National Basketball League (Australia) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
National Basketball League

Sport	Basketball
Founded	1978; 47 years ago (1978) (as National Invitation Basketball League)
Founder	John Raschke
Inaugural season	1979
CEO	David Stevenson
COO	Vince Crivelli
Director	Larry Kestelman
Motto	Dream BIG
No. of teams	10
Countries	Australia (9 teams) New Zealand (1 team)
Headquarters	10 Queens Road Melbourne, VIC, 3004
Confederation	FIBA Oceania (Oceania)
Most recent champion(s)	Illawarra Hawks (2nd title) (2024–25)
Most titles	Perth Wildcats (10 titles)
TV partner(s)	Australia: ESPN Network 10 10 Bold New Zealand: ESPN TVNZ
Streaming partner(s)	Kayo Sports 10Play NBL TV TVNZ+
Sponsor(s)	Hungry Jack's
Level on pyramid	1
Domestic cup(s)	NBL Ignite Cup NBL Cup (defunct)
International cup(s)	Intercontinental Cup

The National Basketball League (NBL) is a top professional basketball league for men in Australasia. It has ten teams: nine from Australia and one from New Zealand. The NBL is the best men's basketball league in both countries.

The league used to play in the Australian winter until 1998. Since then, it has played in the summer. The regular season runs from September to February. Each team plays 33 games. The finals then happen in March and April. They end with the Championship grand final series.

History of the NBL

Melbourne Tigers and Gold Coast Blaze at Parkville Stadium

The NBL started in 1978 as the National Invitation Basketball League (NIBL). Its first season was in 1979. In 1980, it changed its name to the National Basketball League (NBL). Before the NBL, Australia had other national basketball events.

The NBL's first season began in August 1979. Games were played in winter until the 1998 season. The 1998–99 season was the first to be played in summer. This change helped the NBL avoid competing with other popular winter sports in Australia. The NBL is Australia's third oldest national sports competition.

S.E. Melbourne Phoenix and Adelaide 36ers at John Cain Arena

The NBL was very popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This time is often called its "golden age." However, its popularity went down later as other sports grew.

In the 2006–07 season, a team from Asia, the Singapore Slingers, joined the league. This was a first for an Australasian sports league. The Gold Coast Blaze also joined in the 2007–08 season.

Between 2008 and 2009, some teams left the league. But the NBL started to rebuild in the 2009–10 season. It also returned to free-to-air TV in Australia. The Sydney Kings team returned in the 2010–11 season.

In 2013, the NBL became separate from Basketball Australia. After this, more fans started coming to games. In 2016, the Townsville Crocodiles team stopped playing because of money problems.

Later, a property developer named Larry Kestelman bought a big part of the league. Since then, more people have attended games and watched on TV. The league has also made it easier to get top Australian players. It also allows teams to sign players from countries like China and the Philippines. These players do not count as "imports."

From 2016 to 2018, interest in the NBL grew a lot. Game attendance records were broken. In 2018, the S.E. Melbourne Phoenix joined the league. Their first game in the 2019–20 season had over 10,000 fans. Famous young players like LaMelo Ball and R. J. Hampton also joined the league. This brought even more attention. Over one million American fans watched Ball's first NBL game online.

After some seasons affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022–23 season and finals set new attendance records. In the 2023–24 season, over one million fans attended NBL games. This was the first time since 1996.

In March 2025, the NBL announced that the New Orleans Pelicans from the NBA would play two pre-season games in Melbourne. They will play Melbourne United and the South East Melbourne Phoenix in October 2025.

How the NBL Season Works

Melbourne United and Sydney Kings at Melbourne Arena

Game Length

From 1979 to 1983, NBL games were 40 minutes long. They had two 20-minute halves. From 1984 to 2009, games were 48 minutes long with four 12-minute quarters. Since the 2009–10 season, games are 40 minutes long. They have four 10-minute quarters.

Regular Season

Since the 2009–10 season, each team plays 28 games in the regular season. This includes 14 home games and 14 away games. The regular season starts in early October and finishes in mid-February. In the 2020–21 season, teams played more games because of the NBL Cup tournament.

Finals

The top six teams at the end of the regular season go to the Finals. The top two teams automatically go to the semi-finals. Teams ranked three to six play in a special "play-in" tournament. The winner of the play-in tournament joins the top two teams in the semi-finals.

