The NBL will host an NBA series in Melbourne this month (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images for NBL)
The competition that was once proudly local is now competing with the global basketball elite. The National Basketball League (NBL) is now expanding its role beyond being Australia’s top basketball product and becoming a prominent player in the NBA ecosystem and a genuine international force.
In October, the league will take another significant step by hosting the NBA in Australia for the first time. The New Orleans Pelicans are making a statement with their two-game pre-season series against Melbourne United and Southeast Melbourne Phoenix. Unlike other leagues outside of North America, the NBL can offer NBA-caliber matchups, talent pipelines, and global audience engagement, making it unique.
The NBL is clearly moving forward with its 26% increase in digital engagement and more than 1 million fans through the turnstiles last season. The Next Stars program has rapidly become one of the NBA’s most reputable development pathways, bringing out elite talent such as LaMelo Ball, Josh Giddey, and Alex Sarr.
Karim Lopez and Dash Daniels are both capable of being top 10 draft picks in 2026. The league’s influence is expanding beyond the court, as partnerships spread across Europe, Asia, and North America, and global icons such as Carmelo Anthony and Kenny Smith invest in its next phase.
This transformation was aided by Nikola Milivojevic, the NBL’s Director and Board Member, who is responsible for overseeing global strategy, partnerships, and expansion. Milivojevic’s extensive experience as an international business leader across Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the U.S. allowed him to lead the NBL from a potential domestic league into a purposeful global platform.
His influence has been evident in all the league’s most significant strategic achievements, including the development and global success of the Next Stars program, as well as securing notable NBA matchups and forging cross-continental alliances. Following the league’s majority acquisition of the WNBL, he is leading the charge in integrating the women’s game into the NBL’s vision, which is a significant step in reshaping Australia’s basketball landscape from the ground up.
RG recently spoke with NBL Director Nikola Milivojevic about the NBA x NBL pre-season series in Melbourne and the rising global status of the league.
Interview With NBL Director Nikola Milivojevic
– The NBL has experienced consistent audience and digital growth, with over one million fans attending games last season. What do you see as the key drivers behind this surge in popularity?
– It’s been the result of 10 years of building the NBL as an entertainment product, not just a sporting league. From the beginning, our focus was on creating a nonstop, family-friendly experience. When you attend a game, there isn’t a quiet moment — it’s a two-hour show with top basketball on the floor and constant entertainment off it. That approach has helped us turn kids into lifelong fans and driven steady growth.
We see ourselves as a content-driven business, which has boosted both digital engagement and broadcast reach. On the court, we’ve attracted NBA-caliber players. This season, 22 have NBA experience, and another 14–15 have G League contracts. Combine that with an entertainment product that clubs have embraced, and momentum builds each year. For four straight seasons, we’ve seen 30% broadcast growth. It’s that mix of product quality, storytelling, and entertainment that has made the NBL a global brand.
– With the NBA pre-season games coming to Melbourne, how do you believe this series elevates the NBL’s global credibility and brand?
– Hosting the New Orleans Pelicans is the fulfillment of a long-term vision. Larry Kestelman has worked 15 years to get an NBA team here, and it’s a huge moment for our league. Last week’s EuroLeague games in Melbourne reached 282 million people with 75 million views, and now the NBA is here.
This partnership validates the NBL’s credibility on the global stage. We know being on the other side of the world makes it harder to follow us, but aligning with the NBA helps bridge that gap. It shows we’re not only a strong domestic competition but also part of the broader basketball ecosystem. This series builds global awareness and tells the story of the NBL in a way nothing else can.
– What is the long-term vision for the NBL’s role within the global basketball ecosystem alongside the NBA, EuroLeague, and FIBA?
– Our vision is to be the best domestic league in the world outside of the NBA. EuroLeague is incredible, but it’s multinational. We want to be the top single-country competition.
The NBL embraces its role as a springboard to the NBA. Through our Next Stars program and club development pathways, we’re proud to be a route for players looking to reach or return to the NBA. Most leagues fight to keep talent; we see opportunity in helping players move forward.
Our goal is to grow from 22 to 50 players with NBA experience within five years and consistently produce four or five first-round draft picks annually. When people hear “NBL,” we want it to be synonymous with elite player development and one of the strongest basketball ecosystems globally.
Player Development & NBA Pipeline
– The Next Stars program has produced NBA talents like LaMelo Ball and Josh Giddey, and projections show Karim Lopez and Dash Daniels could go in the Top 10 of the 2026 draft. How has the program evolved, and what makes it such a successful NBA pipeline?
– The entire league supports Next Stars, not just one club. That collective investment is what makes it unique. When LaMelo Ball came, he wasn’t yet a top-5 prospect. Josh Giddey wasn’t projected in the top-10 either. The NBL environment, style of play, and exposure turned them into elite draft picks.
We’ve deliberately built the league to mirror the NBA: same pace, similar possession counts, and competition against grown professionals fighting for their livelihoods. Scouts know if you succeed here, you’re NBA-ready. That’s why teams send evaluators multiple times a year.
