Pelicans to play NBA’s first games in Australia in 2025 preseason

Field Level Media|published: Mon 10th March, 20:37 2025

Mar 8, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) gets a rebound during the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans will head to Melbourne this October for the NBA's first games in Australia.

The league announced Monday that the Pelicans will face Melbourne United and the South East Melbourne Phoenix in a pair of preseason games on Oct. 3 and 5.

It extends a growing history between the NBA and Australia, with a number of Australian players on NBA rosters today.

Nine players have been drafted from Australia's top league, the National Basketball League, via the NBL Next Stars program, including LaMelo Ball and 2024 No. 2 pick Alex Sarr.

Since 2016, the NBL has sent teams for preseason tours of the U.S., resulting in 24 exhibition games between NBL and NBA teams.

"We are honored to be part of this historic occasion for basketball in Australia," Pelicans owner Gayle Benson said in a statement. "This collaboration with the NBL and NBA to bring the Pelicans to Melbourne provides an exceptional opportunity to engage with our global fan base and share the rich spirit and culture of New Orleans with basketball fans in the region. We look forward to competing against Melbourne United and South East Melbourne Phoenix, and collaborating with the NBA and NBL to inspire and develop the next generation of athletes across the Asia-Pacific region."

"The significance of this announcement for basketball in Australia and the NBL can't be overstated," NBL executive director Larry Kestelman said in a statement. "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.'"

Since resuming international games after the COVID-19 pandemic, the NBA has sent teams to play preseason games in Japan and the United Arab Emirates while bringing regular-season games to Paris for the first time. The Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns will play a pair of exhibitions in October in the Chinese special administrative region of Macau.

--Field Level Media

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