The week Zion, the Pelicans and the NBA won over Melbourne

• Zion starred as the Pelicans overcame a tough Melbourne United outfit
• A Pelicans three-point barrage helped New Orleans demolish South East Melbourne
• Basketball.com.au contributor Jason Cadee called the tour a landmark moment for Aussie basketball

The charm offensive started almost as soon as the New Orleans Pelicans landed on Australian soil for the first time.

"I have no problem saying the NBL is the second-best league in the world," Pelicans superstar Zion Williamson told local media at the team's first press conference of the week.

Whether he was strong-armed into saying it by local journalists or not, it set the tone for what followed: a week which culminated in Williamson autographing a pair of shoes for a young fan who had recently battled cancer, and chants of "we want Zion" breaking out at games against both Melbourne teams.

The fans couldn't get enough of the two-time NBA All-Star and newly anointed face of the franchise. He set the tone for the rest of the team, with teammates like Jordan Poole, Trey Murphy, and Jose Alvarado also acquitting themselves well in front of fans across the week.

The arrival of the NBA in Melbourne was the reward for a 15-year effort from the NBL and owner Larry Kestelman.

There was a long-held belief that the trip was too far, a 15-hour flight that had similarly been undertaken to Japan, China, and the Middle East, but never to Australia.

Until now.

Williamson said his travel time was spent watching his favourite anime series, while NBA legend Ray Allen said the flight "wasn't that bad", which feels like the ultimate compliment from those not used to long-haul flights like Australians are.

NBA legend and Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations, Joe Dumars, praised the NBL's execution of the event.

"I've done a lot of travelling with the NBA to Abu Dhabi and all the Global Games, and Australia has done an excellent job of putting this on for us," he said.

But it wasn't only those at the front of the plane who made the trip. Approximately 160 people, ranging from scoreboard operators to cheerleaders, as well as 43 family members, were flown in from New Orleans.

Security, logistics, and production mirrored the NBA’s global standards, complete with sniffer dogs and heightened protocols rarely seen in Australian sport.

With the Pelicans having already departed Australia, there's no doubt they left their mark. Nearly 50,000 fans across four days at Rod Laver Arena witnessed the spectacle that is the NBA. Without a doubt, a new wave of New Orleans Pelicans fans — and NBA fans — has been created from this week, and we can only hope they return to a game, whether at their local stadium or an NBL venue, before long.

How will we know if this tour was ultimately a success? That will be determined by whether the NBA returns.

With 14 Australians currently in the NBA, and rising stars like Dash Daniels on the horizon, the case for a return visit is strong. Chicago, Portland, Minnesota and Cleveland all boast two Australian players, offering plenty of storylines for the next chapter of the NBAxNBL series.

Speaking with Pelicans and NBA staff across the week, they raved about the experience and hospitality, so no doubt there will be a groundswell of support amongst the rank and file. If the dollars make sense as much as the memories did, it’s easy to imagine the NBA back. And when it returns, Australian fans will know exactly who set the standard: Zion Williamson and the team that made the NBA feel right at home.

NBA, we hope to see you in 2026.