NBA donating $1 million to Will and Kate's charity as 'thank you' for royal couple attending game in Brooklyn

Sports fans: Prince Williams and the Duchess of Cambridge are both known for their love of sports.

Basketball bosses are 'beside themselves with excitement' at Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge attending an NBA game, MailOnline has learned.

The Duke and Duchess will watch the Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Brooklyn Nets during their three-day visit to New York next month.

The decision by the couple to attend the match means they should be able to watch LeBron James, currently America's biggest sports star, in action.

NBA brass believe that the image of the royal couple at the match at Brooklyn's Barclays Center will be shown around the world, helping the sport gain new fans.

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'It's an incredible publicity coup for the NBA,' an insider told MailOnline.

'The images of them all together will be seen all over the world - it's a marketing man's dream.'

Insiders say that Kate and William had expressed an interest in attending a basketball game at legendary Madison Square Garden when they were planning their December 7-9 visit to the Big Apple.

But they decided against the the New York Knicks vs Portland Trailblazers game on December 7 in favor of seeing LeBron play the following night.

Source: The Daily Mail 

Photo: AP, Reuters, Getty Images