Southeast Asia has emerged as one of the fastest growing markets for NBA fan engagement, making the region a focus for both player development and business expansion.
A little more than a week after the New York Knicks paraded through lower Manhattan to celebrate their historic 2026 championship victory over the San Antonio Spurs, the NBA has set its sights on an ambitious goal: Southeast Asia.
The decision to host both the Rising Stars Invitational Tournament (where high school teams from across Asia showcase their skills and top performers are invited to future NBA development camps) and the accompanying investor conference in Singapore is no coincidence.
Southeast Asia has emerged as one of the fastest growing markets for NBA fan engagement, making the region a focus for both player development and business expansion.
Basketball is the most played sport in the Philippines, with participation increasing in many other countries as well, with fan numbers in the region increasing by 15% in the three years ending in the first quarter of 2026, the league said.
Southeast Asia has emerged as one of the fastest growing markets for NBA fan engagement, making the region a focus for both player development and business expansion.
Digital consumption is also on the rise. Video views across NBA Asia’s social media platforms increased 88% year over year, according to data provided by the league to CNBC. The number of followers across the league’s regional social media platforms nearly doubled during the 2025-26 season.
In an interview with CNBC’s JP Ong, NBA Vice President of Southeast Asia Sheila Russ emphasized the loyalty of the region’s fan base. “Basketball is probably the fastest growing sport in Southeast Asia,” Rath said. “In Singapore, it’s probably the most played team sport in the country. In Indonesia, we’re seeing a huge increase in the population of kids taking up basketball. So we feel basketball is really picking up steam, not only among boys but also among girls.”
The league is also renewing its focus on the region through its NBA Launchpad program, which announced strategic expansion in Asia this week. The program was originally launched in 2021 and aims to source and pilot new technologies that impact sport.
Since the program’s inception, the NBA has championed everything from sleep technology startups to data analytics companies that place sensors in basketball valves to track speed and acceleration.
Launchpad is “a way to help shape the game and improve the fan experience. We identify like-minded young companies that can actually help us improve the game,” Russ said.
Former NBA champion Jeremy Lin, the first Asian American to win basketball’s highest award, was also in Singapore watching the action. Lin, who played nine seasons in the league, exploded in 2012 when a phenomenon known as “Linsanity” boosted the sport’s viewership across Asia.
Lin, who was a member of the Toronto Raptors that won the NBA championship in 2019, told CNBC’s Emily Tan that he is excited about the opportunity to play in Asia.
“The NBA is a great brand and we have very aligned values. I want to continue to give back to the game, give back to the NBA and build basketball, especially in Asia, where I have my roots,” he said.
Asia is by no means new territory for the NBA. For example, the league’s relationship with China, which dates back to the 1970s, was put to the test in 2019 when then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey expressed support for pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.
The comments sparked a backlash on the mainland, with state broadcasters suspending NBA coverage and many Chinese sponsors severing ties with the league.
The NBA began rebuilding its presence in Greater China last year, returning to the region for the first time in six years. With support from alibaba Brooklyn Nets co-founder and owner Joe Tsai has announced that the Nets and Phoenix Suns will play two preseason games at Macau’s Venetian Arena in 2025, an important step in the league’s efforts to reconnect with Chinese fans. The NBA will return to Macau this October for a preseason game between the Dallas Mavericks and Rockets.
