The NBL hopes to send teams to the United States to face NBA franchises annually despite tough scheduling for the first three ground-breaking games announced on Tuesday.
The Sydney Kings will play the Utah Jazz of Joe Ingles and Dante Exum in Salt Lake City on October 2, five days out from their NBL season opener.
The schedule is much tougher for the other two Australian teams involved, Melbourne United and Brisbane Bullets, as their games in the US fall after the NBL season begins.
United will travel to play superstar Russell Westbrook's Oklahoma City on October 8, three days after playing in Adelaide and the Brisbane Bullets will play the Phoenix Suns on October 13 six days after playing in Perth.
Melbourne will have six days until their next NBL fixture against Adelaide on October 14 and the Bullets are scheduled to play against New Zealand Breakers just two days after their Phoenix clash.
NBL owner Larry Kestelman said the offer for teams to play in the US was too good to pass up.
"It was never not going to happen," said Kestelman. "If we had to charter a plane - I don't know, we were going.
"If this can become a regular occurrence, I'll be a very happy man.
"For our fans, to be able to watch their players play against NBA teams then the next week watch them play (in the NBL), that's special.
"If that can become part of our season launch every year, we'd be super grateful."
The teams and players seemed to agree, seeing the big picture of boosting the NBL.
Brisbane centre Daniel Kickert said no one would be complaining about the travel.
"How do you turn it down? You can't," Kickert said.
"That's how we get paid. To have an opportunity to strengthen the league by exposing it to the rest of the world is beneficial and this is the best avenue to do that."
Kings coach Andrew Gaze joked his players would not allow him to rest from their match against the Jazz.
Gaze said the Kings are not expected to return until a day before their opening NBL clash against Adelaide on October 7 but that wouldn't affect players' desire to make the trip.
He anticipated the team would be at full strength for the Jazz game.
"There's always a risk of fatigue but it's a risk we'd absolutely take every single day," Gaze told AAP.
"The long-term benefits from a positive experience outweighs any shorter term disadvantages.
"Any niggles, if it were another pre-season game against an NBL team, we might be saying, 'have a rest'.
"(The players) would shoot me if I said 'have a rest' for this one."
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