Since launching, we’ve had nine players drafted, and more are coming. Lopez and Daniels could be top-10 picks, and we’re exploring a dedicated Next Stars team to expand the program further. Add in NIL dynamics, and we’re well-positioned to continue attracting both international and domestic talent.
– How does the NBL balance attracting international talent with developing homegrown Australian players?
– Each club has one Next Stars spot, giving us about 10 per season, and we always prioritize domestic talent first. But the structure allows us to welcome international prospects without displacing Australians.
In addition, every team must carry at least three development players outside the Next Stars program — so that’s 30 homegrown opportunities annually. We’ve also seen Australians like Dash Daniels choose the NBL over college despite NIL offers because of the professional environment and visibility it provides.
Ten years ago, staying in Australia wasn’t a realistic option for young players. Now it’s a legitimate pathway that balances opportunities for both local and international talent.
Partnerships & Expansion
– An international broadcast deal is in the works with one of the world’s biggest basketball platforms. Can you share how this will expand the league’s reach and visibility?
– This year we extended partnerships with News Corp, ESPN, and Channel 10, and added Disney, reaching 6.6 million households in Australia. Internationally, the goal is to continue building exposure through major global platforms.
Broadcast deals are vital to sustainability. The more elite talent we attract, the stronger our stories become, and the more valuable we are to broadcasters worldwide. We’re in discussions to expand reach into North America, Europe, and Asia, and those efforts will ensure the NBL is accessible to fans around the globe.
– Last year, Carmelo Anthony and Kenny Smith signed on as ambassadors and future team owners. What does their involvement mean for the NBL’s credibility and global expansion?
– Having legends like Carmelo and Kenny believe in our vision is massive. They started as ambassadors but are transitioning into ownership roles, which speaks volumes about their trust in the NBL’s future.
Since launching, we’ve had nine players drafted, and more are coming. Lopez and Daniels could be top-10 picks, and we’re exploring a dedicated Next Stars team to expand the program further. Add in NIL dynamics, and we’re well-positioned to continue attracting both international and domestic talent.
– Are there plans to expand the league further across Australia or potentially into the Asia-Pacific region?
– Our immediate focus is domestic expansion. We’re preparing our 11th and 12th teams, and those projects alone will have global impact because of the people and investment behind them.
Looking longer-term, expansion into Asia-Pacific is possible, but for now we’re concentrating on strengthening our base in Australia and New Zealand. These next teams will raise the league’s profile globally without us leaving our borders.
– The NBL recently acquired a majority stake in the WNBL. How do you envision the men’s and women’s games working together under one umbrella to accelerate growth and investment in women’s basketball?
– The WNBL has always had incredible talent, but lacked the ecosystem to showcase it properly. Our goal is to replicate what we’ve done with the NBL: build the platform, improve standards, and give players the recognition they deserve.
We’re minority owners, alongside Robin Denholm and Basketball Australia, but we’re committed to supporting the WNBL through marketing, operations, and storytelling. It’s about building one strong basketball family and ensuring women’s basketball grows alongside the men’s game.
– Are you watching what’s happening in the WNBA? Have you looked at their approach and tried to find ways to avoid some of the trial-and-error they’re going through?
– Absolutely. We study the WNBA and other global leagues to learn from their successes and challenges. Our approach has always been to adapt best practices from around the world, whether that’s the NBA, EuroLeague, or others — and add our own unique spin.
For the WNBL, that means building the right infrastructure and avoiding mistakes others have made, so we can accelerate growth for women’s basketball in Australia.
International Strategy & Future Outlook
– Australia is uniquely positioned as a gateway to Asia for basketball. How is the NBL leveraging this to expand into markets like China, India, and the Philippines?
– We’ve long had strong relationships in Asia, taking teams to China, Japan, and the Philippines. Pre-COVID, one NBL All-Star game drew 100 million viewers in China. We’re now restarting those tours and exchanges.
Our strategy is to build basketball diplomacy across the region. Hosting Asian teams here, sending our teams there, and leveraging platforms like the Harlem Globetrotters, which we license, to strengthen ties. This helps grow both the NBL and the sport in Asia more broadly.
– What role do you see the NBL playing in shaping the global basketball calendar and creating marquee international events?
– Being privately owned allows us to be flexible and entrepreneurial. We’re exploring events in August, a quiet month in the global calendar, to bring unique competitions and showcase talent.
Whether it’s NBA teams, EuroLeague clubs, Asian leagues, or legends tours with players like Pippen or Garnett, we want to fill gaps in the calendar with events that grow the game. Our role is to be creative, collaborative, and help basketball reach more fans worldwide.
– Looking ahead five years, what milestones or benchmarks would you consider signs of success for the NBL?
Since launching, we’ve had nine players drafted, and more are coming. Lopez and Daniels could be top-10 picks, and we’re exploring a dedicated Next Stars team to expand the program further. Add in NIL dynamics, and we’re well-positioned to continue attracting both international and domestic talent.
If, five years from now, the NBL is universally seen as a league where players launch to the NBA, fans worldwide follow, and the women’s game thrives under the same umbrella, we’ll know we’ve achieved something special.