For the first time in five years the NBA will not play any preseason games in the Middle East, sources told ESPN.
The decision comes amidst the ongoing conflict in the region.
While the NBA never announced preseason games in Abu Dhabi this year, as it had for the previous four years, sources told ESPN that the league had held discussions with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards about potentially participating in the games.
The NBA had also explored possibly hosting its first game in Doha, Qatar this year, though those plans were never finalized or publicly announced. One scenario would’ve had two of the four teams play one game in Doha and one in Abu Dhabi on the same trip.
In January, the NBA and Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and tourism announced an extension of its existing collaboration that featured preseason NBA Global Games, expanded marketing activities, and the launch of an NBA Global Academy in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
That partnership will continue and preseason games will be scheduled in Abu Dhabi in the future, sources said. The NBA is expected to revisit possibly playing in Qatar in the future, sources said.
However, there is no timeline for that with the ongoing conflict in the region.
On Sunday, F1 announced its previously scheduled grand prix event in Bahrain will now take place in Malaysia and they are still waiting to decide on their planned events in Qatar in Abu Dhabi later this year.