Three hardcourt legends will spice up the first NBA preseason game in Manila pitting the Houston Rockets and the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 10 at Mall of Asia Arena.
Clyde Drexler, Robert Horry and Jalen Rose will grace the historic event as NBA Global Games ambassadors of the match that will also be a first in Southeast Asia.
“The fans are very passionate about the game,” said Horry, who won NBA championships with the Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs. “I’ve been very, very fortunate to travel to a bunch of places and experience different cultures. And everyone has that love for you.”
The preseason match will feature some of the league’s most exciting players led by Dwight Howard, James Harden and Taiwanese-American Jeremy Lin of the Rockets and All-Star players Paul George and Roy Hibbert of the Pacers.
Tickets for the game have been selling briskly even if it ranges from P550 to as high as P32,300.
This year will mark the most number of NBA teams playing internationally in a single season as 12 squads will travel to play 10 regular season and preseason games in 10 cities in 7 countries.
Drexler also starred for the Rockets and the Portland Trailblazers, while Rose saw action alongside former Pacers star Reggie Miller.
Rose noted “how the fans’ knowledge of the game was advanced [and how] they truly craved and supported NBA basketball.”
“They know the NBA brand and they come out and support it because they know it’s going to be a fun-filled event,” said Horry. Jasmine W. Payo