James Harden ignites Nansha's 'District BA' basketball fever

On Aug 4, NBA superstar James Harden made a surprise appearance in Guangzhou's Nansha district to tip off the 2025 Nansha Men's Basketball League.

At the recently renovated Dongchong Basketball Court, Harden enthusiastically engaged with more than 2,000 fans, sharing stories about his basketball beginnings and receiving a unique bamboo hat from the local Tanka fishing community as a symbol of intangible cultural heritage. The opening game ended with the Guangzhou Long-Lions beating the Nansha Elite Team 38-26.

James Harden with his fans. [Photo/WeChat account: gz_nanshafabu]

As Nansha's biggest mass sports event, the "District BA" tournament has now held four consecutive editions. The 2024 event broke regional records with 233 teams and 3,325 participants, marking the highest participation for any district-level event in the city. In recent years, basketball enthusiasm has soared, highlighted by visits from international stars such as Derrick Rose and Chinese legends Zhu Fangyu and Ding Yanyuhang.

This year's event introduced innovative "sports+" integration, combining off-court activities with a cultural food festival and traditional Lingnan performances such as Huangge kylin dances and Danjia folk songs.

The upgraded Dongchong venue, now with a 1,200-seat capacity, has become a key hub in Nansha's "15-minute community living circles".