By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
It’s been announced that the NBA decided to move its annual European trip from London to Paris. The British capital hosted NBA Regular Season contests since 2011, but the 2019-20 schedule will contain a matchup between the Charlotte Hornets and the Milwaukee Bucks. The first Regular Season game in Paris will take place on January 24th of 2020 at the AccorHotels Arena.
The two Eastern Conference organizations have their share of European players with Nicolas Batum and Giannis Antetokounmpo, respectively, headlining their squad. Besides his French teammate, Tony Parker may perhaps be in Paris as well for the historic contest and also Spaniards Willy Hernangomez – for the Hornets – and maybe Nikola Mirotic and Pau Gasol, as well as Turkish forward Ersan Ilyasova for the Bucks will join the party.
“We are honored to be selected to play in the NBA’s first-ever regular season game in Paris,” said Bucks co-owner Wes Edens. “Playing in one of the great cities in Europe continues our goal to extend the global brand of the Bucks. We will be proud to represent Milwaukee and Wisconsin in Paris and we thank the NBA for this exciting opportunity.”
“On behalf of my teammates, we’re very excited for the chance to represent Milwaukee and the Bucks on the world stage,” said Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. “The opportunity to play in the first-ever regular season game in Paris is truly an honor, and as an international player, I’m grateful to the NBA for continuing to grow the game of basketball across the globe.”
Nicolas Dupeux, CEO of AccorHotels Arena, noted that negotiations are already underway for a game in the French capital during the 2020-21 campaign as well. Up to the match to be played next season, Paris hosted four preseason games between NBA teams in 1994, 2003, 2008 and 2010.