Sino-African perspective 

The full court in the Wudaokou area of Beijing is thriving with university students from around the world, who love nothing better than to congregate and talk about their love of the game. Among the crowd, two friends, one Chinese and one African, decide to talk not only about tactics, but also about how the basketball industry is now the common ground for both communities.

Adekunle Littlejohn, 22, is an international student who studies International Business at the Beijing-based Renmin University of China. Having adapted to living as an African in China over the last three years, his love of basketball has been the dominant factor in the growth of his circle of friends.

"Growing up in Nigeria, I had always spent my spare time playing basketball with my friends, often having a recurring dream of being a star in the NBA. But basketball merchandise was not readily available in my hometown, leaving me yearning for all the latest accessories that come with the game," he told ChinAfrica.

Littlejohn said since living in China, his appreciation for the NBA has grown, as he can get the latest gear. "The NBA China store is heaving with both Chinese and Africans who are after the latest jerseys. I think this is the only thing that binds the two cultures together," he said.

"Students are now taking up two jobs while studying in order to get the latest gear," added Zhou Yiran, 23, a classmate of Littlejohn. "This year, I have maybe spent 7,000 yuan ($1,095) on merchandise. Yao Ming, Kobe Bryant and Shaq are heroes to us all, whether African or Chinese, and people are now willing to spend what they have on genuine basketball merchandise," he told ChinAfrica.

Big spending 

Yu , 15, is a high school student in Beijing who has also embraced the NBA trend in China.

"Just last week, I had asked my parents to buy me a Kobe Bryant jersey, a new basketball and a pair of Air Jordan's. It cost of around 3,500 yuan ($547). I have been asking my parents for a long time, as I feel I need these things in order to live out my basketball dream," Yu told ChinAfrica.

With the growing pressure that parents in China face when buying merchandise for their children, his mother, Chen Yuxiao has seen the industry's impact on China's youth from both angles.

"I know that the price of what I spent exceeds the amount that I earn a month, but my basketball makes my son happy, and as a parent, you really try to do everything for your child. I am not the only parent that is spending a lot of money on their child's basketball accessories. Basketball is the new trend for kids in today's China, and as China grows economically, so will NBA China," she told ChinAfrica.

Future prospects 

The rise of NBA China has also seen obstacles on the road to success. One of the major challenges includes the piracy of trademarked NBA clothing and merchandise, which can be seen in the many clothing markets that are scattered across China.

However, the future for NBA China's growth looks bright, as a joint venture with AEG has seen plans to build new state-of-the-art basketball arenas across the country, with an 18,000 capacity arena opening in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province later this year.

"Things have only just begun for NBA China, and I can see it rising to become the most profitable businesses China has ever seen," added Li. 

Quick Facts About NBA in China

> The NBA has broadcasted games in China since the mid 1980s and was the first professional U.S. sports organization to stage games in China.

> Televised NBA games have an average of 558,100 viewers. NBA.com/China website averages 12 million hits a day.

> The NBA is involved in installing over 800,000 baskets in villages across China.  

> The Chinese edition of Inside NBA has a circulation of 600,000

> There is a Nike-sponsored LeBron James Museum in Shanghai.