NBL27 is in full swing, and Australian basketball looks to be heading towards an exciting new era.

It wasn't that long ago that the National Basketball League was fighting for its future. After the heights of the 1990s, the NBL endured a difficult period in which teams disappeared, crowds declined and the league's place in Australia's crowded sporting landscape became increasingly uncertain.

Then came a turning point.

In 2015, Larry Kestelman assumed ownership of the NBL and helped usher in a period of significant growth for the competition. Since then, the league has expanded, attracted record crowds and broadcast audiences, established itself as a legitimate pathway to the NBA and once again become home to some of Australian basketball's biggest names.

Now, as NBL27 gets underway, packed stadiums, emerging stars and international talent are providing echoes of Australian basketball's glory days.

And for those of us who remember basketball in Australia during the 1990s, those echoes sound pretty familiar.

The Glory Days of Australian Basketball in the 1990s

There weren't many things bigger than basketball in the 1990s.

Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls were dominating the NBA, basketball shoes were everywhere and kids across Australia were embracing the sport.

The NBL was ready to capitalise.

Australian basketball had its own stars and personalities. The Perth Wildcats had names such as Andrew Vlahov and Ricky Grace. Adelaide had Brett Maher and club legend Phil Smyth. Brisbane had the great Leroy Loggins.

And in Melbourne, there was Andrew Gaze.

Alongside the electrifying Lanard Copeland, Gaze helped make the Melbourne Tigers one of Australian basketball's biggest attractions.

Melbourne basketball in particular was booming.

Melbourne Park, now Rod Laver Arena, hosted enormous NBL crowds as teams such as the Melbourne Tigers, South East Melbourne Magic and North Melbourne Giants battled for supremacy.

Chris Anstey, Sam Mackinnon, Darryl "D-Mac" McDonald, Gaze, Copeland and countless others became familiar names to Australian sports fans.

The Tigers, Giants and Magic all won championships during the decade.

The NBL wasn't simply surviving. It was part of mainstream Australian sporting culture.

How Australian Basketball Lost Momentum

The 2000s presented a very different challenge.

Australia's sporting market became increasingly competitive, while the NBL struggled to maintain the momentum it had built during the previous decade.

Clubs disappeared or changed identities. Attendances declined. The league's profile fell.

By the early 2010s, the future of professional basketball in Australia looked increasingly uncertain.

What makes the current state of the NBL so remarkable is just how far the competition has travelled since then.

Larry Kestelman assumed ownership of the league in 2015, beginning a new chapter for Australian basketball. The NBL says the period since has included record attendances and broadcast audiences, along with expansion through teams including South East Melbourne Phoenix and the Tasmania JackJumpers.

The league had started rebuilding.

At the same time, something else was happening.

Australian players were making an increasingly significant impact on the world's biggest basketball stage.

Australian Basketball's NBA Generation

Andrew Bogut provided one of the first major breakthroughs.

In 2005, Bogut became the first Australian selected with the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft when the Milwaukee Bucks called his name.

It was an enormous moment for Australian basketball.

Bogut would eventually become an NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors in 2015, but he wasn't alone.

Patty Mills established himself as an important member of the San Antonio Spurs and became an NBA champion in 2014 alongside fellow Australian Aron Baynes.

Matthew Dellavedova became a cult hero in Cleveland, famously battling Stephen Curry during the NBA Finals before becoming a champion with the Cavaliers in 2016.

Joe Ingles fought his way into the NBA and became a mainstay with the Utah Jazz.

Then came another No. 1 pick.

Ben Simmons was selected first overall by Philadelphia in 2016 before being named NBA Rookie of the Year in 2018.

The generations that followed have continued Australia's growing NBA presence.

Josh Giddey, Dyson Daniels, Josh Green and others have established themselves at the highest level, while another generation of Australian prospects continues to emerge.

During a quieter period for basketball domestically, these players helped keep Australian fans connected to the sport.

Then the NBL found another way to bring the world's attention back to Australia.

NBL Next Stars: Australia's Pathway to the NBA

For decades, college basketball in the United States was considered the traditional pathway for young players hoping to reach the NBA.

The NBL created an alternative.

Launched in 2018, the NBL Next Stars program offered elite young prospects the opportunity to play professional basketball against experienced players before becoming eligible for the NBA Draft.

It quickly produced results.

LaMelo Ball spent a season with the Illawarra Hawks before Charlotte selected him with the third pick of the 2020 NBA Draft.

Australian Josh Giddey followed a similar path through the Adelaide 36ers before being selected sixth overall in 2021.

French big man Alex Sarr played for the Perth Wildcats before Washington selected him with the second pick in 2024.

By June 2026, 13 NBL Next Stars had been selected in the NBA Draft.

The NBL is no longer simply watching the NBA from the other side of the world.

NBA franchises are watching the NBL.

NBA Players Are Coming to the NBL Too

The pathway now works both ways.

Australian stars have increasingly returned home to play in the NBL, bringing NBA experience with them.

Andrew Bogut returned to Australia with the Sydney Kings. Matthew Dellavedova joined Melbourne United and later the Kings. Aron Baynes suited up for the Brisbane Bullets.

Now Joe Ingles has returned to Australian basketball with Melbourne United for NBL27.

But perhaps the biggest indication of the NBL's growing international standing is the calibre of overseas players now willing to come to Australia.

