Brisbane are preparing to take the court for a pre-season game in Logan, a world away from the atmosphere that awaits in Arizona against the NBA's Phoenix Suns next month.
But that distinction is symbolic, Bullets veteran Daniel Kickert says, of how the NBL is now perceived.
Frustrated by Australia's national basketball league being the butt of jokes in recent years, the long-time Boomer and European journeyman says it is finally getting the recognition it deserves.
Support for grassroots basketball, in pockets like Logan just outside of Brisbane, has always been strong in Australia.
But the NBL brand is now spreading to the States, with the NBA preparing to host the Bullets, Melbourne and Sydney in friendlies against Phoenix, Oklahoma and Utah respectively.