NBA superstar Zion Williamson and Pelicans to make history in Australia

• The Herald Sun is reporting that New Orleans will be the first NBA team to play in Australia, taking on South East Melbourne and Melbourne United
• The games will be played at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena on October 3 and 5
• Two-time NBA All-Star Zion Williamson will headline the Pelicans team

Former No.1 draft pick and superstar Zion Williamson’s New Orleans Pelicans will be the first NBA team to play in Australia, reports the Herald Sun.

Williamson and the Pelicans would play two exhibition games at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena against NBL club’s South East Melbourne Phoenix and Melbourne United, on October 3 and 5 in a historic moment for basketball in Australia.

It’s further affirmation of Australia and the NBL’s standing in world basketball, with NBL clubs having played NBA teams in pre-season games in the US since 2017.

Known for his high-flying dunks and power, left-handed Williamson was drafted by the Pelicans with the first pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and has gone on to become a two-time All-Star after a successful one-and-done season at Duke University.

Williamson, 24, is averaging 24.3 points per game on 56% from the field, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists in 23 games this season.

The power forward will, undoubtedly, be the main attraction for a Pelicans roster also featuring rising star Trey Murphy, who has established himself as one of the league’s best defensive players, and sharpshooting NBA veteran CJ McCollum.

The Pelicans are in the midst of a tough 2024-25 campaign. They are 17-44 through 61 games and last in the Southwest Division in the Western Conference.

New Orleans lost Dejounte Murray to a season-ending achilles injury on February 1. Murray was traded to the Pelicans, now a Lottery team, in a deal that sent Australian guard Dyson Daniels to the Atlanta Hawks before the start of the 2024-25 season.

Daniels is a front-runner for NBA Defensive Player of Year, leading the league in steals with 167 at an average of 3.0 per game.

Daniels, 21, is one of record 15 Australians playing in the NBA while the NBL has quickly developed a reputation of producing NBA-calibre players via its Next Stars Program.

Australia boasts the second most number of international players in the NBA behind Canada, which has 21. 

Cairns Taipans guard Taran Armstrong is poised to become the 16th player after signing a two-way contract with Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors immediately after Far North Queensland’s club’s NBL25 campaign ended last month.

Charlotte Hornets LaMelo Ball, Washington Wizards Alex Sarr, Australian Chicago Bulls star Josh Giddey and Oklahoma City Thunder’s Ousmane Dieng are all graduates of the Next Stars Program.

NBL25 Next Stars Alex Toohey, Rocco Zikarsky and Izan Almansa are all projected late first round and second round NBA Draft picks in 2025 while Mexican Karim Lopez and Dyson Daniels’ younger brother Dash are already projected first round draft picks in 2026.

The Pelicans playing in Australia is another step in the strengthening relationship between the NBA and NBL. Both leagues, as well as FIBA, worked together to bring Basketball Without Borders Asia (BWB) to Perth as part of the first HoopsFest in September 2024.

BWB Asia 2024 had 30 boys and 30 girls under-17 from across Asia-Pacific in clinics with current and former NBA, WNBA and FIBA players and coaches.

“Having the NBA involved in HoopsFest is a massive addition to what already promises to be the biggest weekend in Australian basketball history,” NBL CEO David Stevenson said. 

“One of the main goals of HoopsFest was to unite basketball, and this will happen with all elements of the game coming together in Perth.  

“The BWB camps have helped develop several current and former NBL players including Josh Giddey, Kye Savage and more.  

“We look forward to seeing the next wave of basketball talent come through the BWB camp in September and are also excited for NBA talent to arrive in Perth for HoopsFest.”

Ticketing and broadcast information for the two preseason exhibition games are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.