The 2026-27 NBA season tips off live on ESPN at 6am AEDT on Wednesday, 21 October, with a blockbuster opening-day triple-header headlined by LeBron James' Philadelphia 76ers debut against the champion New York Knicks. ESPN is included in every Disney+ plan, so the start of what shapes as one of the most open title races in years -- after an offseason of unprecedented superstar movement -- is only a few taps away.
Here's everything you need to know about how to watch the NBA in Australia this season: where every game is broadcast, what it costs, the opening week schedule in AEDT, and when to catch the nine Australians on NBA rosters.
How to watch the NBA in Australia
• ESPN on Disney+ -- an average of seven live NBA games every week, plus the NBA Boxing Day marathon, All-Star Weekend, the playoffs and the NBA Finals.
• ESPN and ESPN2 on Kayo Sports, Foxtel and Fetch TV -- the same ESPN coverage if you already subscribe to one of these.
• Prime Video -- selected games, mostly on Saturday mornings in Australia, plus the NBA Cup and the Play-In Tournament.
• NBA League Pass
Watch the NBA on ESPN on Disney+
ESPN is Australia's home court for the NBA, and Disney+ is the simplest to get it. ESPN and ESPN2 broadcast an average of seven live NBA games every week of the regular season, along with the NBA Boxing Day marathon, NBA All-Star Weekend, the NBA Playoffs and the NBA Finals.
The coverage goes beyond the games, too. Nothing But Net brings an Australian perspective to the league's biggest stories, alongside ESPN favourites NBA Today, SportsCenter, First Take and Inside the NBA. Check ESPN's weekly "How to watch this week's NBA on Disney+" guide for each week's live games.
NBA opening week 2026-27: every game on ESPN
All times are AEDT. Subtract one hour in Brisbane (Queensland doesn't observe daylight saving).
Wed 21 Oct, 6:00am -- Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons | ESPN
Wed 21 Oct, 10:00am -- Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks | ESPN
Wed 21 Oct, 12:30pm -- Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs | ESPN
Thu 22 Oct, 10:30am -- Minnesota Timberwolves at Miami Heat | ESPN
Thu 22 Oct, 1:00pm -- Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers | ESPN
Fri 23 Oct, 10:00am -- Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers | ESPN2
Fri 23 Oct, 12:30pm -- Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder | ESPN2
Sun 25 Oct, 11:00am -- Washington Wizards at Chicago Bulls | ESPN2
Mon 26 Oct, 10:30am -- Detroit Pistons at Philadelphia 76ers | ESPN2
Tue 27 Oct, 1:00pm -- Golden State Warriors at Denver Nuggets | ESPN on Disney+
Wed 28 Oct, 11:00am -- Detroit Pistons at New York Knicks | ESPN2
Wed 28 Oct, 2:00pm -- Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Lakers | ESPN2
ESPN and ESPN2 are available on Disney+, Kayo Sports, Foxtel and Fetch TV. Every other game is live on NBA League Pass.
Opening week storylines
Celtics at Pistons (Wed 6am, ESPN): Boston's new era begins with Paul George alongside Jayson Tatum, against Cade Cunningham and a rising Detroit side. The two teams finished with the East's best two records last season.
76ers at Knicks (Wed 10am, ESPN): The headline act. The Knicks raise their first championship banner since 1973 and start their title defence against a new-look Philadelphia, where LeBron James joins Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown. The Knicks bring back their full starting five of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges.
Thunder at Spurs (Wed 12:30pm, ESPN): Shai Gilgeous-Alexander against Victor Wembanyama, in a rematch of last season's Western Conference finals, which the Spurs won in seven.
Timberwolves at Heat (Thu 10:30am): Giannis Antetokounmpo's Miami debut, and LaMelo Ball's first game for Minnesota.
Warriors at Lakers (Thu 1pm, ESPN): Luka Dončić and the Lakers begin life without LeBron against Steph Curry.
Cavaliers at 76ers (Fri 10am): LeBron's Philadelphia home debut against Donovan Mitchell, with Boomers guard Tyrese Proctor in Cleveland's rotation.
Nuggets at Thunder (Fri 12:30pm): Two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander against three-time MVP Nikola Jokić.
Wizards at Bulls (Sun 25 Oct, 11am, ESPN2): Josh Giddey's first ESPN game of the season, against a Washington side entering a new era with Trae Young, Anthony Davis and No. 1 draft pick AJ Dybantsa.
