Daniels excited for "landmark" moment

Friday’s NBAxNBL Series match between Melbourne United and the New Orleans Pelicans is going to be an exciting moment for everyone involved.

One that can attest to that is United’s NBL Next Star Dash Daniels, whose brother Dyson was drated eighth overall by the Pelicans in the 2022 NBA Draft.

“It’s going to be a pretty special experience,” 17-year-old Daniels told CODE Sports.

“The NBA is the ultimate goal, so to be so young and get my opportunity to test myself against those types of athletes and players is pretty crazy.

“To be part of the first NBL team to host an NBA team on Australian soil is something none of us are taking for granted. It’s a landmark moment for basketball in Australia, and it’s going to be amazing to be a part of.”

>> CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS TO ALL EVENTS

The historic match between Daniels and his United side, against the Pelicans, headlined by NBA superstar Zion Williamson, tips off at 7.30pm AEST on Friday, October 3 at Rod Laver Arena.

As part of the action-packed weekend, there will also be an open training session on Thursday afternoon, and a special Louisiana Luncheon on Sunday, giving fans even more opportunities to get up close with basketball’s biggest names.

What tickets can I buy?

Games:
- Game 1 – New Orleans Pelicans vs Melbourne United - Friday, October 3, 2025 - 7.30pm AEST
- Game 2 – New Orleans Pelicans vs South East Melbourne Phoenix - Sunday, October 5, 2025 - 2pm AEDT

Other events:
- Pelicans Open Training – Thursday, October 2, 2025, 1pm AEST: Includes an exclusive first look at the team’s training, player Q&A and more
- NBAxNBL Fan Night – Saturday, October 4, 2025, 6pm AEST: A showcase event with player performances, basketball challenges, live entertainment and more

>> CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS TO ALL EVENTS

Read the full story here >> NBL Next Star Dash Daniels receives rare chance to play full-strength New Orleans Pelicans NBA side