Milwaukee will take a leading role this season as the NBA continues to expand its global reach, as the Bucks will be featured in the NBA Global Games schedule for 2014-15, the league announced today. The Bucks are slated to take on the New York Knicks at The O2 in London on Jan. 15.

With 23 international players listed among the all-time roster, including five currently under contract for the upcoming season, the Bucks have always had an international presence, but their inclusion in NBA Global Games London 2015 will mark the first regular season contest to be played overseas for the Bucks. Milwaukee logged a pair of preseason games in China in 2008, earning a 98-94 win over the Golden State Warriors in Guangzhou before falling 109-108 in a rematch in Beijing.

Well before that, however, the Bucks were one of the pioneers in the NBA when it came to playing basketball on an international stage. Milwaukee played host to the first McDonald’s Open in 1987, competing in a round robin tournament against the Soviet National Team and Tracer Milan, a Euroleague power at the time. The 1987-88 Bucks, coached by Del Harris and led by Terry Cummings, Jack Sikma, Paul Pressey and Sidney Moncrief, rolled to a 2-0 record and paved the way for a wave of expansion for the NBA on the international basketball landscape.

In addition to on-court action, NBA Global Games London 2015 will feature a variety of events off the court, including NBA Cares community outreach activities and interactive fan events. The game will also be supported by a variety of marketing and merchandising partners, and will be available to fans on television and through digital media.

For more information on the NBA’s growth and international games history, visit NBA.com/global.