New Orleans Pelicans to Play Twice in Australia

The New Orleans Pelicans will play two preseason games against teams from Australia’s National Basketball League this fall, the first time an NBA team has played in Australia.

The Pelicans will play Melbourne United and South East Melbourne Phoenix in Melbourne Park on October 3 and October 5. The NBL will serve as the official promoter and organizer of the Melbourne Series.

“We are honored to be part of this historic occasion for basketball in Australia,” said New Orleans Pelicans Governor Gayle Benson. “This collaboration with the NBL and NBA to bring the Pelicans to Melbourne provides an exceptional opportunity to engage with our global fanbase and share the rich spirit and culture of New Orleans with basketball fans in the region.”

In addition to the games, the NBA, NBL and Pelicans will conduct NBA Cares community outreach initiatives and lifestyle events leading up to and during the week of the games, including a Fan Night on October 4. The NBA and the NBL also plan to expand their grassroots basketball development efforts in Asia-Pacific at the youth and elite levels in the coming years.

“The significance of this announcement for basketball in Australia and the NBL can’t be overstated,” said NBL Executive Director and Owner Larry Kestelman. “Hosting an NBA team in Australia has been a long-held dream for everyone at the NBL and to see this initiative finally come to fruition after a 15-year journey shows that much can be accomplished when you ‘dream big.’ I want to thank Adam Silver, Mark Tatum, Michael Ma and the team at the NBA for being open to this amazing vision and for their continued support of our League.”

The announcement builds on the NBA and NBL’s prior collaborations that began in 2016. Seven NBL teams have traveled to the U.S. to play 24 preseason games against NBA teams. The NBA twice collaborated with the NBL to host Basketball Without Borders, the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program, in Australia (2016 in Melbourne and 2024 in Perth).

To date, nine players from the NBL’s Next Stars program have been drafted from the NBL into the NBA, including Ousmane Dieng (Oklahoma City Thunder), Josh Giddey (Chicago Bulls), LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets) and 2024 No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr (Washington Wizards).

“These historic games and the surrounding events will not only be a celebration of basketball but will also serve as a catalyst for the continued growth of the game in Australia,” said NBA Asia Head of Strategy Rajah Chaudhry. “We look forward to working with the Pelicans and the NBL to make this a memorable week for the teams, players and most importantly the fans.”