With over 1.2 billion global fans – including 300 million in China – the NBA continues to expand its digital footprint, said Feng Yichi, vice-president and gaming head of NBA China.

"Esports represents a strategic priority," said Feng. "While time differences and technical barriers challenge cross-regional competitions, this partnership allows us to establish localized esports ecosystems – complete with Chinese tournaments, talent pipelines, and club systems."

Former NBA player Derrick Rose believes there is a remarkable synergy between gaming and real sports. "They make the game more realistic every year, so all sports video games, (NBA) 2K, they did a great job with customizing their game to fit the NBA prototype of how players play."