The New Orleans Pelicans are poised to make a leap next season if they bring everyone back — Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Dejounte Murray — and draft well.
The first people to get a look at that team will be in Australia.
New Orleans is headed to Australia during training camp next October for two preseason games against NBL teams, the first time the NBA has played a preseason game in Australia. The Pelicans will play Melbourne United — a team with former NBA player Matthew Dellavedova and currently in the NBL Championship Series — and South East Melbourne Phoenix in Melbourne Park on Oct. 3 and Oct. 5.
The Pelicans are going down under!
The NBA and Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL) today announced that the New Orleans Pelicans will play two preseason games against NBL teams in Melbourne on October 3rd and 5th pic.twitter.com/JsSWyUfg8s
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) March 10, 2025
“The significance of this announcement for basketball in Australia and the NBL can’t be overstated,” NBL Executive Director & Owner Larry Kestelman said in a statement. “Hosting an NBA team in Australia has been a long-held dream for everyone at the NBL, and to see this initiative finally come to fruition after a 15-year journey shows that much can be accomplished when you ‘Dream Big.'”
There are several Australian players in the NBA, including Kyrie Irving (who was born in Melbourne), Dyson Daniels, Josh Giddey, Dante Exum, and Patty Mills. However, none of them are currently members of the Pelicans.
The Pelicans plan to bring their full roster over and run a good part of their training camp in Australia, so these games will matter to them,
Pelicans executive VP David Griffin said in an interview.
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