NBL welcomes outcome of Basketball Australia investigation

Basketball Australia has informed the NBL’s clubs of the outcome of its Integrity Unit investigation, which was instigated in response to claims made last year by Crest Sports and Entertainment LLC, the owner of the Illawarra Hawks.

This independent investigation was conducted by Justin Gleeson SC.

The investigation found that the complaint was not considered “credible” under the National Integrity Framework and there was no credible evidence provided in the complaint to establish a disciplinary or code of conduct breach by Mr Kestelman. The report made it clear that there is no evidence that Mr Kestelman had acted in bad faith as the owner of the NBL. There was also no evidence that the NBL or the Clubs had been disadvantaged because of conduct alleged in the complaint.

Of note, the Gleeson report also recognised Mr Kestelman’s significant contribution to the revitalisation and success of the NBL.

In response to the investigation, Mr Kestelman said: “I’m pleased this matter is now behind us, and that my name has been cleared. I have worked extremely hard to repair and grow the NBL for the last 15 years and have always acted in the best interests of basketball in Australia and welcome the outcome of the investigation."

“I thank Basketball Australia, its integrity unit, and Mr Gleeson for handling the matter diligently and ensuring a fair and extremely thorough process.

“I remain committed to the continued growth of the NBL and to working collaboratively across the sport,” Mr Kestelman added. “This presents a clear opportunity further align and deliver world-class standards both on and off the court.”

“We look forward to a united future across the sport and remain focused on delivering an exceptional experience for fans, supporting our clubs, and driving continued growth.”

The NBL will work closely with Basketball Australia as it leads a project to strengthen governance over the next 12 months, as part of the program already underway for over a year to ensure Australian basketball is at international best practice in every aspect of the sport.

To continue that journey, Professor Graeme Samuel AC, the renowned governance and leadership expert, has been recently appointed to the NBL board and will assume board oversight of this important workstream. Professor Samuel has also had extensive experience in sport serving on both the AFL and ARL Commissions.

NBL Group Chief Executive Officer David Stevenson reinforced the need for the entire sport to work together.

“The NBL has delivered remarkable growth on and off court in recent years and now delivers a world class product and experience for our fans, players, clubs and partners.”

“We have a unique opportunity to reach new heights, but this is best realised when the whole of Basketball comes together as one team heading in the same direction. With this matter now behind us, we are focused on working closely with Basketball Australia, clubs, players and partners to unlock the next phase of growth for the sport.”

With a record-breaking season providing momentum, the NBL and Basketball Australia are well positioned to build on this foundation and accelerate the growth of the game through collaboration.