amongst others. However Mexico Metropolis actually holds a particular place within the league’s coronary heart, as Mexico’s capital is the one metropolis exterior the continental U.S. the place the affiliation has thought-about establishing an NBA franchise staff. There’s already a G League staff in Mexico Metropolis, and commissioner Adam Silver mentioned in 2023 that having common season video games in addition to a G League affiliate are simply stepping stones to what might someday turn out to be a full-fledged NBA franchise.
“We see this as a gateway, primarily, to the remainder of Latin America,” Silver mentioned. “We predict, whether or not it’s extra G League franchises in Mexico Metropolis and in the end a bigger footprint right here in Latin America or in the end the dream of an NBA franchise coming to Mexico Metropolis someday.”
There is not one other nation that has held extra NBA video games because the league began internet hosting video games across the globe, and that pattern will proceed when the Warmth and Wizards face off in November.
