Starting 5: 5 things to know for the Abu Dhabi Games

One. Sleep. Away. Nikola Jokic and company can’t wait for Friday’s preseason tip-off in Abu Dhabi (12 ET, NBA App).

THE LINEUP 🏀
What’s inside today’s edition?
Abu Dhabi Checklist: 5 things you need to know before the preseason opens in the UAE
All-Access, All Smiles: How Denver & Boston are growing the game across the globe
Champ To Children’s Author: Jayson Tatum adds to his championship resume
Media Day Frames: 10 more Monday snapshots of franchise faces and core groups
Celebrating Dikembe: Unlocking the Mutombo video vault
BUT FIRST … ⏰
It’s official…

KAT To NYC Trade Finalized: First reported on Friday, the deal was made official on Wednesday, sending big man Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks, with Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo joining the Wolves.
1. FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE ABU DHABI GAMES

The last two teams to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy – the 2023 champion Nuggets and 2024 champion Celtics – arrived in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and will tip off the 2024-25 preseason on Friday (12 ET, NBA App) with the first of two games in the UAE.
1. Year 3 In Abu Dhabi: The NBA has played a pair of exhibition games in Abu Dhabi the past two seasons, showcasing some of the league’s brightest stars on a global stage.
 it’s a must-see matchup between the past two champs
2. Familiar Territory For Four Olympians: Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday and Nikola Jokic return to Abu Dhabi for the second time in three months after participating in the USA Basketball Showcase to prepare for the Paris Olympics.
Team USA defeated host France to win gold, while Serbia defeated Germany to claim bronze
3. Champion Vs. Champion: Last season, Boston went a league-best 64-18, but there was one team it did not beat all season – the Nuggets.

4. First Looks At Both Teams: The Abu Dhabi Games tip 109 days after the Celtics won their 18th NBA title. Friday will be their first on-court action together after a summer of celebration.
The Nuggets will have a new lineup after losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Denver filled its open roster spots with former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook and forward Dario Saric
5. Global Games Begin: The Abu Dhabi Games will open the preseason for the second straight year but will not be the only Global Games on the 2024-25 NBA calendar.
: After leading France to the silver medal at the Olympics, Victor Wembanyama returns home when the Spurs face the Pacers on Jan. 23 & 25
2. ALL-ACCESS: GROWING THE GAME ACROSS THE GLOBE

“This is the most important part of the trip, being able to give back to kids,” said Nuggets veteran Russell Westbrook on Wednesday. “It’s what I love the most — the most enjoyable part about this job.”
Abu Dhabi Games 2024 doesn’t just tip off the NBA preseason, it brings fans and players together from around the globe to help grow the game and make a positive impact on the community.
After taking the practice court on Wednesday in UAE, the Nuggets traded their pinnies for whistles to coach up the next generation of hoopers through the NBA Cares program.
Off the court,
before checking out the desert dunes on a

Ahead of Boston’s NBA Cares clinic today, the 2024 champs hit the practice floor Wednesday and signed some team ‘Abu Dhabi 24’ jerseys. And as the C’s created memorabilia, each player reminisced on their own — ranging from homemade banners to the used sneakers of a high school hero.
“What’s one piece of sports memorabilia that you’ll never let go of?”
“Last year for the championship, my wife made a homemade painted banner and we got everyone to sign it.”
3. JAYSON TATUM: FROM CHAMPION TO CHILDREN’S AUTHOR

Jayson Tatum: Five-time NBA All-Star, two-time Olympic gold medalist, 2024 NBA champion and now, author.
As the Celtics superstar helps grow the game in Abu Dhabi, his new children’s book Baby Dunks-a-Lot promotes reading and family unity through hoops with a whimsical tale of a baby turned basketball phenom, inspired by Tatum’s life as both an NBA standout and father to his six-year-old son, Deuce.
In September, we caught up with Tatum to learn more about his recent off-the-court initiative.
Q: You’ve done a lot this summer: won a title, won a gold medal, wrote a book — a lot of inspiring things. What do you hope to inspire with this book?
Tatum: “Anything that you dream about or anything that you want to do is possible with the love and support of those around you. Nobody’s successful by themselves, and you can never dream too big.”
Did Deuce help at all with the book?
“Yeah, especially with the illustrations. You know, who better to lean on than a six-year-old kid? So, he was very helpful and thoughtful throughout the process, and I leaned on him a lot.”
How important is reading in your house with Deuce’s bedtime routine, and how cool is it to have a book that you can read to him now?
“It’s important. And it’s no different for any parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle, whoever, right? Reading to your kids at nighttime is a routine that we’ve had for a very long time and it’s just special to share something that is inspired by our relationship and that we can share with the rest of the world.”
4. MEDIA DAY FRAMES: CORE GROUPS & FRANCHISE FACES
Media Day Monday is in the books, but the photo album keeps on growing with timeless pics.
Peep 10 more of our favorite frames from Monday’s 28-team session below, from franchise faces to core groups that we can’t wait to see.
5. UNLOCKING THE MUTOMBO VIDEO VAULT 

As the NBA family continues to celebrate the life and legacy of Dikembe Mutombo, we dive into the video vault to showcase some of his greatest on-court and off-court moments highlighting his massive game and personality.
On-Court Highlights
: Mutombo on his record-breaking career and famous finger wag
Classic Games
The Sixers return to the Finals for the first time since 1983, behind Allen Iverson’s 44 points and Mutombo’s 23 points, 19 boards and seven blocks

Off-Court Achievements and Fun Moments
: Mutombo showed some of the inconveniences a 7-footer experiences while traveling with his team