New Orleans Pelicans coach Willie Green expressed optimism about the possibility of NBA regular-season games being held in Australia, following his team`s dominant sweep of their NBL exhibition series.
The Pelicans concluded their successful pre-season tour with a commanding 127-92 victory over South East Melbourne on Sunday at a packed Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. Star forward Zion Williamson captivated the crowd, marking a perfect end to their Australian visit, which also included a 107-97 win against Melbourne United two days prior.
These two historic games were the first played by an NBA team in Australia, a milestone achieved after more than 15 years of advocacy from figures such as former players Luc Longley and Andrew Bogut, alongside NBL owner Larry Kestelman.
With MLB having played regular-season games in Sydney in 2014 and the NFL set to host a competitive match in Melbourne next year, Green believes the NBA could soon follow suit.
“It`s a possibility, for sure,” Green stated. “The game is so global that you get teams playing regular-season games in other countries. After this experience, I think we`ll see more teams coming to Australia.”
The upcoming NBA season, commencing on October 21, will feature games in Mexico City, London, and Berlin, highlighting the league`s international reach.
Pelicans guard Jordan Poole, an NBA champion with Golden State in 2022, echoed Green`s positive sentiments about the team`s Australian tour. “The interactions (with fans), good basketball… I only have positive things to say,” Poole remarked. “It`s something that we should make more routine, for sure.”
Former No.1 draft pick Zion Williamson was the undeniable star for Australian fans. Despite limited minutes as he builds fitness for a projected breakout season, his vastly improved physique was evident. Williamson clearly outshone his NBL counterparts, tallying eight points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks in just 15 minutes against South East Melbourne. Standout performances also came from fellow starters Saddiq Bey (21 points), Jeremiah Fears (12), and Poole (15).
A minor setback for New Orleans occurred when guard Jose Alvarado sustained a right knee injury after a collision with Phoenix import Hunter Maldonado.
For the Phoenix, top scorers included Jordan Hunter (17 points), Nathan Sobey, and Akech Aliir (both with 16 points). NBL Next Star Malique Lewis delivered a mixed performance, contributing eight points, five rebounds, four assists, and two turnovers.
Earlier in the week, fellow NBA prospect Dash Daniels – the 17-year-old brother of Boomers and NBA star Dyson Daniels – boosted his draft stock with an impressive display for United on Friday.
“He looked good out there,” Phoenix coach Josh King commented on the Trinidadian forward Lewis. “There`s no better opportunity than to actually play against an NBA team to see where you stack up. He had a lot of good moments out there, like a lot of our guys, and he`ll continue to get better. Hopefully, getting out there against these guys gives him confidence moving forward, knowing that he can compete out here against NBA players.”
Since the `NBAxNBL` series began in 2017, NBA teams have won 25 out of 26 pre-season games against NBL clubs. The sole exception was in 2022, when the Adelaide 36ers famously upset the Phoenix Suns.
Rupert Hollis