Shanghai Sharks to face Hawks, Bullets

The Shanghai Sharks are set to visit Australia next month to face the Illawarra Hawks and Brisbane Bullets in pre-season games.

The Sharks will face the Hawks on Saturday, August 17th, at the Snakepit in Wollongong, giving the Illawarra faithful its first chance to see the NBL25 version of their beloved squad.

Shanghai will then travel to Brisbane for a meeting with the Bullets on Friday, August 23, at Nissan Arena.

Both clubs, and the NBL, shared their excitement about facing the Sharks.

“We have a fantastic relationship with the international basketball community, including the CBA, and those connections are important to the NBL’s continued growth,” NBL COO and Head of Basketball Operations Vince Crivelli said.

“The partnership between our two leagues continues to go from strength to strength, and this preseason game is a brilliant step forward towards growing basketball in Australia and Asia.

“I want to thank the Shanghai Sharks, Illawarra Hawks, Brisbane Bullets and CBA for supporting this game and we look forward to enjoying what promises to be a fascinating contest in August.”

The Illawarra Hawks are thrilled to announce an international pre-season match against the Shanghai Sharks on Saturday, August 17th, at the Snakepit! 🦅

MORE INFO: https://t.co/KCZ7gTiuaP#WeRiseTogether pic.twitter.com/jM7tcYiGjh

— Illawarra Hawks Basketball (@illawarrahawks) July 17, 2024

“We're excited to welcome such strong international competition to Wollongong next month,” Hawks CEO Stu Taggart said.

“It’s a great opportunity to assess our preparations ahead of the upcoming season, and for Hawks members and fans to see the renewed Hawks line-up and experience international basketball at the Hawks’ traditional home court.”

BULLETS X SHARKS. Pre-Season hoops are here 🏀

Don’t miss your first chance to see the boys, as we host a pre-season clash against @ShanghaiSharksO at Nissan Arena. August 23rd.

Proudly presented by The Star.

🎟 On Sale August 9th.

Read more: https://t.co/v58cY8U6GO pic.twitter.com/s9HYxqUWth

— Brisbane Bullets (@BrisbaneBullets) July 17, 2024

“We are thrilled to welcome the Shanghai Sharks to Brisbane for this exciting pre-season clash,” Brisbane Bullets CEO Malcolm Watts said.

“Queensland's long standing Sister State relationship with the Municipality of Shanghai adds an extra layer of significance to this event, highlighting the cultural and sporting connections between our regions.”

The Shanghai Sharks have a rich history competing in the Chinese Basketball Association, and feature top tier talent including international representatives Wang Zhelin, Xie Liyongwei and Zheng Liu.