LaMelo Ball Attracts NBL Record Crowd To Illawarra-Sydney

A crowd of 17,513 at Qudos Bank Arena -- the biggest in National Basketball League history -- watched Sunday's game between the Sydney Kings and G LaMelo Ball's Illawarra Hawks. The attendance for the game, which Sydney won 92-87, surpassed the record of 17,143 set in '99 at a doubleheader at the same venue (AAP, 11/17). Kings coach Will Weaver said, "To see this league grow to where it is now, to see it grow to 17,000, it’s unreal. Credit to Sydney ... I think a healthy Sydney is a healthy NBL so to be part of it, I’m just really pleased." The appearances of Kings C Andrew Bogut and Ball "triggered the record crowd" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 11/17).