The NBA and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi has announced that The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 will feature the Minnesota Timberwolves playing two preseason games on Thursday, Oct. 5 and Saturday, Oct. 7 against Dallas at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 are part of a multiyear collaboration between the NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi that last year saw the Atlanta Hawks and the Milwaukee Bucks play the league’s first games in the Arabian Gulf.
“As the NBA continues its global expansion, the Minnesota Timberwolves are honored to be selected for The NBA Abu Dhabi Games,” said Timberwolves CEO Ethan Casson. “Thank you to the NBA and the host city of Abu Dhabi for allowing us the opportunity to bring fans together through the game of basketball.”
Tickets for The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 will go on sale at a later date. Fans can register their interest in receiving more information by visiting here.
The collaboration also includes a variety of interactive fan events featuring appearances by current and former NBA players, a series of NBA FIT clinics promoting health and wellness, and an NBA 2K League exhibition event.
“We are excited to be preparing for the new season of The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 with the thrilling preseason head-to-head games between the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves,” said DCT Abu Dhabi director general, Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry. “We look forward to welcoming the players, teams, and fans to experience the destination and strengthening our efforts to bring the very best in sporting entertainment and engagement across Abu Dhabi.”
The games don’t come without question marks. While the Middle East is certainly an emerging market of fans and especially of money and investors, the United Arab Emirates is a country with many human rights violations. There are also claims the country has worked closely with Russian operatives to thwart sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine.
The UAE has also criminalized homosexuality which is and issue the NBA has clashed with previously. The league moved the 2017 All-Star Weekend out of Charlotte partly because of the anti-LBGT “bathroom law” passed in the state, plus LBGT employees within the league didn’t feel comfortable attending given the new law in North Carolina. The NBA did return in 2019 after a partial repeal of the law but NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said "fundamental issues" still remain, even though they seem to be willing to accept the harsh laws in the UAE.
There were also questions about the safety of players from both Milwaukee and Atlanta traveling to the UAE last season due to conflicts in the region.
