MANILA (REUTERS) - Basketball superstar LeBron James returned to the Philippines to join an exhibition game on Saturday watched by thousands of cheering fans, and to hold a special training session with Filipino professional players.

It was the Cleveland Cavaliers forward's third visit in four years.

James, who showed off some moves for less than 10 minutes during the game, was scheduled to leave for China on Sunday in the second leg of a promotional tour, a local sports website reported.

The four-time National Basketball Association (NBA) Most Valuable Player first visited Manila in 2013 and returned in 2015.

He was supposed to come back last year, but the trip was cancelled because of what organisers had described as "logistical challenges".