20th February 2026
Kym Cheeseman
Victoria, Melbourne - Australian basketball royalty will gather at the State Basketball Centre on Saturday, February 28 for the inaugural Legends of Basketball Game for Bowel Cancer. It will be a night dedicated to raising awareness, funding vital research and saving lives, whilst basketball fans, young and old, can get up close with their idols.
Headlined by National Basketball League (NBL) legends, Lanard Copeland, Warrick Giddey, Darren Lucas, Andrew Parkinson, Joey Wright, Andrew Gaze, Cal Bruton, Phil Smyth, David Andersen, Ricky Grace, Mark Bradtke plus WNBL and Opals legend Michele Timms, with more names to be announced.
A Line-Up Like No Other
The depth of the field is remarkable:
- - 10 Olympians as players and/or head coaches, combining for 27 Olympic appearances.
- - 22 NBL champions, combining for 51 NBL titles.
- - 13 Australian Basketball Hall of Famers.
- - Nine Legends earned All-NBL First Team honours a combined 44 times.
- - Plus, the following four legends were acknowledged in the NBL’s 20th and 25th Anniversary team- Gaze, Bradtke, Smyth and Bruton.
- - Gaze who has also claimed NBL’s Most Valuable Player award an incredible seven times, is a FIBA and Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductee.
Most notably, Timms who is the only Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer in the group, is a five-time WNBA champion and a FIBA Hall of Fame inductee. She is one of only three Australians inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame, alongside Lindsay Gaze and Lauren Jackson.
More Than Basketball
This is the inaugural event of the Legends of Basketball Game for Bowel Cancer, a special night built around some of the all-time greats of the Australian game, united behind a cause that impacts thousands of families each year.
All funds raised will support the Gibbs Lab at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI), helping to drive research and improve early detection of bowel cancer, which is the second-leading cause of cancer death in Australia.
The founder of the event, former NBL player Nigel Purchase, initially envisioned a golf day to support his friend Professor Peter Gibbs, Laboratory Head at WEHI. As momentum grew and the organising committee expanded to include Basketball Victoria, Knox Basketball, the NBL’s Kylie Hitchiner and others with diverse skill sets, the concept evolved into a full-scale legends game, with aspirations of becoming an annual tradition.
“We’re excited to bring Hall of Famers, Olympians, NBL champions, Most Valuable Players and the wider basketball community together to support such an important cause,” Purchase said.
“This will be a very special night for Australian basketball, one dedicated to saving lives. Bowel cancer touches thousands of families every year, including many within the basketball community, and we’re proud to play a role in making a difference on a night that will be so much bigger than basketball.
“Our aim is to use basketball for good. To encourage people to ‘Take the Screen’, and to make the Legends of Basketball Game an annual event that makes a difference to people’s lives.”
Basketball Victoria CEO Nick Honey is also a member of the event’s working committee and has played an active role in supporting the delivery of the inaugural Legends of Basketball Game for Bowel Cancer. Honey said Basketball Victoria was proud to stand alongside the organising committee and the wider basketball community in backing such an important initiative, “Basketball Victoria is incredibly proud to support this event and to be part of a working committee so committed to making a genuine difference.
“To see so many legends of our game unite behind a cause that impacts so many families is powerful. This event demonstrates the strength of our basketball community and its willingness to step up for something far bigger than the game. We’re excited to help bring this special night to life and support research that will ultimately save lives.”
Professor Peter Gibbs said the support from the basketball community was deeply meaningful, “We are incredibly grateful for the support of the basketball community.
“Bowel cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in Australia, with cases rising fast among younger people. When detected early though, it is one of the most treatable cancers. Every ticket purchased, every donation made and every fundraiser sparked will help power research that saves lives and reinforces the message that early detection matters.”
Legends of Basketball committee member Andrew Johnstone said the response since launch had been overwhelming, “Since launching this event last month, we've been touched and genuinely moved by the many people who have reached out to offer their support for this great cause and to share their often deeply personal stories with us.”
“We’re excited to welcome people from across the country to the State Basketball Centre for what we expect will be an emotional and very special night for many.”
Two-time NBL champion Copeland added, “Any time you can help and donate your time and money to this cause is a good thing.”
“We’ve lost some dear friends over the years, and so this brings up a lot of memories. It’s always great to catch up with friends you haven’t seen for a while, but we’re doing this because it’s meaningful. It’s not just a gathering - it’s meaningful. It’s for a great cause.”
A National Gathering for a Life-Saving Mission
The night will begin with a Legends Meet and Greet at 6pm, followed by a Celebrity Shootout and the showcase game tipping off at 7.50pm.
Participants and fans are travelling from across Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, ACT and New South Wales, giving the event a truly national flavour.
Through close of business on Monday, February 16, organisers had raised more than $103,000, over half of the $200,000 target, with hopes of surpassing that mark before tip-off.
Working side by side with some of the all-time greats of Australian basketball, the mission is clear: raise awareness, reinforce the importance of early detection, and generate the funds needed to power life-saving research.
Organisers believe this inaugural event is just the beginning - the launch pad for what they hope will become a much-loved annual fixture on the Australian basketball calendar for decades to come.
For more information, including ticket prices, the event schedule, how you can support our fundraising efforts, and a selection of inspirational Patient Stories, visit the official event website at:
Photo credit: Dave Callow / Legends of Our Game
