Exclusive: Inside NBL’s transformation that’s forging new paths from Outback to NBA

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Exclusive: Inside NBL’s transformation that’s forging new paths from Outback to NBA

Brett Siegel, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Wed, Oct 15, 2025 ·

18 min read

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The post Exclusive: Inside NBL's transformation that's forging new paths from Outback to NBA appeared first on ClutchPoints .

BASKETBALL IS A GAMEbeloved around the globe. Every region and every country may have different leagues and ways to play the game, but they all share a common goal: to create a pathway to the NBA. Very few leagues outside of the United States have been successful in developing NBA-level talents, and only one league has mastered what it means to forge an NBA identity from top to bottom.

When you think of Australia, the first thing that comes to the mind of many is their exotic animals like kangaroos and koalas. Others may think of the Great Barrier Reef or Finding Nemo, the Sydney Opera House, and both cricket and rugby — the two most common sports on the continent since anyone could remember.

However, times are changing for the Land Down Under, as basketball and the NBL are beginning to boom.

The National Basketball League (NBL) in Australia was officially established as a professional basketball league in 1979, a moment that changed Australian history forever. Since its inception, countless notable NBA talents have gone through Basketball Australia's program and the NBL.

Patty Mills , Joe Ingles , Ben Simmons , Josh Giddey , Andrew Bogut , and Matthew Dellavedova are among the many high-level, All-Star, and NBA champion talents who paved the path for Australian basketball to become what it is today, and NBL owner Larry Kestelman has taken the league to new heights over the last decade.

Kestelman, who took a great interest in the sport of basketball in Australia in the 1990s, originally invested in the Melbourne Tigers of the NBL before acquiring the team in 2012. From there, he would go on to rebrand the organization to Melbourne United before purchasing a majority 51 percent stake in the league itself.

Since 2015, Kestelman has been the owner of the NBL, taking a low-grade professional league and turning it into an immediate, high-level path to the NBA with the help of Commissioner Adam Silver , Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum, and many among the NBA operations team.

"We took over the league about 10 years ago, and at the time, we believed the league wasn't doing as well as it potentially could," Kestelman told ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview. "Our vision was to rebuild the image and be a significant part of the basketball movement in Australia. The love for the NBA and the game has been here in Australia for a long, long time, so participation is massive among youth and adults.

"We obviously wanted to create a product for families and fans to enjoy the game they love, but also create a direct avenue for high-level Australian basketball talents to be a part of one of the best professional basketball leagues in the world.

"The popularity of the NBL itself is absolutely on the rise and doing extremely well."

As the NBL's popularity has grown, so has the level of talent joining the league.

The NBA dream in Australia

BEFORE KESTELMAN TOOK OVER,the NBL struggled to get to that next step. Although notable Australian players were reaching the NBA and the league was competitive, the NBL was never looked at as a direct pathway for players from Asia and Australia to reach the pinnacle of success.

While competitive, something was missing. That something was Kestelman's determination to prove that the NBL could be more than a spectacle in Australia — it could become a global powerhouse and stepping stone for professional, high-level basketball players to push for their NBA dreams.

But that all starts at the very beginning with the youth programs that have been established. That is why Kestelman and the NBL have worked closely with Basketball Australia to design a model for young players to reach their full potential on the basketball court.

"Basketball Australia's grassroots program is massive. We've gotten 1.2 million registered people playing the game," Kestelman said to ClutchPoints. "There's probably the same amount playing casually. The love of the game is there. Our training and development through the grassroots program is really second to none. Coaching is very professional, and you've seen some of our high-level personnel in charge of global basketball affairs and working with high-level teams in the United States and Europe.

"Even though the NBL brand and the league itself weren't doing amazing when we took over 10 years ago, the groundwork was there for this to turn into one of the best leagues out there. The infrastructure that existed is what allowed us to turn things around so quickly. The government has invested a lot in basketball courts and facilities.

