NBA players enjoy trip across China

Overwhelmed by the magnificence of the Great Wall and the game's "unmatched" popularity in the country, a stellar group of NBA players have enjoyed an eye-opening China trip stoked about basketball's growing impact.

Twenty years on since Michael Jordan's well-chronicled visit to the iconic landmark, the Great Wall in China, known as one of the world's Seven Wonders, has witnessed a much bigger presence of the NBA with four in-prime stars — Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans) and Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic)—ascending on the world-renowned heritage site during a China tour last week organized by their joint sponsor Jordan Brand.

As the most anticipated activity on their whirlwind trip to Beijing, the quartet joined former Chinese men's national team guard Guo Ailun and women's team forward Yang Shuyu, both Jordan Brand ambassadors as well, on Aug 31 in a hike on the wall that spans across mountain ridges in northern Beijing suburbs, which has always been a must-see on the itineraries of visiting NBA stars throughout the years.