Thirty years on, NBL teams finally host an NBA opponent

• Tonight is the 26th NBLxNBA clash but the very first to be staged on Australian soil.
• The series dates back to 1995, with Adelaide’s 2022 win over Phoenix the lone NBL victory.
• The most stacked NBL team to not win a championship, including the Adelaide 36ers team that beat the Phoenix Suns

Tonight marks a milestone in basketball history, as Melbourne United take on the New Orleans Pelicans in the first ever NBAxNBL clash played on Australian soil.

It will be the 26th time an NBL side has faced NBA opposition, but until now all such contests have taken place overseas.

Since 2017, the NBAxNBL series has brought seven Australian clubs to the United States for 24 pre-season matchups, showcasing local talent on the world’s biggest stage.

The series has become a fixture on the basketball calendar, with Melbourne United playing five of those contests and the New Zealand Breakers leading the way with eight appearances. Other sides including Adelaide, Perth, Cairns, Sydney and Brisbane have all featured across the 25-game history.

The tradition actually dates back three decades, when the Perth Wildcats faced the Houston Rockets in London in 1995 as part of the unofficial McDonald's World Club Championships.

Since then, the matchups have grown in stature, highlighted by Adelaide’s stunning 134-124 upset over the Phoenix Suns in 2022. That victory remains the only win by an NBL club against NBA competition.

For Australian basketball fans, tonight’s clash is more than a pre-season exhibition. It is a chance to see an NBA powerhouse on home courts while celebrating the strength of the local league.

Thirty years after the first meeting, the NBAxNBL series has come full circle, and Melbourne will now host history.

Most games played against NBA teams

8 - NZ Breakers

5 - Melbourne United

4 - Adelaide 36ers

3 - Perth Wildcats

2 - Cairns Taipans

2 - Sydney Kings

1 - Brisbane Bullets

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