The NBA Exhibition

Overview

Sometimes an exhibition gets gallery patrons exploring one artist's work. Sometimes it pays tribute to a specific person, heads back to a certain chapter of the past, or fills walls and halls around a theme. A particular object might be in the spotlight, or a movie franchise. Then there's The NBA Exhibition, which is celebrating hoop dreams and all things basketball in its first-ever Australian visit.

After premiering in Warsaw, Poland in 2021, The NBA Exhibition gets bouncing in Brisbane from Thursday, November 9 — and bounds through basketball history at the same time. Catnip for fans of Air and Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, this sports-focused showcase is big in scope and size, surveying the culture of hopping onto the court and the lifestyle that goes with basketball, too, in a hefty two-level display. Visitors can traverse 1000 square metres and make their way through 20 themed sections.

Created with the National Basketball Association, The NBA Exhibition aims to lure in b-ball diehards, casual followers and folks that haven't thought about the sport since their school PE lessons alike — and attendees of all ages. Looking at basketball memorabilia is part of the presentation, but so is throwing a ball around yourself and, thanks to the virtual and augmented reality aspect of the showcase, taking snaps with your favourite NBA players.

So, you can get a photo with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, too — aka the coveted prize that each year's NBA Finals' winner receives — and shoot hoops, see how far you can jump and test your reflexes as well. Fancy a picture showing that you can slam dunk, even if you can't? There's a section of The NBA Exhibition for that. Eager to watch NBA highlights using VR goggles? That's also on the agenda. Keen to get surrounded by iconic NBA moments? That's what the infinity room is for.

With names like Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal obviously featuring — and Kobe Bryant, Steph Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird as well — other elements of The NBA Exhibition include a heap of balls and shoes on display; footwear and hand prints from past and present players; art that was commissioned for a pop-up NBA Gallery exhibit in Sydney in 2022, featuring Australian and First Nations artists; and celebrating NBA players that've made the jump from Australia, which is likely to feature Patty Mills, Ben Simmons, Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze and more.

Brisbane's Queens Plaza hosts The NBA Exhibition's debut Aussie stop — just as it did with The Art of Banksy: Without Limits, which also hails from entertainment platform Fever, earlier in 2023.

Updated Thursday, November 30, 2023.