{"id":79289,"date":"2025-10-22T07:10:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T07:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gulftimes.ae\/fia-president-ben-sulayem-says-milestone-karting-event-will-provide-opportunities-for-regions-talent\/"},"modified":"2025-10-22T07:10:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T07:10:00","slug":"fia-president-ben-sulayem-says-milestone-karting-event-will-provide-opportunities-for-regions-talent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gulftimes.ae\/?p=79289","title":{"rendered":"FIA President Ben Sulayem says milestone karting event will provide opportunities for region\u2019s talent"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u2018Unprecedented\u2019: International stars shine in NBA season opener as league marks record global presence<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\n\tDUBAI: The 2025\u201326 NBA season tipped off last night with international stars once again taking center stage, highlighting the league\u2019s growing global reach and balance of power.<\/p>\n
\n\tIn Oklahoma City, Canadian MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the defending champions to a dramatic 125-124 double-overtime win over the Houston Rockets on ring night, scoring 35 points and delivering the decisive free throws.<\/p>\n
\n\tOut west, Slovenian guard Luka Doncic opened his season in spectacular form for the Los Angeles Lakers, recording 43 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in a narrow loss to Golden State, joining Michael Jordan as the only guards in NBA history to open a season with a 40-10-5 stat line.<\/p>\n
\n\tTheir performances captured what NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum called a \u201cnew era\u201d for the league, one defined by the strength and reach of its international players.<\/p>\n \n\t
\n\t\tNBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum hails record-breaking 135 international players as league opens its 2025\u201326 season. (Supplied)
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\n\t\u201cThis marks a new era for our league, and I think it\u2019s one that\u2019s going to transform how fans everywhere watch and experience the NBA through our new media partnerships, our most global partnerships to date,\u201d Tatum said.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWhile we continue to build on the incredible growth of the game, with seven different champions in the last seven seasons, the league\u2019s historic age of competitiveness gives fans hope that this once again could be their team\u2019s year.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tRecord number of international players<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tAhead of opening night, Tatum confirmed that the league had reached a historic milestone.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThere is a record 135 international players on opening-night rosters that beats the previous record by 10,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe have a record number of European players, including a record 19 French players, a record number of players from the UK, and also a record-tying number of players from Australia.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cAs you all know, four international players have combined to win the last seven MVP awards.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThat mix of experience and emerging talent has helped shape one of the most competitive landscapes in years.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThere is no clear favorite to win the championship, and that\u2019s why it gives more fans some hope,\u201d Tatum said.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThe skill level in this league is unprecedented right now. There\u2019s a mix of these all-time greats who are still playing at the highest level. There are these perennial MVP candidates who like the Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tExpanding global footprint<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tTatum also pointed to the NBA\u2019s continued international expansion, with preseason and regular-season games held across several continents.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI had the opportunity to attend our preseason games in Abu Dhabi and Macau. We also played NBA games for the first time ever in Melbourne, Australia,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe also had preseason games in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Vancouver, Canada. And I can tell you that the enthusiasm around those games was truly remarkable.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tBeyond events, the league is also deepening its structural ties internationally.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cNinety-five percent of the world\u2019s population is outside the United States,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cAnd in many of those countries, basketball is either the No.1 or No. 2 sport. Even with everything we\u2019re doing to engage hundreds of millions of passionate NBA fans around the world, we think we\u2019re just scratching the surface of how popular this game and this league can be globally.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tA global game for a global audience<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tFrom Antetokounmpo in Greece to Jokic in Serbia and Embiid in Cameroon, international players continue to define the NBA\u2019s identity. Rising talents such as Victor Wembanyama, the fastest player ever to reach 1 billion social media views, are expanding that reach even further.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThese players not only foster a unique connection between the NBA and the fans in their respective countries,\u201d Tatum said.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThey\u2019re global superstars who resonate in the US and around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAs the 2025\u201326 season gets underway, the NBA\u2019s opening night once again confirmed that basketball\u2019s brightest stars now shine from every corner of the globe.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n