TOKYO & SENDAI, Sept. 21, 2012

The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced NBA 3X Japan 2012 presented by Xebio Group will be held for the first time in Japan.  The event, which combines a 3-on-3 tournament with free basketball activities including live music, DJs and NBA entertainment for fans and the entire family, will take place over two weekends in Diver City, Festival Park, Odaiba in Tokyo, and the new state-of-the-art Xebio Arena, Sendai, on Sept. 30 and Oct. 6 respectively.

The NBA 3X Japan 2012 presented by Xebio Group is designed to provide a robust fan experience celebrating basketball and culture.  A competitive 3-on-3 tournament will feature an open men's division for participants to test their skills against their peers. Registration for Tokyo begins Sept. 21, on a first-come first-serve basis, and runs until Sept. 27, while the limited registration period for Sendai runs from Sept. 21-30.

NBA Legend Muggsy Bogues will headline the event in Tokyo where he will lead clinics and participate in community events. Drafted 12th in 1987 by the Washington Bullets (now Washington Wizards), Bogues eventually joined the then Charlotte Hornets, and remains the team's career leader in minutes played, assists and steals. At 5'3", Bogues is the shortest player ever to play in the NBA, and was also a member of the US National Team that won the FIBA World Championships in 1986.

"I am extremely excited to be a part of NBA 3X Japan 2012 presented by Xebio Group," said Bogues. "Japan is well-known for its rich culture and established local basketball leagues, and I'm really looking forward to experiencing all of this first-hand. I always enjoy meeting with the fans and can't wait to witness some of the basketball talent Japan has to offer."

NBA Legend Gary Payton will headline NBA 3X presented by Xebio Group in Sendai. Nicknamed "The Glove" for his defensive prowess, Payton is one of the most decorated NBA players ever with an NBA Championship (with the 2006 Miami Heat), NBA Defensive player of the year award, nine NBA All-Star selections, nine NBA All-Defensive First-Team selections, two All-NBA First team selections and two Olympic Gold Medals.

"I'm thrilled to participate in NBA 3X Japan 2012 presented by Xebio Group," said Payton. "I have always loved coming to Japan and I imagine it will be a truly memorable experience with the great fans and local basketball talent."

In addition to the tournament, free fan activities include a Xebio Slam Dunk contest, Xebio Basketball Clinic, United Airlines 3-Point Shootout, MONSTER 2Ball Challenge and NBA Free Throw Conga. To keep fans entertained, there will be dance team performances by the Wolves Dancers from the Minnesota Timberwolves (Tokyo) and the Oklahoma City Thunder Girls (Sendai), mascot appearances by Coyote from the San Antonio Spurs (Tokyo) and Rocky from the Denver Nuggets (Sendai), NBA merchandise giveaways, and live bands and DJ's.

"We are thrilled to bring NBA 3X Japan 2012 presented by Xebio Group to Japan for the first time after our recently completed and successful Basketball without Borders program here just a few months ago," said Scott Levy, Senior Vice President and Managing Director for NBA Asia. "With the help of our invaluable partners, we are able to bring our fans in Japan an unprecedented experience capturing the excitement and entertainment of NBA basketball."

The NBA 3X Japan 2012 is presented and staged in collaboration with the Xebio Group, with Xebio Arena and Diver City serving as official venues for the event. United Airlines is an official partner of the event with MONSTER and Spalding as supporting partners. NHK and WOWOW are the official NBA broadcasters of the event.

"Xebio Group is enormously pleased to play host to NBA 3X in Japan," said Takaaki Nakamura, Managing Executive Officer for Xebio Group and Chief Executive Officer for X Sports Marketing Inc. "We are committed to establishing a long-term relationship with the NBA and the introduction of events such as the NBA 3X Japan 2012 allows us to contribute to the passionate and ever-growing basketball community here in the country."

For more information about the NBA 3X Japan 2012 presented by Xebio Group please log onto our website at www.nba3x.com/asia/Japan. Fans can also get updates on the event through our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/nba3xAsia or our mobile site at www.NBA.m.jp