NBA games eyed at Arena of Mall of Asia

If plans do not miscarry, there will be a National Basketball Association (NBA) game in the Philippines next year.

The venue of the proposed game will be the Arena of the Mall of Asia which is undergoing construction and expected to be opened in May next year.

The Arena will be a state-of-the-art venue for events, including basketball and boxing.

Officials of the MOA Arena  are now holding talks with NBA Asia for the possible staging of the exhibition game.

“The target date is October 2012,” said Erl Orenza, assistant vice president for MOA Arena.

“Our initial meeting (with NBA Asia) revealed that the arrangement (for the game) should be done one year in advance,” he said.

This developed as five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant arrived in Manila  for his five-city Nike Asia tour.

The Los Angeles Lakers star arrived in Manila on board a private jet at around 5 p.m., according to ABS-CBN.

Nike Philippines’ Mae Dichupa said Bryant has always prioritized Manila to be part of his Asia tour because of the Filipino’s love for basketball.

This is the 3rd time Nike has brought in the NBA superstar to spend time with his fans and the cream of the crop of Philippine college basketball.

Bryant will visit  a Gawad Kalinga community in Taguig to dedicate a refurbished basketball court to the underprivileged kids of GK’s SIGA program.

“These are kids who have been chosen by Gawad Kalinga to be the lucky [players] to be able to spend sometime with Kobe Bryant on the court,” reported ABS-CBN’s TJ Manotoc.

The day’s big event will take place at the Araneta Coliseum where Bryant will watch an exhibition game between Smart-Gilas Pilipinas and UAAP-NCAA selection.

After the game, Bryant will pick a player who will undergo his trademark basketball drill.

Orenza said top teams will be invited to the MOA Arena.

“ Of course, Miami because of coach Erik Spoelstra (who is half-Filipino) and Dallas, the reigning champion. The Los Angeles Lakers are also among the list,” said Edgar Tejerero, senior vice president for West Avenue Theatres Corp.

The 16,000-seater, five-level Arena along with its 2,000-capacity car park will be opened in May next year, and the NBA game will be one of its biggest offerings.

“That’s one thing the Pinoys haven’t really experienced yet,” Orenza said. “If ever, we will be the first country in Southeast Asia to host that kind of event.”

The international NBA exhibition games have been staged in Japan, China and Europe in the past.