EARLIER today, the National Basketball League (NBL) announced its upcoming Blitz preseason campaign, following years of success.
The NBL Blitz will take place on the Gold Coast during September in the first taste of NBL action since the Sydney Kings won the 2022/23 title.
The tournament allows every side in the competition to get their first hit out before the regular season kicks off shortly after. The Blitz tournament has been taking place for the last few years, and has seen most teams enter the opening round fresh and ready to bring their best.
Given the Blitz is taking place on the Gold Coast, it raises questions as to whether the league is looking at potentially moving further into the region. There have been rumours of the addition of another expansion side after the success of the Tasmania JackJumpers over the past two seasons, and this move looks like it could be a bit of a test for the NBL.
NBL CEO David Stevenson added fuel to the fire when asked about the potential expansion.
“The Gold Coast is one of many cities in our expansion considerations. Gold Coast fans now have the chance to vote with their feet and turn up to the games, and show us why they deserve a team,” he said.
It will also provide the opportunity for NBL Next Stars AJ Johnson, Alexandre Sarr, Bobi Klintman and Mantas Rubstavicius to see their first minutes in Australia, which is an exciting prospect. The competition has delivered an immense amount of success, with the likes of Lamelo Ball, Joshua Giddey and Ousmane Dieng all being selected early in the first round of the NBA draft after graduating from the program.
The Brisbane Bullets will likely gather the biggest crowd given their home advantage, and one player is already generating a fair bit of buzz ahead of the season. 17-year-old Rocco Zikarsky joined the team over the off-season, and already stands a mighty seven feet. Given his size and potential, fans will be eager to see how his game translates in the NBL after a period of dominance at local and national championships.
The games will take place from Saturday, September 16 to Friday, September 22, with all matches being held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. The 2023/24 NBL season kicks off just six days later on September 28.
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