THE National Basketball League (NBL) season is not far away from commencing, with the first game scheduled for Thursday, September 28.

There is no shortage of anticipation coming into the 2023/24 fixture, with plenty of list changes and new faces set to shake things up. The league’s prominence on the global stage is continuing to grow on a yearly basis, and the injection of even more international players reflects that, and should provide even more high-quality action.

Last season saw the Sydney Kings claim their second consecutive title, establishing themselves as one of the great teams of the modern era after defeating the New Zealand Breakers. However, head coach Chase Buford has departed, as have a key number of the team’s best players, opening the door for another side to snatch the throne.

There are plenty of storylines to follow coming into the season, including returning players such as Jaylen Adams, the rise of Melbourne United following a magnificent level of recruiting during the off-season, or the influx of NBL Next Stars. The 2023/24 season is shaping up to be like no other, and the general buzz around the competition is as high as ever.

The Blitz preseason tournament will give a better look into how the league is shaping heading in, but there is still plenty of speculation surrounding how things will pan out.

Given the season is less than two weeks away, Rookie Me Central will be taking a look at each side in a new Team Preview series, with plenty to unpack ahead of the season’s commencement. Given the competition looks as even as ever, the key differences that separate each side will be as important as ever.

In this series, we will take a look at one team at a time, unpacking the player movements over the offseason, some key figures to the team’s success, and one key question that faces the side coming into their first game.

Stay tuned to Rookie Me Central‘s basketball site for each article, starting on Monday with the Adelaide 36ers. Also keep an eye out for plenty of coverage around the NBL Blitz preseason tournament and more.