NBA Teams Set to Play in Melbourne Following Landmark Deal with Victorian Government

In a significant boost for Melbourne’s sports scene, just days after securing three NFL games starting in 2026, the NBA has reportedly agreed to send a team to play in the city later this year.

While NBA officials have yet to confirm the arrangement, ESPN is reporting that Melbourne is gearing up to host two games in October 2025, featuring an NBA team against a local NBL side.

Over the past two years, the NBL has been in discussions with NBA commissioner Adam Silver regarding this deal, which is currently slated for 2025. However, the Victorian government is optimistic about extending this agreement in the future.

It is believed that the NBL may assemble a select team for the series, although it is likely that either Melbourne United or the South East Melbourne Phoenix will represent the league.

A decision on which NBA team will be making the journey down under is yet to be taken.

This will mark a historic occasion as it will be the first time an NBA team has played games on Australian soil.

Speculation suggests the Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Houston Rockets are among the potential teams to participate in the series.

The NBA is keen to feature a team with an Australian player on its roster for the event.

Previously, the league has hosted regular-season games in cities such as Tokyo, Mexico City, and London.

Melbourne’s sports enthusiasts are eagerly looking forward to the series, especially after the overwhelming turnout of over 50,000 fans at Marvel Stadium for the Boomers vs. Team USA game in 2019.

This news follows Melbourne’s successful bid to host the first regular-season NFL game in Australia, beating out competition from Sydney and Perth. The NFL confirmed that the game will take place at the MCG in 2026, featuring the Los Angeles Rams.