"BT Sport will be the new home of the NBA in the UK and Ireland," said Simon Green, head of BT Sport.

"The NBA is simply the best basketball in the world; it is fast moving, high scoring and includes some the world's most recognisable global sporting icons.

"Existing NBA fans will love our coverage, and we look forward to converting many more."

Coverage will feature games throughout the regular season and the first and second rounds of the Playoffs, as well as every game of the Conference Finals, culminating in the NBA Finals in June.

As part of the partnership, fans will be able to watch Britain's Luol Deng and the Chicago Bulls take on the Brooklyn Nets on Christmas Day with January's regular season fixture in London between the Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks also being televised.

One of the highlights of BT Sport's coverage will be NBA All-Star, which takes place every year in February at the midway point of the NBA season.

The event pits the best players from the Western Conference against the stars of the Eastern Conference with each team being selected by the voting public.

The new deal will see up to 200 NBA games broadcast live on BT Sport each season
©Getty Images



Dan Markham, NBA vice president of media distribution and emerging markets, said that the deal is "a very exciting step for the NBA and basketball fans in the UK and Ireland".

He added: "With BT Sports' first rate presentation and formidable portfolio of premium sports content, fans can now look forward to more NBA action than ever before in the UK and Ireland, including selected free streamed games.

"Through its innovative multi-platform offering of live NBA games, highlights, magazine shows and unique behind-the-scenes programming, BT Sport is the ideal partner to serve as the official broadcaster of the NBA."

BT Sport takes over from Sky Sports as the NBA's exclusive media partner and continues the recent growing portfolio that has seen BT take media rights for, selected Premier League football matches, Premiership rugby, MotoGP, a selection of World Tennis Association (WTA) events, and, from 2015/16, exclusive live UK coverage of the UEFA Champions League and Europa League.

The multiyear agreement between BT Sport and the world's premier men's professional basketball league tips off on Sunday, December 1, as the Eastern Conference-leading Indiana Pacers take on West Coast rivals the LA Clippers.

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