This past June, when 19-year-oldYang Hansen became the first Chinese player drafted into the National Basketball Association (NBA) in nearly a decade, the news barely made headlines in Washington. But for millions of Chinese basketball fans, it marked a proud return to the global stage. It also offered a quiet glimpse of what constructive engagement between the world’s two superpowers could look like.
The relationship between the United States and China continues to be shaped bytrade wars,military build-ups, and mutual suspicion. The two nations’ diplomatic language is cautious and heavily choreographed. Public opinion in both countries reflects rising anxiety and grievance. The space for constructive engagement is narrowing, and the opportunities to rebuild confidence are limited.
Yet basketball remains popular, emotionally resonant, and socially meaningful in both countries. It offers a shared language and does not rely on political agreement. The NBA is the premier professional basketball league in the world and is widely watched in China. For decades, American and Chinese players have been admired across borders, and many young athletes in both countries have grown up studying the same moves and the same stars.
The NBA’s presence in China experienced significant strain in 2019 when an executive of the Houston Rocketsexpressed support for pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong. Major Chinese broadcasterssuspended league coverage and several companies withdrew sponsorship. Public discussion surrounding the NBA became entangled in national sentiment and international politics.
In the years leading up to the 2019 suspensions, an estimated500 million viewers in China followed NBA games through national broadcasts and digital streaming platforms. The relationship between the NBA and its Chinese audience did not disappear, but the atmosphere of cultural and commercial exchange became far more uncertain.
Engagement has slowly begun to resume. NBA content has returned to Chinese streaming platforms. Promotional events have started again.A preseason gametook place in Macau this summer. The return has been careful and quiet, which reflects the sensitivity of the moment. It also underscores how deeply basketball has become part of daily cultural life in China and how resilient certain forms of public exchange can be.
Yang Hansen’s arrival in the NBA matters for this reason. It recalls the impact ofYao Ming, who was born in Shanghai and became the first dominant Chinese star in the league when he joined the Houston Rockets in 2002. Yao was an eight-time All-Star and became one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, with a following that extended far beyond basketball.
His success brought millions of young fans in China to NBA broadcasts and introduced many American viewers to Chinese athletic talent and sports culture. Yao became a symbol of what healthy and respectful competition could look like between the two countries. Yang will have his own journey and cannot recreate the exact cultural moment that Yao shaped, but his presence offers a reminder that rivalry need not mean enmity.
Sports diplomacy works at the level of people and communities rather than governments and military officials. Fans talk to each other. Children imitate the same moves. Social media builds emotional familiarity even during periods of political tension. These are the types of ties that reduce the risk of miscalculation and conflict. They help maintain a sense of shared humanity when official dialogue becomes stiff or confrontational.
It is important to be clear about what this type of engagement is not. The return of NBA activity in China is not a statement of approval of the Chinese government’s policy in Xinjiang, Tibet, or Hong Kong. It is not a signal of American strategic concession. Sports diplomacy does not replace diplomatic negotiations, deterrence policy, or national security strategy. It does not resolve core political disagreements.
Instead, it provides a stable cultural arena where competition is transparent. Rules exist. Talent is rewarded. Respect is earned. The lessons of the court are familiar across societies: discipline, preparation, and teamwork matter more than coercion or force. In a period when conversations about international competition often focus on zero-sum outcomes, sports competitions remind audiences that rivalry can also be structured and peaceful.
For the United States, renewed sporting engagement strengthens cultural influence and supports industries built around creativity and performance. It reopens access to a large and enthusiastic market. It reinforces the global appeal of American athletic culture.
For China, basketball offers a popular and widely accepted form of international participation. It allows the country to showcase its athletes and embrace cultural exchange without altering political positions or core national narratives.
Both sides can participate without sacrificing strategic interests. Both sides can gain from the connection.
The issues driving China-U.S. tensions are serious and long-term. Sports diplomacy cannot resolve these issues. However, it can reduce the emotional temperature surrounding them. It can prevent the complete breakdown of societal communication. It can help maintain the possibility of mutual understanding.
Diplomacy is not confined to formal negotiations or high-level summits. It is also shaped by the daily experiences of citizens. When people share admiration, interests, and cultural touchpoints, the political system has more space to operate and more room to avoid escalation.
Millions of Americans and millions of Chinese continue to watch the same sport, follow the same athletes, and appreciate the same form of competitive excellence. That simple fact is meaningful. It should not be dismissed or overlooked.
In a moment of geopolitical rivalry, basketball remains one of the last shared spaces where both countries can be present without hostility. It is a reminder that coexistence is still possible, and that not all competition must lead to conflict.