"With the popularity of the game growing and fans consuming more NBA content, it only further increased our exposure."

Since Kestelman became the NBL owner, this league has changed a lot for the better. Teams are more competitive, Australia's basketball talent is being noticed across the world, and talented prospects, some of whom are top-rated high school recruits in America, are joining the NBL as a pathway to the NBA.

The goal of Kestelman and the NBL is to do what is best for their athletes.

Unlike other leagues, who prioritize money, publicity, and maintaining their homegrown talent, Kestelman and his league have embraced the idea of the NBL being a momentary stop in the careers of many young, rising stars.

Terrance Ferguson and RJ Hampton were both five-star recruits coming out of high school in the United States who decided to join the NBL despite receiving offers from Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, Kentucky, and other elite collegiate programs. Both talents went on to be first-round picks in the NBA Draft.

Of course, then there is LaMelo Ball , who may not be in the NBA if it wasn't for Kestelman and the Illawarra Hawks. The NBL gave Ball a chance after he skipped high school to pursue professional opportunities in Lithuania and with his father's failed basketball league in California.

Upon joining the NBL, Ball became one of the faces of the league's Next Stars program, whose mission is to develop and showcase NBA Draft prospects. Kestelman and the NBL have studied the NBA through analytics and research through the years, allowing them to create the best international program to produce NBA-ready talent.

Ball was one of the first to really cement the NBL Next Stars program when he was selected third overall in 2020, as others like Giddey (No. 6 pick in 2021), Ousmane Dieng (No. 11 pick in 2022), Alex Sarr (No. 2 pick in 2024), and AJ Johnson (No. 23 pick in 2024) have followed the same path through the program to get to the NBA as highly coveted first-round picks.

"When players come and play here, they are dealing with something they can rely on. Unlike other leagues, where money can become a problem and they are not treated well, that is our priority here." Kestelman explained. "We not only want to treat them as best we can and provide them with everything they need but also give them global exposure. That has been the backbone of what we've been trying to accomplish.

"Ultimately, we do want players to achieve greatness here and be able to push forward to reach their goals. Their goals are to play in the NBA, and we absolutely push for them to get to that point. We don't try to just hang on to everyone here and hold them down.

"We want and love the fact that we have a platform that is actually for the players' best interests."

For the first time in its history, the NBL is known for being a super professional league.

Multiple NBA Draft prospects are competing with real basketball talents every night, and it wouldn't be a stretch to start labeling the NBL as the second-best domestic league in the world because of the focus on development each team and coaching staff has for the league's young stars.

Creating a direct pathway to the NBA through development, care, and putting players first was Kestelman's main goal when he took over in 2015, and now, the NBL can proudly say that Silver and the league as a whole have taken notice.

"We have really become the idea of being a currency in a way where people can really measure our product. It is really hard to measure a player's success and truly evaluate them when they are playing in an unknown league against other young athletes and not true, professional adults like we have.

"We have set the foundation and continue to grow a league that can help these young, high-potential athletes achieve their dreams, and that is to go top 10 in the NBA Draft."

Kestelman-Silver bond creates direct NBL-NBA partnership

WHEN ADAM SILVERand the NBA announced the first NBA x NBL Melbourne Series that would feature the New Orleans Pelicans traveling to Australia for exhibition matches and training in the preseason, it was a groundbreaking moment for Kestelman.

Never before had an entire NBA team traveled to Australia to play competitively, and now the NBL was getting its chance to showcase just how much they have grown over the last decade.

The interest in the NBA through the years in Australia had grown exponentially, especially with homegrown talents and Next Stars trainees like Ball, Giddey, Sarr, and others making it to the United States. This was the NBL's chance to prove that it exists as the NBA's strongest complementary league, and the spectacle did not disappoint.

