NBL announces pre-season clashes against B.LEAGUE UNITED

The National Basketball League (NBL) today announced that the South East Melbourne Phoenix and Melbourne United will each face B.LEAGUE UNITED, a select team featuring some of the Japanese B.LEAGUE's top talent, in a pair of pre-season fixtures in Melbourne this August.

The South East Melbourne Phoenix will host B.LEAGUE UNITED at the State Basketball Centre on Thursday, August 6, with tipoff at 7:00pm.

Melbourne United will then take on B.LEAGUE UNITED at Courtside Port Melbourne on Sunday, August 9, with tipoff at 2:00pm. This fixture is a closed game, with public tickets not available.

The two games follow an NBL Select team's series against B.LEAGUE United, played in Japan in June 2025 as part of the pre-season for both leagues.

NBL Chief Operating Officer and Head of Basketball Operations Vince Crivelli said the fixtures were a continuation of the league's growing relationship with the B.LEAGUE.

"This is another great opportunity to partner with the B.LEAGUE and it's also a great test for our athletes against a strong B.LEAGUE squad. We're thankful to the B.LEAGUE for their continued partnership as both leagues prepare for the seasons ahead," Crivelli said.