The semi-finals are a best-of-three series. The winners then play in the Grand Final series. The Grand Final is a best-of-five series. The team that wins the Grand Final is the NBL champion.

NBL Ignite Cup

The NBL started the first NBL Ignite Cup in June 2025. It will begin each season in Round 4, starting with the 2025–26 season. Games will be played every Wednesday evening. Teams get points for winning quarters and games. The two best teams play in a Grand Final. These games count towards a team's regular season record.

NBL Teams

The NBL started in 1979 with ten clubs. Over time, some clubs changed, moved, or stopped playing. There are currently ten clubs. Nine are in Australia and one is in New Zealand.

The clubs are located in Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Cairns, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong. The Brisbane Bullets and the Illawarra Hawks are the oldest clubs. They both started in 1979. The Hawks are the only club that has played in every NBL season since 1979.

Current NBL Clubs

Club	City	Country	Arena	Founded
Adelaide 36ers	Adelaide	Australia	Adelaide Entertainment Centre	1982
Brisbane Bullets	Brisbane	Australia	Brisbane Entertainment Centre	1979
Cairns Taipans	Cairns	Australia	Cairns Convention Centre	1999
Illawarra Hawks	Wollongong	Australia	Wollongong Entertainment Centre	1979
Melbourne United	Melbourne	Australia	John Cain Arena	1984
New Zealand Breakers	Auckland	New Zealand	Auckland City Arena	2003
Perth Wildcats	Perth	Australia	Perth Arena	1982
S.E. Melbourne Phoenix	Melbourne	Australia	John Cain Arena	2018
Sydney Kings	Sydney	Australia	Sydney SuperDome	1988
Tasmania JackJumpers	Hobart	Australia	Derwent Entertainment Centre	2020

Adelaide 36ers

Brisbane Bullets

Cairns Taipans

Illawarra Hawks

Melbourne United

New Zealand Breakers

Perth Wildcats

S.E. Melbourne Phoenix

Sydney Kings

Tasmania JackJumpers

Former Clubs

Many teams have played in the NBL over the years but are no longer active. Some of these include the Canberra Cannons, Gold Coast Blaze, and Townsville Crocodiles.

Recent Team Growth

In June 2019, Larry Kestelman suggested Tasmania could get a new team. On February 28, 2020, the NBL and the Tasmanian Government announced the Tasmania JackJumpers. This team joined the league for the 2021–22 season.

In April 2022, Canberra was also mentioned as a possible new team. The last Canberra team, the Canberra Cannons, played until 2003. In January 2024, the NBL announced a partnership with Japan's B.League. This could lead to a Japanese team joining the NBL in the future.

Team Rivalries

S.E. Melbourne Phoenix and Melbourne United at John Cain Arena

Basketball rivalries make games exciting! Here are some of the biggest ones in the NBL:

• Adelaide 36ers vs Brisbane Bullets

This is one of the NBL's oldest rivalries. It started in 1985 when these two teams were the best. They played in the Grand Final in 1985 and 1986. Games between them were always close and intense. The rivalry continued in the 1990s and again when the Bullets returned to the NBL in 2016.

• Adelaide 36ers vs Melbourne United

This rivalry became strong in the 1990s. It involved players moving between teams. One famous moment was when former 36ers player Julius Hodge returned to play for Melbourne. He caused a stir by stamping on the court's logo after a win.

• Adelaide 36ers vs Perth Wildcats

These two teams were often top contenders in the late 1980s and early 90s. They had many exciting players. They played in their first Grand Final against each other in the 2013–14 season. Perth won that series. These two clubs have played each other more times than any other two teams in the NBL. They even have a special trophy, the Cattalini Cup, named after a player who played for both teams.

• Cairns Taipans vs Townsville Crocodiles

This was a local rivalry called "Reptile Rumble." It was a passionate competition between the two North Queensland teams. Fans would cheer loudly and tease their rivals. This rivalry ended when the Townsville Crocodiles stopped playing in 2016.

• Illawarra Hawks vs Sydney Kings

Hawks fans see the Sydney Kings as their biggest rivals. Many Hawks players have moved to the Kings over the years. Sydney won three championships in a row in the early 2000s, including beating the Hawks in the finals. They met again in the 2022 Semi-Finals, where Sydney won.

• New Zealand Breakers vs Perth Wildcats

These two teams have been very strong in the NBL. They won many championships between 2009 and 2017. They also played each other in three Grand Finals. Both teams have to travel long distances for games. This has created a "derby of distance" between them.

