NBA News: January 19, 2023

The 2022-23 NBA season is nearing the All-Star Break, and that is typically when playoff races really start to heat up. It seems as if the races have already started to head in that direction, though, as there aren’t a ton of truly dominant teams. 

Keeping up with the latest news and notes surrounding the NBA can be a difficult task, as well, as there always seems to be plenty going on. Here is a look at three of the biggest news stories from around the league on January 19, 2023.

Bulls, Pistons to Play in France

The Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons are scheduled to play a game in Paris, France, on Thursday, January 19. This is the second “Global Game” that the NBA has scheduled this season, and it’s a part of a much larger effort to grow the game.

Since 1984 the NBA has played 119 games in other countries outside of North America, and more are scheduled to take place in the future. This will be the sixth game to be played in Paris, with the most recent game coming back in 2020. 

This will be a homecoming for Detroit Pistons guard Killian Hayes, as he grew up just a few hours from Paris. The Bulls are still a huge draw internationally, and a sellout crowd is expected for this matchup. 

Detroit will be making its fifth appearance in an international game, and this will be the fourth international game for the Bulls.

NBA Expanding Overseas Initiative

As part of the celebration and matchup between the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons, the NBA has also announced a bigger push internationally. The NBA is going to work directly with the French national government to try and grow the game of basketball in France and Africa. 

The LNB is the highest level of professional basketball in France, and that league is going to work with the NBA to share tips and successes that they have found. Both leagues are going to work together to try and schedule exhibition games in the coming years. 

The NBA has always been a league that has featured French players, as more players have come from this country than anywhere else in the world. French basketball officials are looking to continue to grow and develop local players to benefit the NBA moving forward.

Former Player, Coach Dies At Age 74

The Boston Celtics shared a message on Wednesday announcing the passing of former player and coach Chris Ford. Ford was a player on the 1981 Boston Celtics championship team and then served as a longtime head coach with the franchise after his retirement. 

Ford worked under head coach K.C. Jones is one of just four members of the Celtics organization that have won a title as both a player and a coach. After a successful stint as an assistant coach with the Celtics, he took over the team as head coach from 1991-1995. 

Ford is also the answer to a trivia question, as he was the first player in NBA history to make a three-point shot in a game.

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All Media on this page by Associated Press.