NBL eyes Sydney expansion

THE Sydney Kings will have a cross-town rival in the near future, according to NBL boss Larry Kestelman.

The Harbour City has been the Kings’ domain since the West Sydney Razorbacks turned Sydney Spirit folded in 2009.

According to Kestelman, though, the league will ramp up plans in the coming years to reintroduce a second Sydney team.

It’s understood the league has also reached out to potential officials to front another NBL franchise in Australia’s biggest city, although there is an agreement in place that states there can’t be a second Sydney team until 2024.

“There will definitely be another team in Sydney at some stage,” Kestelman told The Basketball Show.

“We will start looking at that in the next year or two.”

Kestelman confirmed the league is also keen to introduce a third Melbourne team, but he wants to give the South East Melbourne a little longer to establish themselves.

He reaffirmed Canberra as the most logical expansion destination for the NBL.

“Canberra feels a bit like Tasmania 2.0,” he said.

“I had a look at their venue, and I see no reason why Canberra shouldn’t have a team ... we just need to work through the processes and make sure both the government and the fans get behind it.

“That is how Tasmania happened. If the fans want it badly enough, there will be a team in Canberra.

“We’ve had conversations from the Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and certainly Canberra is an interesting one for us to have a look at.”