Every rookie has their welcome to the NBA moment and Australian fans got theirs at Rod Laver Arena on Friday night.

Zion Williamson has provided newcomers plenty of them in his short career and the New Orleans Pelicans superstar gave Australia its introduction to live NBA action when he took flight and dunked home an alley-oop pass late in the first quarter.

A capacity crowd of 14,880 filled Rod Laver Arena and roared their approval as the power forward finished a tidy pass from Saddiq Bey as his Pelicans handled NBL club Melbourne United 107-97 in the first NBA game in Australia.

The Pelicans played the second unit for much of the second half and final quarter and United import Milton Doyle (25 points) had a three which could have brought his side within a point of their NBA opponents

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