NBL Teams from Australian League to Play vs. NBA in Preseason Games

Three teams from Australia's National Basketball League will face NBA squads in preseason matchups this October.

According to ESPN.com, the Utah Jazz will face the Sydney Kings, the Oklahoma City Thunder will take on Melbourne United and the Brisbane Bullets will battle the Phoenix Suns.

The official announcement was made by NBL executive director Larry Kestelman.

Kestelman discussed the impact of such a move during a February interview with James McKern of ESPN.com.

"I think by bringing the NBA to Australia," he explained, "if done in the right way through the league and Basketball Australia taking it down to the grassroots that will again take our game to the next level of both participation, excitement, interest and so on."

Australia has already produced several notable NBA players, including Andrew Bogut, Patty Mills and Matthew Dellavedova.

The Jazz, one of the teams involved in these exhibitions, have both Joe Ingles and Dante Exum representing the country and will likely be key attractions in the matchup against Sydney.

The NBA has brought its teams to other countries for exhibition and regular-season games in recent years, including to China, England, Brazil and more. The league has also created a yearly game in Africa featuring its international talent.

However, the matchups against teams from other leagues could provide yet another avenue to get fans excited about basketball.