The NBA continues its conquest of the globe and will take advantage of the 2025 preseason to advance its pawns in new regions. Abu Dhabi has been a recurring meeting for the past two years.
In addition to China, where the Suns and Nets are expected in Macao, Australia was chosen, a country with which the big league has increasingly strong links when the NBL has become a reservoir of future talents. However, this is the very first time that an NBA team will go there to play a friendly match!
The noise has been running for a little over a month, and it is now official: the Pelicans were invited to play two preseason games at Melbourne Park, against Melbourne United and South East Melbourne Park, on October 3 and 5. The effervescence has thus won all the Australian fans of NBA since the announcement this night.
“The importance of this announcement for basketball in Australia and the NBL cannot be underestimated”,, was delighted Larry KestelmanExecutive director of the NBL. “Welcoming an NBA team in Australia is a long -standing dream for all members of the League, and seeing this initiative to materialize after 15 years of effort shows that it is possible to accomplish a lot when you dream in big. I would like to thank Adam Silver, Mark Tatum, Michael Ma and the NBA team for having been opened to this vision and for their continuous support for our league. ”
Yet no more Australian players in the team
For the NBA and the Pelicans, it is an opportunity to develop their “fanbase” and to make their franchise known beyond American borders.
“It is a exciting moment for our organization and it is a testimony to the growing world impact of the NBA”said the president of Pelicans, Dennis Lauscha. “The arrival of the Pelicans and the NBA in Australia for the first time is an important step and we are delighted to participate on this unique opportunity to exchange with Melbourne fans. We are impatient to measure ourselves with two exceptional NBL teams and to create unforgettable memories for our fans. This is only the beginning of what we hope to be a lasting link between Pelicans and the basketball community in Australia. ”
More and more young players have benefited from the NBL's “Next Stars” program to finish their high -level learning curriculum in Australia before spinning in the NBA.
We think in particular of Josh Giddey, Lamelo Ball or even Alexandre Sarr. This is the only element that can be regretted in this announcement, the lack of an Australian player or from NBL in the workforce of Pelicans, even if there is the physical phenomenon Zion Williamson. Until last summer, there was still Dyson Daniels, but the Australian rear was sent to Atlanta in the deal which allowed the arrival of Dejounte Murray.
