– Fans Can Visit NBAEvents.com/AbuDhabi for More Information –

– Four-Time NBA Champion and Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal Named

Official NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022 Ambassador –

– NBA Launches Official @NBAArabic Social Media Channels –

LONDON AND ABU DHABI, June 28, 2022 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) today announced that tickets for The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022 will go on general sale Thursday, June 30 at 1 p.m. GST at NBAEvents.com/AbuDhabi. The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022 will feature the Atlanta Hawks and the 2021 NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks playing two preseason games at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, Oct. 6 and Saturday, Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. GST, marking the league’s first games in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Arabian Gulf.

Special ticket packages offering premium access, VIP experiences, hospitality and local hotel accommodations will also be available for purchase at NBAEvents.com/AbuDhabi beginning Thursday, June 30.

As part of today’s announcement, the league also named four-time NBA champion and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal as the official NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022 Ambassador. In this capacity, O’Neal, who was selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in October as the league tipped off its landmark 75th Anniversary Season, will attend The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022, participate in youth development programming and interact with local fans during the week of the games.

The NBA will also become the first North American sports league to launch social media channels in Arabic on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@NBAArabic), providing comprehensive in-language news and content for fans in the region and around the world beginning June 30.

The Hawks currently feature two-time NBA All-Star Trae Young, 2020-21 NBA rebounding leader Clint Capela and 2018 NBA All-Rookie Second Team members John Collins and Bogdan Bogdanović. The Bucks currently feature two-time Kia NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, three-time NBA All-Star Khris Middleton and four-time NBA All-Defensive Team member Jrue Holiday. The two teams met in the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals, with the Bucks going on to win their first NBA championship in 50 years.

The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022 will air live in the UAE and across the Middle East and North Africa on beIN SPORTS, The Sports Channel and NBA League Pass, the league’s premium live

game subscription service. The games will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories around the world on television, digital media and social media.

The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022 are part of a groundbreaking multiyear partnership between the NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi that earlier this year saw the launch of the first Jr. NBA Abu Dhabi League, a youth basketball league for 450 boys and girls ages 11-14 from local schools across Abu Dhabi. The partnership also includes a variety of interactive fan events featuring appearances by current and former NBA players, a series of NBA FIT clinics promoting health and wellness, and an NBA 2K League exhibition event at Middle East Film & Comic Con.

The partnership also sees DCT Abu Dhabi, under “Visit Abu Dhabi,” the tourism promotion initiative of the UAE’s capital city, serve as an Official Tourism Destination Partner of the NBA in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and China.

More than 220 male and female prospects from the Middle East – including five players from the UAE – have participated in Basketball Without Borders (BWB) or NBA Academy, the league’s elite basketball development programs for top prospects from outside the U.S. Since 2019, more than 500 boys and girls have also participated in the NBA Basketball School Dubai (UAE), a year-round, tuition-based basketball development programme for boys and girls ages 6-18.

About the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi 

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) drives the sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi’s culture and tourism sectors, fuels economic progress and helps achieve Abu Dhabi’s wider global ambitions. By working in partnership with the organisations that define the emirate’s position as a leading international destination, DCT Abu Dhabi strives to unite the ecosystem around a shared vision of the emirate’s potential, coordinate effort and investment, deliver innovative solutions, and use the best tools, policies and systems to support the culture and tourism industries.  

DCT Abu Dhabi’s vision is defined by the emirate’s people, heritage and landscape. We work to enhance Abu Dhabi’s status as a place of authenticity, innovation, and unparalleled experiences, represented by its living traditions of hospitality, pioneering initiatives and creative thought. 

For more information about DCT Abu Dhabi and the destination, please visit tcaabudhabi.ae and visitabudhabi.ae. For the Abu Dhabi calendar, please visit inabudhabi.ae

About the NBA

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball. Built around five professional sports leagues: the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 215 countries and territories in more than 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2021-22 season featured a record 121 international players from 40 countries. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with 2.1 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms. Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.

About Shaquille O’Neal

Shaquille O’Neal is one of the world’s most successful athlete-turned-businessmen, whose accomplishments both on and off the court have translated into a highly sought-after consumer brand. As an entrepreneur, sports analyst, DJ, restaurateur, and brand ambassador, Shaquille O’Neal’s signature “Business of Fun” mantra resonates throughout each of his countless endeavors.

The 15-time NBA All-Star’s unprecedented athletic career spanned nearly two decades and earned him countless awards and honors, including NBA Most Valuable Player, NBA Rookie of the Year, four NBA Championships and a First Ballot NBA Hall of Famer. Currently, O’Neal is an analyst on TNT’s Emmy Award-winning “Inside the NBA.”

O’Neal, who has a PhD in Leadership and Education, established a personal foundation that provides resources for underserved youth. He also gives back through a number of annual philanthropic programs including Shaq to School, Shaqsgiving, and Shaq a Claus.

Follow Shaquille O’Neal on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.