NBL managing director Larry Kestelman says it's a question of when, not if, Australia will host an NBA game.
The NBL joined with the Victorian government and Basketball Victoria to announce Victoria will host the NBA Basketball without Borders camp in   June including a number of NBA players and coaches.
There is no set time, year or venue for an NBA game in Australia and questions about a suitably sized stadium remains a significant stumbling block when the NBA has large venues and lucrative opportunities in China and other parts of Asia. 
But Kestelman, Basketball Australia and this country's NBA players are lobbying hard to have a game come to Australia.
Kestelman and NBL general manager Jeremy Loeliger have positioned the NBL to play a major role in running the logistics for the BWB camp, run with partners FIBA World, which will see the best 40 Asian under-18 boys train at Dandenong Stadium under NBA coaches then conclude with an all-star game at The Arena in Geelong. The camp will also include a Victorian under-18 girls section and a Victorian under-14s section while the visiting players and coaches will also run community outreach activities under the banner of the NBA Cares program.
Retired Atlanta Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins has been rumoured as a possible attendee but the NBA can't confirm the touring players and coaches until closer to the camp as some members are still involved in the NBA play-offs.
Kestelman said the camp was the first step towards an NBA game in Australia and the NBL had built up a strong connection with NBA management in the nine months since their first meeting.
"I don't think a game is the last step but it's on the road map," Kestelman said. "The NBA is very, very supportive of partnering with us to do that and we are in dialogue about it. It's more a question of when, rather than if, any more."
But Kestelman added the NBL and Australian basketball would need to make a good impression on the NBA by running the camp well.
"A lot of it is down to creditability and delivery," Kestelman said. "The NBA is a very professional organisation and their business is basketball and sport - they will not accept anything but a professionally run event.
"This is not a small task and you will need a large group of people manoeuvring everyone between Dandenong, the city and Geelong - you will have NBA players, NBA coaches and what they are looking for is how we deliver this event.
"It's a step in the right direction and we can talk a good talk but they want to see how we do the walk."
Kestelman praised the NBA's work with NBL management and the two leagues will work further together on future events.
"We have made huge steps," Kestelman said. "In the space of nine months we have one of their premier events here in Australia and, in particular, in Victoria. They are showing a lot of faith in us after seeing what we have achieved in the NBL."
Utah Jazz swingman Joe Ingles said Australia's NBA players had personally called on the league to bring a future NBA game to Australia and other events. "We had fought for this and mentioned to the NBA that we hadn't had anything like this out here before," Ingles said.
"With the most NBA League Pass subscribers outside of America and the second most world-wide NBA Store purchases, Australians obviously love the NBA and having seven players over there helps with that.
"We only really complained about it at the start of last off-season and they were pretty quick to turn around and give us something."