Paris to host first NBA regular season game in 2020

PARIS, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced Thursday that the Charlotte Hornets and Milwaukee Bucks will participate in the league's first ever regular season game in Paris in January 2020.

The match will be played at the AccorHotels Arena on January 24, 2020.

"The Charlotte Hornets are proud to have the opportunity to participate in the first NBA regular season game in Paris," said Hornets Chairman and NBA legend Michael Jordan.

It will mark the second time that the Hornets have played in the French capital after a preseason game against the Golden State Warriors in 1994.

Jordan, who has played in the preseason in France during his career, "witnessed first-hand the passion the French fans have for NBA basketball."

"We are excited to bring our team to Paris for this history-making event," he pointed out.

The game will witness the first appearance in France for Bucks, who played a regular season game in London during the 2014-15 season.

"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."

"On behalf of my teammates, we're very excited for the chance to represent Milwaukee and the Bucks on the world stage," said the Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo from Greece.

"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," he added.