Blake Griffin backs calls for more NBA in Australia

Basketball great Blake Griffin has stepped up calls for more NBA matches to be played in Australia after the stunning success of a historic US-NBL series in Melbourne this month, reports Peter Rolfe from CODE Sports.

And the six-time All-Star said next time at least two NBA teams needed to play during the regular season, rather than just an exhibition series.

NBA slam-dunk champ and rookie of the year Griffin told the Herald Sun the huge crowds who flocked to see the New Orleans Pelicans become the first NBA team to play on Australian soil “absolutely” proved more top US talent needed to tour Down Under.

Read the full story on CODE Sports

“Australia is a place on my bucket list that I really, really want to go to,” he said.

“So I hope they do a game there because that’s an easy excuse for me.

“But I know there’s a lot of NBA fans in Australia and there’s a lot of NBA players from Australia.”

More than 32,000 people packed Rod Laver Arena for matches between the Pelicans, Melbourne United and South East Melbourne Phoenix.

A combined crowd of more than 60,000 flocked to practice sessions and fan activities over four days at Melbourne Park.

With the NBA to play regular season matches in Mexico, Berlin and London this season, Griffin said it was time to send the biggest basketball league in the world to Australia to contest championship points.

“Having a game – you know a full, real game, not just a pre-season game,” he said. “Yeah, it would be really, really cool.”

The high-flying former LA Clippers, Brooklyn Nets, Detroit Pistons and Boston star said what was once a pipe dream of the NBA playing meaningful matches in Australia was now very real.

“As the NBA expands around the globe, you know it’s well within the realm of possibility,” he said.

It comes as 15 Aussies are on rosters for the coming US season, which will be streamed live for the first time on NBA on Prime.

The NBL and state government confirmed they were keen to bring more NBA matches to Melbourne.

NBL Group executive director Larry Kestelman said it was “fantastic to hear NBA legends like Blake Griffin want to see more games in Melbourne”.

“The response from fans, players and the entire basketball community has been tremendous,” Kestelman said.

“We would be delighted to continue building on our strong relationship with the NBA and explore more opportunities to bring the world’s best talent back to Australia in the future.”

Bigger clubs such as Josh Giddey’s Bulls, Bendigo-born and-raised Dyson Daniel’s Atlanta Hawks and iconic NBA clubs such as the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers are in the sights of promoters gunning for more NBA action in Australia.

But Victoria could face a bidding war, with other states keen for a slice of the action.

NBA on Prime tips off with a double-header on October 25 when the Knicks host Boston, followed by Minnesota-Lakers.

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