Australian NBL governance dispute

In early August 2026, a coalition of three NBL franchise owners – South East Melbourne Phoenix, Perth Wildcats and Illawarra Hawks – formed an independent owners' association and pressed Basketball Australia to release a confidential governance review prepared by former solicitor‑general Justin Gleeson. The report had cleared league owner Larry Kestelman of wrongdoing, but Basketball Australia refused public disclosure, citing confidentiality.

Two days later the conflict had deepened. The three clubs had taken legal action against Kestelman and publicly questioned the league’s governance and financial arrangements. They renamed their group the Professional Basketball Club Owners Association and continued to demand the report’s release. Meanwhile, the remaining seven NBL franchises, including the Sydney Kings, Melbourne United and the New Zealand Breakers, issued a joint statement supporting Kestelman and rejecting the owners' association as unrepresentative. Mediation over related issues such as travel costs remained unresolved, highlighting a clear split within the league.

By late August, Basketball Australia released findings from a seven-month investigation prompted by complaints from Crest Sports and Entertainment, the owner of the Illawarra Hawks. While Basketball Australia dismissed the complaints as not being “credible,” the report acknowledged that Kestelman had made “mistakes” during his tenure. The findings credited Kestelman with revitalizing the league from financial collapse to a period of record growth. As part of a resolution, Kestelman was given one year to implement changes and rebuild trust. Despite this, legal tensions persist as Crest Sports continues to pursue legal action against Kestelman and the league.