Zion Williamson was already a star in Australia before the team plane touched down in Melbourne, as thousands of fans flocked to get a glimpse of the NBA All-Star. Now, Williamson is an icon for young Australian basketball players, and it's not far-fetched to claim that New Orleans has become one of Australia's favorite teams after their recent trip.

While the NBL had sent teams to America to participate in different events, specifically preseason basketball, with the NBA, there had never been an instance where the NBA was visiting the NBL. That changed at the start of October, as this groundbreaking event proved to the world that the NBL has become a strong partner to the NBA.

"The relationship the NBL has had with the NBA has been around for over 15 years. We've always held strong communication with Adam and his team," Kestelman told ClutchPoints. "Being able to have our guys play with the NBA brand, even for a preseason game, really kick-started and furthered our relationship with the NBA. I view our league as a major partner of theirs."

So, why did Silver and the NBA decide to travel to Australia and send the Pelicans there in the midst of their preseason training?

With the way basketball has grown in Australia and how Kestelman's vision for creating a sustainable pathway to the NBA has come to light, Silver and the league office decided now was the right time to further explore their partnership with the NBL.

"They've recognized the work that we've put in. It was a reward from Adam and Mark to allow us to bring their team here. We definitely don't take it for granted," Kestelman admitted about the recent Melbourne Series. "It may or may not happen again, but I am super proud of what we achieved here.

"We all knew it was going to be big, but for people to be lining up at the front of their hotel to get a glimpse of the team and Zion and chanting his name in the stadium – I think it exceeded everyone's expectations. The whole country was abuzz for the NBA. For us, this was all about credibility and proving what we've built. The NBA trusts us with the fact that we can deliver on events like this, which is extraordinary.

"The partnership has never been better, never been stronger. They trust us 100 percent, and we can't thank them enough."

Carmelo Anthony , Kenny Smith invest in NBL's future

AS THE NBL CONTINUES TO GROW, many in America are taking notice. Along with the NBA being strong advocates and partners for Kestelman and the NBL, several notable NBA alumni are becoming involved with what the Australian league is building.

In 2024, Anthony joined the NBL's Next Stars program as a Global Ambassador, and the Hall of Famer is fully invested in doing his part to make sure the world knows of what the NBL is building.

When he visited Australia for the first-ever HoopsFest, a four-day festival with NBL, WNBL, and youth teams playing in Perth, Melo declared that the NBL is the "second-best league" in the world.

Along with Anthony's devotion to the Next Stars program, Kenny "The Jet" Smith has also been a huge advocate for Australian basketball and was appointed as the head of the NBL Next Stars' player initiatives for North America in April 2024.

Both Anthony and Smith believe in what Kestelman and the NBL have built, which is why these two American basketball icons are already locked in on helping build the future of the Australian league with new expansion franchises.

"Carmelo and Kenny have both committed to be a part of an expansion franchise," Kestelman announced to ClutchPoints. "Maybe it will be something that involves Next Stars. They love what we are doing here with the league. They help out so much, especially promoting the brand with scouts, agents, and other basketball personnel around the world. We definitely want them to be a part of our future as the league continues to grow.

"They are such beautiful people, so knowledgeable, and have such extraordinary experiences, which is why we want their advice and help here. That's our number one goal: to improve basketball in Australia, New Zealand, and our region to the best of our ability. It starts with focusing on the players and their development. Kenny and Carmelo are huge advocates for youth and focusing on how to develop players."

With the support of Anthony and Smith, the NBL understands this is just the start of what is to come for the league.

Kestelman and the NBL know immediate growth is imminent, and they continue to welcome the help of NBA stars, Silver, and the league as a whole to be a part of a monumental change about the newest, best path to the NBA.

NBL has created the best path to NBA glory

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT for the NBL. Aside from all the success with the Next Stars program and support from the NBA itself, the NBL has been able to build an unbreakable infrastructure around the core principle of putting their athletes first.

