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Sport Nation
Zion full of praise for the NBL and Australia
SEN • October 3rd, 2025 6:45 pm
New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has declared in his opinion that the NBL is now the second-best basketball league in the world behind the NBA.
Since businessman Larry Kestelman bought a majority stake in the NBL back in 2015, it has seen the competition increase in quality and has been viewed as a genuine pathway into the world’s best basketball league.
And ahead of his side’s two-game series against Melbourne United and South East Melbourne Phoenix, Williamson was quite complimentary of the competition, which has grown in stature within the basketball world.
“I have no problem saying the NBL is the second-best league in the world,” he said.
The former No.1 pick during the media opportunity was also full of praise for his former Australian teammates, in Dyson Daniels, who played when he was at New Orleans and Jack White, who he played with at Duke, with White later going on to feature for Melbourne United in two different stints before heading back overseas.
“Two teammates pop up when I think of (basketball in) Australia, my college teammate (at Duke) Jack White and my former (New Orleans) teammate, who is now with the Atlanta Hawks, Dyson Daniels,” Williamson explained.
“Both guys are dogs, competitors, and when I had conversations with them both about the culture of basketball in this country, (they said) it was similar to the United States, as the game is becoming more global.
“I’m just excited. I am excited to learn the culture on-and-off the court in Australia. It’s just a blessing to be here.”
New Orleans has two matches as part of the NBA x NBL series at Rod Laver Arena.
Their first game will be against Melbourne United on Friday night, before they play South East Melbourne Phoenix on Sunday.
