On Thursday night the biggest basketball league in the world, the NBA, was in London for its annual regular season game and Sports Mole was invited by the UK broadcaster, BT Sport, for an inside look as the Atlanta Hawks took on the Brooklyn Nets.
It was the second time that the NBA had played a regular season game in London and the O2 Arena provides a space perfect for 'hoops' with its 20,000 capacity. I arrive three hours before tipoff at 5pm for a jam-packed schedule.
After receiving my press pass, into the belly of The O2 we go to have a quick sample of the arena courtside before our first chat in the outside broadcast (OB) truck, where all the magic happens that brings the show to TV.
That picture makes it look quite empty but it is packed with producers, mixers, graphic designers and more. Cramped together at the side of the truck, I meet presenters Caroline de Moraes and ex-Great Britain basketball player Flinder Boyd.
"The O2 is such a great place for basketball," says Flinder. "It's got great acoustics when the crowd gets into it."
The match was between two Eastern Conference sides, with Atlanta surrendering one of their 41 home games to come to London.
"I think it would be great if they had one team that came here every single year so that would be the 'English team'," adds Flinder, who was also at The O2 last year when the Detroit Pistons took on the New York Knicks in the first NBA Global Game in London.
Ahead of the match, outgoing NBA commissioner David Stern and his successor Adam Silver were being pressed on the possibility of a European NBA franchise. It's something that both men are keen on but Flinder thinks that it wouldn't be "logistically possible" because of the number of NBA games - each of the 30 teams plays 82 times a season.
"I just think there's too much affecting it with the travel and taxes. I'd love it, but I can't see it happening," he said.
NFL, the American Football league, also comes to the English capital but the format of their sport lends itself better to a permanent team being based here.
They only play once a week and its popularity is growing rapidly on these shores. This season two games were played at Wembley Stadium for the first time and next season that is being increased to three.
"The American sports are just so much more enternaining," says Caroline, who is BT's courtside reporter and has the unfortunate job of grabbing celebrities for a quick chat during the game. "The foam hands, the cheerleaders. It's all so much fun."
As we are chatting, rumours about which celebrities are in attendance escalate and escalate. A number of footballers from Arsenal and Chelsea are expected but then it is revealed that actor Owen Wilson and none other than legendary Beatles musician Paul McCartney are going to be courtside too. I'm a little dubious about McCartney but a couple of hours later Caroline would be interviewing him!
NBA: Peace out - @PaulMcCartney gives @officialCaz the sign. Watch interview here click here.
