Australian guard Josh Giddey and the Oklahoma City Thunder will reportedly host the Adelaide 36ers of the National Basketball League during their preseason slate.
The game will mark the first time since 2019 that teams from the NBL and NBA will meet on the court. The two leagues started facing each other during the 2017-18 preseason, but the planned annual series was put on hold for two seasons due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The 36ers are expected to be the only team from the NBL to make the trek to the United States this year. In addition to the Thunder, they are also scheduled to play the Phoenix Suns ahead of the 2022-23 season, according to The Australian.
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Giddey, who was born in Melbourne, was named the 2021 NBL Rookie of the Year with the 36ers after averaging 10.9 points, 7.6 assists, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 28 games. He led all NBL players in assists that season and finished sixth in rebounding.
The 36ers head into the season led by Australian Mitch McCarron. The team added Americans Robert Franks and Antonius Cleveland during the offseason and return Kai Sotto, a 7-foot-2 center from the Philippines, who played last season in Adelaide.
The preseason schedule for the teams has not been announced.
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