In an unprecedented move, the New Orleans Pelicans will soon make NBA history by participating in preseason games in Australia. Scheduled to play against Melbourne United and South East Melbourne on October 3 and October 5 respectively, these groundbreaking matches will take place at Melbourne Park. The announcement, released on Tuesday, marks nearly a decade since Australian NBL teams began traveling to the United States to engage in NBA preseason matchups.
Larry Kestelman, the owner and director of Australia's NBL, emphasized the profound importance of this event for Australian basketball. He expressed that hosting an NBA team on Australian soil fulfills a long-held ambition of the NBL and significantly bolsters the sport's presence and recognition within the nation.
The visiting NBA team, the New Orleans Pelicans, currently features prominent talents such as point guard Dejounte Murray and two-time NBA All-Star Zion Williamson, further heightening anticipation for these historic matches.
5 Comments
G P Floyd Jr
The NBA is just trying to expand their market. They don't care about the game, they just care about money.
Martin L King
This is a great opportunity for Australian basketball and I'm proud to be a part of it.
G P Floyd Jr
I can't wait to see Zion Williamson play in Australia.
Rolihlahla
I'm excited to watch these games and see what happens.
Habibi
This is just going to lead to more Australian players coming to the NBA. We have enough foreigners already.