Realeague, the creator of the global sports business summit in Macao and the proposed new East Asia club basketball competition, announced the addition of Greg Stolt as senior vice president of basketball operations. Stolt joins Realeague with over 15 years working in basketball development for the NBA, primarily in East Asia and South Asia markets.
Stolt’s extensive international basketball expertise stems from his work with the NBA as VP of basketball operations and his earlier career as a professional player.
During his time with the NBA, Stolt reportedly “played a pivotal role in formulating strategies to promote basketball in China and other regions of Asia, working closely with key stakeholders such as the Chinese Basketball Association from grassroots to elite level basketball development activities. He planned and executed over 300 basketball programs and events at the NBA. Notably, he spearheaded the launch of the NBA Academy program in China. He led NBA China’s efforts in facility partnerships and operations, where he managed the NBA Basketball School project in Haikou, Hainan Province, the only basketball facility directly operated by the NBA.”
From 1999 to 2006, Stolt played professional basketball in various leagues in Asia, Latin America, Europe, and Australia. He spent two seasons playing for the Niigata Albirex and Panasonic Super Kangaroos in the then-Japanese Basketball League. He speaks Japanese.
In his new role at Realeague, Stolt will leverage his experience to oversee related preparations for upcoming new competitions. He also manages relationships with basketball governing bodies, federations, participating leagues, and teams.
“We are thrilled to welcome Greg Stolt to the team,” said Jay Li, founder and CEO of Realeague. “I’ve known Greg for more than a decade. His expertise and passion for the sport align seamlessly with our vision. With Greg at the helm of our basketball operations, we are confident in our ability to create a thriving ecosystem to propel professional basketball competition to new heights in East Asia.”
“I am honored to join Jay and his team at Realeague and embark on the journey of creating new competitions in this part of the world where I’m very attached to,” said Stolt. “This is an incredible opportunity to support the growth of the game of basketball in the region. Creating a good pan-regional product will require an enormous team effort. We have a great group of people with extensive and relevant experience who will be able to pull this off.”
Images courtesy Realeague
