NBA star Jalen Green highlights Nansha with Cantonese slogan

NBA player Jalen Green made his China debut in Guangzhou's Nansha district on Aug 9, spending the day playing basketball with local teenagers and immersing himself in authentic Lingnan culture and local delicacies.

At a repurposed underpass court in the town of Dagang, Green joined a group of teenagers for drills, passing the ball and offering guidance. He recalled his own childhood when NBA players visited his training camps. "Being able to give back to the community is always a wonderful thing," Green said. "It's my first time in China, and I'm glad to be in Nansha."

Jalen Green provides on-site basketball technical guidance for young players. [Photo/WeChat account: nanshafabu]

At Yiya Liang Ancestral Hall, a lion dance greeted him with drumbeats. Green tried calligraphy, writing the Chinese character for "mountain", and followed a master through kung fu stances. "The experience was fantastic. I enjoyed learning about traditional Lingnan culture and the significance of the ancestral hall," he said.

Later, at Yuelong hotel, he tasted Dagang roast chicken and jiasao sweet soup. Green practiced Cantonese, saying "hou hou mei" (very tasty), and then delivered the full Nansha slogan, drawing applause and briefly becoming an impromptu cultural ambassador.

Jalen Green shouts "Dagang Roast Chicken, Heart of the Bay Area, Vitality of Nansha" in Cantonese. [Photo/WeChat account: nanshafabu]

Green's visit blended sport with heritage, offering global basketball fans a fresh window into Lingnan culture and projecting Nansha's distinctive vitality far beyond the court.