The rest of the week: Pistons at 76ers (Mon, ESPN2), Warriors at Nuggets (Tue, ESPN on Disney+), then a Wednesday ESPN2 doubleheader of Pistons at Knicks and Trail Blazers at Lakers.
Aussies in the NBA 2026-27: who's playing and how to watch
Nine Australians are on NBA rosters across eight clubs this season. The good news for Australian fans: three in every four of their games tip off between 10am and 2pm on the east coast.
Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks -- at Orlando, Thu 22 Oct, 10am (League Pass) -- the first Aussie on court this season
Jock Landale, Atlanta Hawks -- at Orlando, Thu 22 Oct, 10am (League Pass)
Rocco Zikarsky (Two Way deal), Minnesota Timberwolves -- at Miami, Thu 22 Oct, 10:30am (ESPN)
Duop Reath (Two Way deal), Phoenix Suns -- at Portland, Thu 22 Oct, 1pm (League Pass)
Matisse Thybulle, Los Angeles Lakers -- vs. Golden State, Thu 22 Oct, 1pm (ESPN); vs. Portland, Wed 28 Oct, 2pm (ESPN2)
Tyrese Proctor, Cleveland Cavaliers -- at Philadelphia, Fri 23 Oct, 10am (ESPN2)
Josh Giddey, Chicago Bulls -- vs. Washington, Sun 25 Oct, 11am (ESPN2)
Josh Green, Utah Jazz -- NBA League Pass
Johnny Furphy, Indiana Pacers -- Recovering from a torn ACL
Dyson Daniels and Josh Giddey remain the faces of Australian basketball in the NBA, each on matching four-year, US$100 million deals -- Daniels as one of the league's premier young guards, Giddey as one of its most versatile playmakers. Giddey's Bulls have the most Australia-friendly schedule of any team, with the vast majority of their games landing in the 10am-2pm window, and Aussie fans get their first look on ESPN2 on Sunday, 25 October against the Wizards. Chicago gets few US national TV games, so for every Bulls game, NBA League Pass or a Bulls Team Pass is the way to go.
Matisse Thybulle has joined the Lakers, which means plenty of ESPN airtime. Rocco Zikarsky is on a two-way contract with Minnesota, so he won't be with the NBA team every night. Josh Green was traded from Minnesota to Utah in the offseason and Duop Reath is back in Phoenix.
The biggest Aussie vs. Aussie rivalry of the year is Daniels vs. Giddey: Hawks and Bulls meet four times.
Key NBA dates for Australian fans (2026-27)
• Wed 21 Oct: Season tips off with ESPN's opening-day triple-header, from 6am AEDT
• Sat 26 Dec: The NBA Boxing Day marathon on ESPN -- five Christmas Day games, including 76ers at Lakers (9am), Thunder at Timberwolves (12pm) and Nuggets at Warriors (2:30pm)
• 20-22 Feb: NBA All-Star Weekend in Phoenix, live on ESPN
• Mon 12 Apr: Final day of the regular season
• April onwards: NBA Playoffs and NBA Finals on ESPN
Time zone tip: US daylight saving ends on 1 November, so many games shift an hour later in Australia from then until mid-March. And from 4 April, Australian games are listed in AEST rather than AEDT.
NBA in Australia: frequently asked questions
Can I watch the NBA on Disney+ in Australia?
Yes. ESPN is included in every Disney+ plan in Australia, including Standard with Ads at $9.99 a month. ESPN shows an average of seven live NBA games a week, plus the Boxing Day marathon, All-Star Weekend, the playoffs and the NBA Finals.
Is the NBA on Kayo?
Yes. Kayo Sports carries ESPN, so the same NBA games on ESPN are available on Kayo, as well as on Foxtel and Fetch.
Can I watch the NBA for free in Australia?
No. There is no free-to-air NBA coverage in Australia. The cheapest way to watch live games is ESPN on Disney+ Standard with Ads.
What time are NBA games on in Australia?
Most NBA games tip off between 10am and 2pm AEDT on weekdays, with some early-morning and weekend games. Brisbane is one hour behind Sydney and Melbourne during daylight saving.
How many Australians are in the NBA in 2026-27?
Nine Australians are on NBA rosters for the 2026-27 season, led by Dyson Daniels (Hawks) and Josh Giddey (Bulls).
When does the 2026-27 NBA season start in Australia?
Wednesday, 21 October 2026, at 6am AEDT, when the Boston Celtics visit the Detroit Pistons live on ESPN.