Miami? Denver? The most exciting NBA Finals watch party is actually in São Paulo, Brazil

Eight-year-old Derick Suzarte wants to be the next LeBron James.

So he built himself a basketball hoop out of a wooden box because living in an impoverished neighborhood of Campinas, Brazil — a suburb of São Paulo — he didn’t have the resources to have a legitimate hoop.

He made a video of himself impersonating his idol, shooting a basket and doing James’ signature knee pump celebration, and it went viral locally.

The NBA heard about it, got in touch with Suzarte and invited him to NBA House, which the league says is the biggest NBA Finals watch party in the world.

Globo Esporte - Campinas/Piracicaba | Fã do Lebron James, menino de oito anos sonha em jogar na NBA | Globoplay

There, Suzarte donned a No. 22 Jimmy Butler jersey, played basketball-related games and met with Brazilian basketball legend Hortencia Marcari.

"The kid went crazy," Rodrigo Vincenti, head of NBA Brazil, told USA TODAY Sports. "And his mindset is, 'I'm gonna be the new LeBron James,' which is even better. The interesting part of our league, our passionate sport, is a matter of giving the kids and youth an opportunity for them to bounce the ball and practice the sport. And then as a consequence, if they will be the new LeBron James in Brazil or not. But I mean, if you see the video, his mindset, I have no doubt – he has no doubt – that’s going to be the next one."

NBA House, which is held at Shopping Eldorado mall this year, is exemplary of the league’s desire to expand internationally and connect with fans on a ground level. Besides serving as a watch party for the championship series where the Miami Heat are facing off against the Denver Nuggets, the immersive event is also open on the weekends in between games with a more family-friendly atmosphere. There are games, brand activations, dunk exhibits, appearances from Bango, the Milwaukee Bucks mascot, and more. Vincenti used the word "explosive" to explain how the NBA uses a formula of connecting with international fans at the grassroots level.

As the NBA seeks to expand its pop culture ties in fashion and music, São Paulo was a perfect place to connect with fans and build new ones. NBA House has brought in rap superstar L7nnon, social media influencer Caio Teixeira and surfer Ítalo Ferreira.

"When they see the dancers, when they see the mascots, when they see the dunkers, when they get prizes, they say, 'I love it,'" Vincenti said of fans taking in the experience. "'This is the best sport ever that treats me well, that has a lot of performance, action, fun, excitement.' When we see families bonding with us, this is something unbelievable."

Last year’s NBA House saw 40,000 fans across the six-game series for the NBA Finals when the Golden State Warriors beat the Boston Celtics. This year’s event expects to pass that attendance mark.

For Brazilians, the NBA is "aspirational" and is an extension of the religion of soccer. The country is in the top five of the league's largest international markets and its fan base is growing. The first round of this year's playoffs saw a 49% increase in viewership from last season and the @NBABrasil social media accounts have more than 7 million followers across its platforms.

One of James' teammates with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Anderson Varejão, hails from Brazil.

The league is very intentional about connecting with the community and bringing an organic experience that comes alongside the culture.

Vincenti gives the example of someone attending a music festival and wearing a Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls jersey even if she’s not a basketball fan.

"The reason why she’s buying our jerseys, our caps, or whatever is that because she wants to belong to this community, to be recognized as an NBA fan and be part of that scene, that conversation," Vincenti said. "We truly see fans consuming the league. I would say inside the courts, knowing everything that’s going on within the league, but at the same time there are a lot of Brazilians that are connecting with us. Not just because of the game, but because of the lifestyle side, because of fashion, music, attitude, so because of the players as well. So this scene is very interesting to see the way our fan base, which is super huge down here, is embracing the league in Brazil."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA Finals watch party in Brazil brings families closer to game