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London Lions will become the first British club to face an NBA team when they take on the Portland Trail Blazers in October.
London Lions are set to make British basketball history by becoming the first club from the United Kingdom to face an NBA team.
The Lions officially announced that they will take on the Portland Trail Blazers in a preseason game at Moda Center on October 12, 2026.
The matchup will tip off at 1:00 p.m. local time in Portland and 9:00 p.m. BST.
Historic moment for British basketball
The game will mark the first time a British club side has shared the court with an NBA franchise.
London enter the historic matchup as the reigning Super League Basketball champions after completing a clean sweep of domestic trophies last season.
The Lions are also preparing to return to the EuroCup during the 2026-27 campaign.
“Playing a preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers is a historic moment for our club and for basketball in the United Kingdom,” Lions general manager Martynas Purlys said.
“We see this opportunity as a recognition of the progress and ambition of the London Lions organisation, as well as an important milestone for British basketball as a whole.”
Purlys added that the game could help increase basketball’s popularity in the UK and inspire the next generation of players and fans.
Special return for Tautvydas Sabonis
The fixture will carry additional significance for London head coach Tautvydas Sabonis, whose family has a strong connection with Portland.
His father, Basketball Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis, spent seven seasons with the Trail Blazers between 1995 and 2003.
The Lithuanian legend became one of the most popular European players in franchise history and remains a beloved figure in Portland.
“I’m excited to be playing a preseason game against an NBA team, and all the more so against the Portland Trail Blazers in Portland, a city that holds a lot of meaning for me and my family,” Tautvydas Sabonis said.
“It will be fun to come back. As for the game itself, it will be a great test for our guys to try themselves against an NBA team, and a great boost for the growth of British basketball.”
The matchup will provide the Lions with a major test ahead of their EuroCup season while also representing a full-circle moment for Sabonis in the city where his father became a Rip City icon.
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