Abu Dhabi’s love for basketball came to the fore when “NBA District” opened its doors at Manarat Al Saadiyat for a five-day celebration of NBA and popular culture.

 

The opening of the event, running in conjunction with the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022, saw fans turn out in force to revel in the immersive, interactive experience.

 

NBA lovers packed out the venue on Saadiyat Island to take on a range of basketball challenges, including the “NBA Ice Buckets” beat-the-buzzer competition for a chance to win tickets to one of the two hotly anticipated preseason games between Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks on October 6 and 8 at Etihad Arena, memorabilia, and more.

 

Customise a basketball

Other activations at the interactive event included the chance to customise a basketball, win sneakers, and quiz some of the game’s legendary players.

 

A major highlight on the opening day was a Q&A with NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal. Cheered on by an adoring crowd, ‘Shaq’ revealed his only real regret from a stellar career was that he “missed a lot of threes”. He brought a huge cheer from a packed crowd when asked for his opinion on the greatest player ever. His reply? “Michael Jordan.” And the cheers got even louder when he named his all-time best line-up: “Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kobe, and me.”

 

Shaq went on to advise the throng of adoring young fans in the audience to listen to their parents and follow their dreams if they want to make it in professional basketball.

 

Elsewhere, fellow legend Isiah Thomas held a Q&A with fans and posed for photographs.

 

Running until Sunday, fans will have the chance to grab photo opportunities with NBA legends and memorabilia including the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

 

Day two of the NBA District begins at 4pm on Thursday and among the many highlights is a Q&A with the legendary Dominique Wilkins.-- TradeArabia News Service