NBA chief rules out bringing the big league to Australia

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has all but ruled out ever bringing a game to Australia.

Speaking in London, where regular-season matches have been played since 2011, Silver said he would love to reward Australia for what it has given to the NBA over the years.

In 2014 the SCG hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks for the opening two matches of the Major League Baseball season, attracting sellout crowds of 40,000 each.

But the commissioner said logistically it would be too much to ask NBA teams to move lock, stock and barrel to the southern hemisphere for a week to play one match.

“We’ve thought about bringing a game to Australia,” Silver said. “It’s amazing what that country is doing in terms of developing NBA players. The issue is that the resources involved in bringing teams across the world are so great.

“Just in bringing these two teams for this one game [in London], both teams stopped playing in the States roughly five days before today. Both teams will have roughly three days off when they get back.

“The issue for those teams is, and this is why we’re so appreciative of them coming, is there are a certain number of days in the schedule.”

Despite basketball having a limited presence in the UK, the 20,000 tickets for the match between Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics sold out in 52 minutes.

Premier League stars such Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois and Hector Bellerin were among the fans sitting courtside to watch Australian stars Ben Simmons and Aron Baynes do battle.