CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Kenny Huang is a man who understands.

He speaks Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese and English. He has an undergraduate degree from a Chinese university and postgraduate degrees from two American universities. He knows about roads, electrical infrastructure, used to work on Wall Street and soon will own pieces of basketball teams in both China and America. He splits his time between Hong Kong, Guangzhou and the United States.

His perspective on the world, and specifically the way Americans and Chinese relate and can do business, is unique. When he sees the Cavaliers and LeBron James he thinks big, grand long-term ideas. Then he executes them.

On Monday Huang (pronounced Hwong) finalized his first significant deal for the Cavs. Within a few weeks he's expected to finalize a second, even bigger, one. The weeks and months following that have his imagination flowing, too, and much of it is tied to the team's international superstar.

James is already one of the most recognizable athletes in China, with an intention to grow his personal brand in the mega market exponentially. The deals Huang are forming can help James do it in Cleveland, which is where the short-term interest of most Cavs fans relates to this developing plot.

With Huang standing over their shoulders, Cavaliers and Quicken Loans Arena President Len Komoroski and Xu Yan, the Tsingtao President of Global Marketing, signed a large multi-year sponsorship agreement at The Q Monday afternoon. Tsingtao (CHING-dow) is China's most popular beer company and one of its most well-known brands. Sort of like Budweiser in the U.S.

By the end of the year, Huang will likely finish another deal, completing the purchase of a 15 percent stake in the Cavs, representing the first major investment by the Chinese in American pro sports. That ownership deal, signed in May during the Eastern Conference Finals, will sell former Cavs Vice Chairman David Katzman's 15 percent to a group led by Huang.

The NBA Board of Governors is expected to approve the purchase soon. Though no figures have been disclosed, Katzman's stake was worth around $56 million when he partnered with Dan Gilbert to buy the Cavs in 2005. Based on the team's current estimated value, which is $476 million according to Forbes magazine, the share could now be worth as much as $70 million."[Gilbert] is a very smart guy, I like smart businessmen," Huang said in his first American interview since forming the agreement to purchase a stake in the Cavs. "I think we'll be good partners."

The primary new partner, according to sources, is Albert Hung, a wealthy Chinese investor in numerous technology businesses. Also believed to be in the group is Adrien Cheng, a young businessman whose family operates New World Development, a massive Hong Kong conglomerate of companies. But Huang is the dealmaker, the key to bringing the parties together.

Where this impacts the Cavs and their fans is what an intensified relationship with China means. Huang said there will be more Chinese sponsorships to come, just the beginning of the Cavs' growth in China and, therefore, James' growth in a marketplace he's been working to capture.

With an estimated 300 million basketball fans, the chance to capitalize on the Chinese fan base is potentially even greater than in the U.S. Which is why James has been trying to promote products there, especially through Nike.

"LeBron is a very smart man and he's doing very well with his management team," Huang said. "I'm sure they are looking into a lot of endorsement opportunities. He already has a lot of credibility in China and now I'm sure these deals happening will bring a lot of opportunities for him there."

Huang said interest in the Cavs has exploded in China and they have surpassed the Houston Rockets, who have Chinese national hero Yao Ming, in popularity. The Cavs are second to only the Los Angeles Lakers in overall profile. This year there will be 34 games broadcast on Chinese television and there are Chinese media members based in Cleveland who cover the team.

Tsingtao is buying into that, spending to appeal to Chinese fans watching the games in addition to the American fans. For the last month there has been a Tsingtao billboard on one of the basket standards at The Q and fans will notice more signage soon. The beer is being sold at the arena.

"There's going to be more similar-sized deals to come," said Huang, whose has also arranged sponsor deals with the Rockets and New York Yankees in the past.

"This is a very small piece of all the business activities going on China right now and investment in foreign teams are part of the many possibilities that are happening. It isn't a must-do deal, but it is a trend of businesses investing outside of China."

Perhaps soon, if things fall into place as Huang believes, they'll be investing in James as well. At least in China's eyes, James could have more fans playing in Cleveland with a high-profile team, than about anywhere else.

"He can be a superstar in China with the Cavs," Huang said. "He's got the potential to have more Chinese fans and become more popular in China."