Multiple Australian sponsors are behind a plan to bring an NBA exhibition team to Melbourne.
Interested players include Oklahoma’s Kevin Durant, L.A.’s Pau Gasol, New Orleans’ Chris Paul and reigning MVP Derrick Rose.
If the plan goes ahead the team will be flown in to Melbourne for 3 games at Rod Laver Arena later in the year.
The team would likely square of against the Australian national team, who are warming up for their Olympic qualifier against New Zealand and perhaps other teams with young Australian talent.
A similar exhibition series was held in the Philippines capital of Manila last month, with a team of NBA stars squaring off against the local U21 national team and a team from the local professional competition.
NBA players in attendance included Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, Derrick Fisher, Tyreke Evans and Javale McGee.
The 3 game series would be a very expensive ordeal however, with insurance costs for the “locked out” players easily in the millions of dollars.
If the move is successful, it will be a major coup for Basketball in the country, with it being the first time an NBA exhibition team has player here.
There is no official word from Basketball Australia on the plans thus far.
No comments:
Post a Comment