Hall-of-famer Lanard Copeland has seen it all in 33 years embedded in Australian basketball, but nothing that’s come before, he says, will compare to the talent and subplots driving season 2025-26 of the NBL.

“This year will probably be better than I have ever seen, I can honestly say that. The talent level is crazy,” Copeland said.

Sydney Kings star signing Matthew Dellavedova in his new colours.Credit: Getty Images

The alley-oop king is right, there are storylines aplenty as the league enters a new campaign, starting Thursday.

Glamour clubs Melbourne United, Sydney Kings, Perth Wildcats and the Adelaide 36ers have all retooled.

Defending champions Illawarra – complete with three-time NBA championship winner JaVale McGee – are ready to make another run, all while their owner is locked in a high-stakes legal battle with league owner Larry Kestelman.

The Brisbane Bullets, under new coach Stu Lash, South East Melbourne Phoenix, Cairns Taipans, Tasmania JackJumpers and the New Zealand Breakers have also made a splash.

Illawarra celebrate after their championship victory in March.Credit: Getty Images

“There is pressure on the Kings, but I think there is more pressure on Adelaide who picked up [Bryce] Cotton. Then you have pressure on Melbourne United, who got there, but couldn’t get it done. How are they going to come back?,” Copeland pondered. “Perth, when you lose a guy like Cotton, how are they going to fill that in? Every team has got pressure, but every team has gone out and got someone … every team is picking it up this year.”

So let’s look at some key questions ahead of this fascinating campaign.

That almost goes without saying when it comes to coaching the Sydney Kings – just ask the long list of Brian Goorjian’s frazzled predecessors, including Bob Turner, Brett Brown and Andrew Gaze.

Sydney coach Brian Goorjian talks to his side.Credit: Getty Images

Goorjian, 72, conducted a coaching clinic in Melbourne recently where he was his typical chatty self, and even gave an insight into the types of training drills the Kings have embraced. He then spent time as an assistant coach with the New York Knicks’ Summer League team in Las Vegas; his thirst for knowledge is not diminishing.

Goorjian is heading into his second season back with the Kings (he has a third and final year to run on his contract) after falling in the play-in qualifier last season when star forward Xavier Cooks was suspended. There is a feeling across the league that it’s grand-final or bust for a man who led the Kings to a three-peat between 2003-05, and later took the Boomers to a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

Andrew Bogut is an assistant coach to Brian Goorjian at the Sydney Kings this........

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