LOS ANGELES – March 16, 2021 – After announcing its formal partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Basketball Players’ Association (NBPA) in October 2020, the global mobile game publisher Netmarble Corp is proud to announce NBA Ball Stars – an all-new, puzzle-based mobile basketball game that is the first publishing project for Netmarble’s Los Angeles-based subsidiaries Netmarble US and Kung Fu Factory. The game is now open for pre-registration for the App Store and Google Play and, to celebrate the formal reveal, Netmarble is thrilled to partner with Ja Morant, 2019-20 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, as the game’s cover athlete. 

“The NBA and NBPA have been tremendous partners,” said Simon Sim, President of Netmarble US. “The creative freedom and collaboration we’ve had with them, along with Kung Fu Factory, in the production of our first major project for Netmarble US’ publishing efforts has been nothing short of phenomenal. To top it off, Ja Morant is a true star, and we’re beyond excited to have him on board for the upcoming launch of NBA Ball Stars.”

NBA Ball Stars mixes the NBA’s star players, fast-paced action, and amazing skills with strategic team-based, collectible, and gem-bursting puzzle gameplay on mobile devices. Players will take charge of their favorite NBA team, collect and create customized lineups from the NBA’s ongoing roster of athletes, and train their favorite players as they make a run for the championship. 

“Through NBA Ball Stars, we’ll bring a fresh new gaming experience to the hands of fans around the world,” said Matt Holt, Senior Vice President, Global Partnerships at the NBA. “The game is a fun and easy way to enjoy NBA basketball anywhere, allowing fans to build their very own roster with their favorite players."

By successfully bursting series of matching gems, players control their team on offense and defense and can quickly power-up their athletes to execute special shots, steals, and slam dunks. NBA Ball Stars is suitable for NBA fans and gamers of all levels, offering quick play sessions and matchups, and featuring a broad assortment of NBA players available in gameplay. 

"We are excited to bring this game to the fans and we look forward to growing this partnership,” added Josh Goodstadt, Executive VP of Licensing for THINK450, the business subsidiary of the NBPA.

NBA Ball Stars will launch in 2021 for free (with in-app purchases) on the App Store and Google Play. For more information, please visit the official website, and follow NBA Ball Stars on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.