BOSTON - The NBA will make no attempt to gag members of the U.S. men's basketball team competing at the Beijing Olympics, NBA commissioner David Stern said on Sunday.
The NBA is hoping to organise a series of exhibition games through Basketball Without Borders and has done a series of commercials with Yao Ming to help raise money and awareness of the cause.
"I think we're now looking to see whether we can squeeze in a Basketball Without Borders to raise more money or other exhibition games, but clearly in conjunction with two games that we hope to stage in China in October in Hangzhou and in Beijing," said Stern.
"We will be amplifying our efforts of earthquake relief.
"This is a terrible tragedy and the NBA wants to be solidly on the side of all those who are helping to have our friends in China dig out from this terrible situation."
Stern also said the league would continue to grow its global brand but had no current plans to place an expansion team in Europe.
"There are no current plans for expansion," he confirmed.
"Right now our basketball plans in Europe are (New Jersey) Nets and (Miami) Heat in Paris and London in October, and (Washington) Wizards and (New Orleans) Hornets in Berlin and Barcelona and London.
"But looking at it the long way, a year ago we played in London, which had an NBA ready arena, and it was a great experience and we're going back.
"This year we're going to be playing in Berlin, which has an NBA ready arena.
"I would say over the next several years as those arenas get to be more NBA ready, the dialogue will heat up but we have no current plans."
