The New Orleans Pelicans touch down in Australia this week for a set of historic pre-season matchups.
The Pelicans will be the first NBA team to play on Aussie soil, tipping off their pre-season preparations against Melbourne United on Friday, October 5, followed by a matchup against the South East Melbourne Phoenix on Sunday, October 5.
MORE: How to buy tickets for Pelicans' pre-season games in Melbourne
Much of the Pelicans' pre-season hype has surrounded the new-look frame Zion Williamson is sporting, having overcome hamstring and back issues, which limited him to just 30 games last season.
Is Zion Williamson playing in Australia?
Williamson stunned fans last week at Pelicans Media Day, dropping a considerable amount of weight ahead of his seventh NBA season, detailing his off-season focus of coming into training camp healthy.
"We came up with a plan from boxing to working out on the football field, a lot to just different random workouts," Williamson said.
"And during that timeframe last year, I really felt a shift in my body to where I would look at him and go, 'Dude, it feels good to feel good.' I haven't felt like this since college, high school, just where I can walk into a gym and I feel good."
Injuries have disrupted Williamson's NBA career, limiting him to just 214 games out of a possible 492, including missing the entire 2021-22 season, but the two-time All-Star looks to be as healthy as ever.
According to Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars, Williamson is ready to go for the Melbourne series.
"Zion has been great [in practice]," Dumars said. "He's been working extremely hard and really pushing himself hard - I have been happy with him this summer."
Zion and JP working together after practice 🤝 pic.twitter.com/1cMMhKrtbf
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) September 27, 2025
When healthy, Williamson is one of the most devastating offensive players in the NBA, averaging 24.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists on 58.9 percent shooting from the field and 32.7 percent from the 3-point line.
How to buy Pelicans pre-season tickets in Australia
Tickets for both games are selling fast, but are still available via Ticketek.
Remaining tickets for the games begin at $249 AUD. Tickets for opening training start at $25, with tickets for the NBLxNBA Melbourne Series Fan Night starting at $29.
Pelicans' pre-season schedule in Australia
Outside of the two games, there are a host of events for fans, including an open training session and fan night at Rod Laver Arena.
| Date | Event | Location | Time |
| Thursday, Oct. 2 | New Orleans Open Training | Rod Laver Arena | 12:00 p.m. |
| Friday, Oct. 3 | Pelicans vs Melbourne United | Rod Laver Arena | 7:30 p.m. |
| Saturday, Oct. 4 | NBA x NBL Melbourne Series Fan Night | Rod Laver Arena | 6:00 p.m. |
| Sunday, Oct. 5 | Pelicans vs SEM Phoenix | Rod Laver Arena | 2:00 p.m. |
How to watch Pelicans pre-season games in Australia: TV channel, live stream
Fans in Australia can tune into the Pelicans' pre-season games on Amazon Prime Video, Network 10, and NBA League Pass, via the NBA app.
- TV Channel: Network 10
- Streaming: Amazon Prime Video
- Streaming: NBA League Pass