Former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell joined the Adelaide 36ers, while Melbourne United made one of the biggest signings of the NBL27 off-season by landing former Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony.

Anthony arrived in Australia having already played 367 NBA games.

These aren't simply players reaching the end of their careers.

Increasingly, the NBL is attracting players who still have plenty of high-level basketball ahead of them.

And that raises an exciting question: who comes next?

The Boomers Finally Break Through

While the NBL was rebuilding domestically, Australia's national team was chasing something that had eluded generations of great Boomers teams.

An international medal.

Australia had come painfully close before, including fourth-place finishes at major international tournaments.

At the Tokyo Olympics, that wait finally ended.

Led by an extraordinary Patty Mills performance, the Boomers defeated Slovenia to claim bronze. Mills produced 42 points and nine assists in the medal game as Australia's men reached an Olympic or FIBA World Cup podium for the first time.

It was more than one victory.

For generations of Australian players, coaches and supporters, it was the culmination of decades spent building basketball in this country.

The NBL Stars Putting Fans in Seats

The resurgence of the NBL isn't solely about players with NBA connections.

The league has developed stars of its own.

Chris Goulding has spent years lighting up John Cain Arena with Melbourne United, establishing himself as one of the great three-point shooters in NBL history.

Then there's Jack McVeigh.

During Tasmania's extraordinary NBL24 Championship run, McVeigh produced one of the most memorable shots in NBL Finals history, draining a long-range game-winner against Melbourne United in Game 3. He would go on to win Championship Series MVP as Tasmania completed its remarkable title run.

And few imports have made an impact quite like Bryce Cotton.

After building an extraordinary career with the Perth Wildcats, the six-time NBL MVP entered NBL27 with the Adelaide 36ers, adding another fascinating storyline to a league increasingly filled with them.

Homegrown stars, international imports, returning Boomers and future NBA Draft picks are now sharing the same courts.

That's a pretty compelling basketball product.

NBL27: Australian Basketball Is Booming Again

Which brings us to NBL27.

The new season features 165 games across 21 rounds, with some of the biggest names in Australian basketball spread across the competition.

Joe Ingles and Cole Anthony at Melbourne United. Bryce Cotton at Adelaide. Established NBL stars fighting for another championship. Young prospects attempting to become the next names called on NBA Draft night.

The stadiums are filling up again.

The highlights are everywhere.

And most importantly, Australian basketball feels culturally relevant again.

For anyone who remembers the packed stadiums, enormous personalities and intense rivalries of the 1990s, there's something familiar about what is happening now.

Australian basketball has been here before.

It reached extraordinary heights, fell away and spent years fighting its way back.

Now a new generation is discovering what made the NBL special in the first place.

Experience NBL27 Live

Basketball is a sport best experienced from inside the arena.

The noise after a huge three. A fast break that brings everyone to their feet. A game decided in the final possession.

NBL27 is bringing some of Australia's best basketball talent together with former NBA players, international stars and the next generation of NBA prospects.

Whether you're following Melbourne United, Sydney Kings, Adelaide 36ers, Perth Wildcats or another NBL team, there's never been a better time to get back into Australian basketball.

Explore NBL tickets with Ticket Merchant and experience the action live.

NBL27 Frequently Asked Questions

What is NBL27?

NBL27 is the 2026–27 season of Australia's National Basketball League (NBL). The season features 10 teams competing across Australia and New Zealand, with 165 regular-season games played across 21 rounds before the NBL Finals.

What teams are playing in NBL27?

The 10 teams competing in NBL27 are the Adelaide 36ers, Brisbane Bullets, Cairns Taipans, Illawarra Hawks, Melbourne United, New Zealand Breakers, Perth Wildcats, South East Melbourne Phoenix, Sydney Kings and Tasmania JackJumpers.

When did the NBL start?

The National Basketball League was established in 1979. The competition grew significantly during the 1980s and 1990s, producing some of Australian basketball's most recognisable players, teams and rivalries.

What is the NBL Next Stars program?

The NBL Next Stars program provides elite young basketball prospects with an opportunity to play professionally in Australia and New Zealand before entering the NBA Draft. Players including LaMelo Ball, Josh Giddey and Alex Sarr used the NBL as a pathway before becoming high NBA Draft selections.

Which NBA players have played in the NBL?

A growing number of current and former NBA players have competed in the NBL. They include Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Joe Ingles, Aron Baynes, Montrezl Harrell and Cole Anthony. Future NBA stars including LaMelo Ball, Josh Giddey and Alex Sarr also played in the NBL before being drafted.

Who are some of the biggest stars in NBL27?

NBL27 features a combination of established NBL stars, Australian Boomers and players with NBA experience. Some of the biggest names include Bryce Cotton at the Adelaide 36ers and Joe Ingles and Cole Anthony at Melbourne United.

Has Australia ever won an Olympic basketball medal?

Yes. The Australian Boomers won their first Olympic medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, defeating Slovenia to claim bronze. Patty Mills starred with 42 points and nine assists in the bronze medal game.

Where can I buy NBL tickets?

You can buy tickets to selected NBL games through Ticket Merchant. Browse our available NBL tickets to find seats for games throughout the NBL27 season, backed by our 100% Buyer Guarantee and no hidden fees.