The Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons will play a regular-season game at the Accor Arena in Paris on Jan. 19, 2023, the NBA announced Tuesday.
The game will be the Bulls' third trip to Paris, having played two preseason games in the French capital in 1997. It will be Detroit's first game in Paris. The Pistons previously played internationally in London (2013) and Mexico City (2019).
"Having played several games in Paris during my career, I know how special this will be for our players, our organization, and our international fanbase," Artūras Karnišovas, Chicago's executive vice president of basketball operations, said in a release.
The game marks the league's 12th contest in France since 1991. The last time the Accor Arena hosted a regular-season game was on Jan. 24, 2020, when the Charlotte Hornets played the Milwaukee Bucks.
(Photo: Nic Antaya / Getty Images)
What's the NBA's international strategy?
Mike Vorkunov, senior NBA writer: It seems that the NBA is trying to expand to new markets, like it did by scheduling preseason games in the UAE next year, while also continuing to serve the ones they already have footholds in.
France is a constant on its international schedule, and obviously Europe is a big international market for the league. We know that it is also trying to get into Mexico more frequently. The NBA is setting up its tentpole trips again now that it feels the pandemic is no longer a reason not to travel.