• Melbourne United vs South East Melbourne Phoenix

This rivalry is called the "Throwdown." It's a local derby because both teams are from Melbourne and play in the same arena. Their first game in 2019 was a close one, with the Phoenix winning. They also met in the 2021 semi-finals.

How the NBL is Organized

Sponsorship

The NBL has had different sponsors over the years. These sponsors help fund the league. From 2004 to 2007, Philips was the main sponsor. Then Hummer took over for a season. From 2010 to 2013, iiNet was the main sponsor. Since October 2017, Hungry Jack's has been the main sponsor for the NBL. Their logo is on player jerseys and around the venues.

Media Coverage

The NBL games are shown on TV and online. In Australia, games are broadcast on ESPN, Network 10, and 10 Bold. In New Zealand, you can watch games on ESPN and TVNZ. You can also stream games on Kayo Sports, 10Play, NBL TV, and TVNZ+. In the United States, games are shown on ESPN3 and the ESPN App.

Team Rules and Player Salaries

Teams in the NBL can have players from other countries, called "imports." Currently, teams can have three imports on their roster. However, some players, like those from certain Asian or Oceania countries, do not count towards this limit. This rule helps bring in talented players from different regions.

The NBL has a salary cap, which is a limit on how much money teams can spend on player salaries. This helps keep the league fair. The salary cap has increased over the years. There is also a "marquee player" rule. This allows teams to pay one special player outside the salary cap. This helps attract top players to the league.

Next Stars Program

The "Next Stars" program started in 2018. It helps young, talented players from around the world play professionally in the NBL. This program is especially helpful for young players who are not yet old enough for the NBA draft. These players get a salary, a car, and an apartment. If an NBA team buys out their contract, the money is shared between the team and the NBL.

Several players from the Next Stars Program have been drafted into the NBA. These include LaMelo Ball, Josh Giddey, and Alex Sarr. In April 2024, NBA legend Kenny Smith joined the program. In June 2024, Carmelo Anthony also joined as a Global Ambassador. He will also be part of a future NBL expansion team.

Uniforms

Since the 2020–21 season, Champion has made the uniforms for all NBL teams.

City Round

The NBL has a special "City" round each year. During this round, teams wear unique jerseys that represent their city.

Indigenous Round

The NBL also has an "Indigenous Round." During this round, all teams wear special jerseys designed by Indigenous artists. This celebrates the rich Indigenous culture in basketball.

NBL Achievements

List of Champions

2016–17 Championship trophy

The Perth Wildcats have won the most NBL championships, with 10 titles. Melbourne United has won 6 titles, and the Sydney Kings have won 5. The Illawarra Hawks won their second title in the 2024–25 season.

Regular Season Champions

The team that finishes first in the regular season is called the regular season champion. Melbourne United and the Sydney Kings have the most regular season titles, with 7 each.

Hall of Fame

The Australian Basketball Hall of Fame honors great players, coaches, referees, and others who have helped the NBL. To be chosen, players must have played at least 100 NBL games and been retired for at least four seasons.

Awards

The NBL gives out many awards each season to recognize top players and coaches. Some of these awards include:

• Most Valuable Player (MVP)
• Grand Final MVP
• Coach of the Year
• Next Generation Award
• Most Improved Player
• Best Defensive Player
• Best Sixth Man
• All-NBL Team

Special Road Trips

• Doomsday Double

This is a tough road trip where teams play the Adelaide 36ers and Perth Wildcats in the same round. These two teams have historically been very strong. Only a few teams have managed to win both games on this trip.

• Sunshine Swing

This trip involves playing against teams in Queensland, like the Brisbane Bullets and Cairns Taipans. Teams might play two or even three games in this region during one round.

NBLxNBA Games

The NBLxNBA is a series of games between NBL clubs and teams from the National Basketball Association (NBA) in North America. This series started in 2017. These games are usually played in the U.S. and Canada in September and October.

NBL All-Star Game

The NBL All-Star Game is a special event where top players from the league play against each other. It was first played in 1982. The format has changed over the years, sometimes featuring East vs. West teams, or Australian players vs. international players. The game was brought back in 2012.

See also

In Spanish: National Basketball League (Australia) para niños

• Basketball Australia
• Basketball in Australia
• List of National Basketball League (Australia) venues
• NBL1
• Women's National Basketball League (WNBL)