Kestelman, who has always been a lifelong fan of basketball, understood this was what made a league successful from the first day he became the owner. It is not always about ratings, viewership, and team success, as all of those perks come in time.

Instead, Kestelman and the NBL turned their attention to creating a way to maximize their players' skills and give them the best path to maximize their potential. That is why Next Stars was created, and that is why many NBA teams and scouts now constantly visit Australia to get updates on the next wave of talents in the NBA pipeline.

Among that next wave of talent are Karim Lopez and Dash Daniels, two highly rated 2026 NBA Draft prospects who are currently projected to be top-10 picks.

Lopez, a Mexican-born talent, spent two seasons playing in Spain before he decided to join the New Zealand Breakers, claiming this was the best decision for him to get to the NBA. Last October, Lopez became the youngest player in NBL history to record a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds in a game.

Daniels, the brother of Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels , the 2024-25 NBA Most Improved Player , is essentially a carbon copy of his older brother. Dash doesn't turn 18 until December, but he is already one of the most polarizing NBA prospects in the world because of his elite defensive play and lengthy 6'10" wingspan.

Both Lopez and Daniels are among the featured stars of the NBL despite being teenagers, which further proves Kestelman's point of how his league has become the clearest stepping stone to the NBA.

"I think these two are very special players. I love watching young players not just because of their skill, but because of the poise they have on the court. I think a really great sign for me is the calmness and how easily they fit into an adult game," Kestelman said of the NBL's two young stars. "To be 17 years old and play against the Pelicans, a real NBA team with some of the best players in the world, just the calmness displayed was amazing. If you didn't know they were 17 or 18 years old, you would think they too were NBA talents.

"I love the quiet confidence a lot of these young Australian players have when they enter the NBL and want to embark on their NBA journey. Both of these guys have it. Honestly, they look like they could've been playing here for 10 years; that's how poised they were on the biggest stage of their lives.

"They will each grow and become better, of course, but you can see that special something about both of them when they get on the court."

When asked about the possibility of Dash playing alongside Dyson in Atlanta, Kestelman acknowledged the possibility and couldn't help but smile at the thought of these two Australian guards and brothers representing both Australian basketball and the NBL in the NBA.

"How cool would it be to see that in Atlanta? That would be a dream pairing for the brothers. No opposing offense in the world would be happy to see those two on the court together! They are defensive geniuses. That would be a lot of fun, and maybe we will get the chance to see them both back here in Australia with Atlanta for a future trip."

The state of the NBL could not be better, and the NBA's partnership has increased the visibility of the league tenfold.

Starting this year, fans can engage with the NBL and see all of the games exclusively through the NBA App and NBA TV. In the United States, basketball fans are becoming a lot more aware of Australian basketball and how the NBL has become a type of architect for a certain breed of talent.

The NBL is no longer a smaller league exclusively for Australian basketball players. It has become a global phenomenon that welcomes some of the best talents not just in their region but in the entire world.

While the NBA explores ways to start a new league in Europe, Kestelman and the NBL continue to focus their energy on making the Asia/Australian region the strongest pipeline for NBA talents.

With the development teams continuing to pump out high-level NBA Draft prospects and the NBL's exposure set to hit a new high after their deal with the NBA to feature NBL content on the NBA App and NBA TV, Kestelman is ready for the next era of NBL success to begin.

"We just announced that we will be on the NBA App and NBA TV. We are super excited for NBA fans to have direct access to see our league because we are the closest-looking league, I believe, to the NBA," Kestelman stated. "We are almost identical when it comes to the speed of the game and scoring, and our rules are the closest in order to prepare our talents for that next step.

"By focusing on the style of game closely, we are able to generate the best, most-ready prospects for the NBA. I really can't thank Adam, Mark, and the entire NBA team for their trust and willingness to help us grow. We are the second-biggest market for NBA content outside of the United States, and we have a massive fandom of basketball here. This partnership means a lot to us.

"We, along with the fans, are very, very grateful."

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