New Orleans Pelicans to take on NBL teams Melbourne United and South East Melbourne Phoenix

A club featuring a two-time NBA All-Star has been announced as the first team from one of the world’s biggest leagues to play matches Down Under.

New Orleans Pelicans player Zion Williamson. Picture: Getty

NBA team New Orleans Pelicans and Victoria’s two professional basketball clubs will contest a historic first series of NBA matches on Australian soil in Melbourne this October.

The Pelicans – featuring two-time NBA All-Star Zion Williamson – will be the first team from one of the world’s biggest leagues to play matches Down Under.

The Herald Sun last month revealed that an NBA club would make history by taking on Australian players in Melbourne this year.

Now it can be confirmed the Pelicans will play two matches in Australia’s sporting capital, against NBL powerhouse Melbourne United on October 3 and South East Melbourne Phoenix on October 5, at Rod Laver Arena.

The Pelicans are coming to Melbourne. Picture: AFP

Melbourne will be the only city to host the NBA-NBL series, expected to lure sports tourists from interstate and overseas for matches sure to sell out quickly.

NBA executive Rajah Chaudhry said: “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.”

New Orleans president Dennis Lauscha said: “This is just the beginning of what we hope will be a lasting connection between the Pelicans and the basketball community in Australia.”

The sporting coup – decades in the making – is hoped to be the first of many NBA matches here after the state government through tourism arm Visit Victoria signed off on the deal last week.

NBL executive Larry Kestelman said its significance “can’t be overstated”.

“Hosting an NBA team in Australia has been a long-held dream for everyone,” he said.

Basketball great Andrew Gaze said the “historic weekend in Australian sport” was an “incredible” score for Victoria.

“To see the journey the NBL has gone on – from playing at the Albert Park stadium to now on the biggest stage against an NBA team in Australia – is absolutely amazing and showcases how respected the league is on a global stage,” he said.

“I’m so proud to see how far our sport has come.”

Sport and Major Events Minister Steve Dimopoulos said: “It’s going to be a great opportunity for basketball fans to see the stars of the game up close, providing a major boost for our tourism economy in the process.”

“This is a historic moment – Australians love basketball and we’re bringing the very best league to Australian soil for the first time – giving fans and families a once-in-a-lifetime experience, right here in Melbourne.”

The state government declined to comment on how much taxpayers would spend bankrolling the series, but it is believed a press conference featuring Pelicans, the state government and NBA officials would be held in Melbourne on Tuesday.

Former No. 1 draft pick Williams is the biggest name on a Pelicans squad which also includes guards CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray.

But the Pelicans’ on-court struggles this season could see them score the No. 1 pick in this year’s NBA Draft and bring the best young player in the US to Melbourne as part of the tour.

With capacity of Rod Laver Arena about 15,000 and at least 1000 seats at each match set aside for corporate and commercial purposes, organisers expect tickets to both matches to be snapped up fast.

A ticket ballot is likely and fans will be able to pre-register their interest once the series is officially announced.

The sporting coup will make Melbourne the only city in Australia to host NBA, NHL and NFL matches.

The Herald Sun last month revealed Melbourne would be the first Aussie city to host a regular-season NFL match, with the Los Angeles Rams to play the first of at least two games at the MCG next year.

The government is also in talks with NHL, with ice hockey matches likely to return to Melbourne in the wake of a successful series between the LA Kings and Arizona Coyotes in 2023.

Tickets: nba.nbl.com.au

Originally published as New Orleans Pelicans to take on NBL teams Melbourne United and South East Melbourne Phoenix