Star forward Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans will be traveling to the Land Down Under in the 2025 NBA preseason.
The NBA and National Basketball League (NBL) made a joint announcement on Monday. They revealed that the Pelicans will play two preseason games in the city of Melbourne. The contests will take place in October before the 2025-26 regular season starts.
With the announcement, this will be the first time NBA games have ever been hosted in Australia.
What's next for Pelicans after Australia news
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) dribbles the ball as Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) defends during the game at Toyota Center.
Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
It is a huge accomplishment for the NBA to make, considering their push to expand the sport on a global level. The New Orleans Pelicans being their representative in Australia is also an intriguing decision.
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New Orleans currently has a 17-48 this season, holding the 14th spot in the Western Conference standings. They trail the San Antonio Spurs by 10.5 games and Portland Trail Blazers by 11 games, regressing from their playoff appearance last year.
The Pelicans rank 22nd in the league when it comes to scoring offense (110.8) and 25th in offensive rating (111). They are also 26th in scoring defense (119.1) and 29th in defensive rating (119.3).
Zion Williamson leads the way with numbers of 24.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and five assists on 56.3% shooting from the field. Trey Murphy III comes next with 21.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists while CJ McCollum puts up 21.4 points, 3.9 assists and 3.7 rebounds. Meanwhile, Jordan Hawkins provides 10.9 points and 2.7 rebounds.
Following Sunday's loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, the Pelicans will look to rebound in their next matchup. They host the Los Angeles Clippers on March 11 at 8 p.m. ET.