MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced that “Republika ng NBA Month”, the league’s first-ever month-long celebration of NBA fandom in the Philippines, will tip off on Friday, Dec. 1 and run through the end of December.

“Republika ng NBA Month” will include a variety of exclusive celebrations and activations in conjunction with the inaugural In-Season Tournament Semifinals (Friday, Dec. 8 in the Philippines) and Championship (Sunday, Dec. 10 in the Philippines) as well as the 76^th edition of the NBA on Christmas Day (Monday, Dec. 25 – Tuesday, Dec. 26 in the Philippines).  Activities will include:

• The NBA 3X Philippines Invitational, a 3-on-3 basketball competition based on the FIBA 3×3 format and rules and featuring authentic NBA entertainment, including appearances by NBA champion Richard Hamilton.  Returning to the Philippines for the second time this year, the 11^th edition of NBA 3X Philippines will take place Saturday, Dec. 9 – Sunday, Dec. 10 at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall in Pasay City and will feature an invitation-only 3-on-3 tournament consisting of divisions for men and women.  Each division will feature four local teams and four international teams from the Asia-Pacific region.  On Dec. 9, the event will feature a series of on-court basketball activations, including a celebrity 5-on-5 tournament, a Jr. NBA Philippines alumni exhibition game, and the return of the NBA Iconic Shots Challenge, an immersive basketball experience that will provide fans with the opportunity to attempt select signature shots from the 2023-24 season.  Official event partners of the NBA 3X Philippines Invitational are Energen Champion, Gatorade and vivo.

• A public viewing party for the In-Season Tournament Championship on Dec. 10, hosted by official NBA broadcast partner Cignal during the NBA 3X Philippines Invitational at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.

• The launch of a new hyperlocal t-shirt collection available at NBAStore.com.ph, the official online NBA Store in the Philippines, and at the NBA Stores in SM Megamall and SM Mall of Asia.

• An NBA Cares packing project at the NBA Community Court presented by TITAN in Mandaluyong City.  Participants will assemble care packages to benefit high-school students from select public high-schools near the NBA Community Court.  Each package will include a “Republika ng NBA” hyperlocal t-shirt, socks, slippers, and more.

• Original content on the NBA’s localized social media accounts in the Philippines, including “Republika Spotlight”, a new series profiling one notable NBA fan, including local celebrities, influencers and sports personalities, every day throughout December.

Additionally, NBA League Pass – the league’s premium live game subscription service available via the NBA App – will offer exclusive discounts to the League Pass Premium, Annual and Student Plan packages throughout the month.

“The first-ever ‘Republika ng NBA Month’ shines a spotlight on our Filipino fans and channels their enormous passion for the NBA into a month-long celebration of all things NBA,” said NBA Asia Head of Fan Acquisition & Engagement Sheila Rasu.  “Set against the backdrop of one of the most exciting months of the NBA calendar, ‘Republika ng NBA Month’ will enable us to super-serve our fans – who are at the heart of everything we do – and offer them a unique experience to celebrate their shared love of the game.”

For more on “Republika ng NBA Month” and all the latest NBA news and updates, fans in the Philippines can visit www.nba.com, download the NBA App, and follow the NBA on Facebook, TikTok and X.  The 2023-24 season is airing live in the Philippines on One Sports, NBA TV Philippines, streaming platforms Pilipinas Live and Setanta Sports, and NBA League Pass.  Fans in the Philippines can shop for official NBA merchandise at the NBA Stores at SM Megamall and SM Mall of Asia and at NBAStore.com.ph.