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The NBL has reached a landmark agreement with Basketball Western Australia to rebrand the men’s and women’s State Basketball League (SBL) to NBL1 West.
The premier winter league will now have conferences across Australia, with NBL1 South (Victoria and Tasmania), NBL1 North (Queensland) and NBL1 Central (South Australia) as well as NBL1 West all part of the expanded competition in 2021.
Cockburn Cougars, East Perth Eagles, Geraldton Buccaneers, Goldfields Giants, Joondalup Wolves, Kalamunda Eastern Suns, Lakeside Lightning, Mandurah Magic, Perry Lakes Hawks, Perth Redbacks, Rockingham Flames, South West Slammers, Warwick Senators and Willetton Tigers will all compete in the NBL1 West.
NBL Chief Operating Officer Andy Crook said: “This is an exciting day for Australian basketball and for basketball in Western Australia with the announcement of NBL1 West. NBL1 is Australia’s premier winter basketball league and we are delighted to welcome Western Australia into the family.
“NBL1 will open up stronger pathways for Western Australian players to progress to the NBL, WNBL, US college and overseas leagues. It will bring bigger audiences to basketball in Western Australia and take NBL1 to a new level.
“Western Australia becomes the fourth major state league to join NBL1 in the space of just two years. The support of Basketball Western Australia and the competing clubs is a major endorsement of the league and its direction.
“After an interrupted 2020 we can’t wait to get back on the court in 2021.”
More information on the NBL1 structure for 2021, including the NBL1 National Championship weekend, will be announced soon.
IMAGE: NBL Australia.