Preview | R3 Away v Sydney

The Brisbane Bullets will look to remain unbeaten to start Hungry Jack's NBL27 and open their Ignite Cup campaign with a win when they take on the defending champion Sydney Kings at Afterpay Arena on Wednesday night.

The Bullets have made an impressive start to the new season, winning their opening two games at home, but now face their first road test of NBL27 against the Kings.

It is a new-look Brisbane team under coach Will Weaver, with a reshaped playing group, and the early signs have been encouraging. Wednesday night presents the biggest test yet, with both teams entering the clash undefeated at 2-0.

The game will also mark the start of the Ignite Cup, presented by 7-Eleven, with the in-season tournament taking place on Wednesdays throughout NBL27 before a four-team finals series in Canberra following the regular season.

There is a $550,000 prize pool on offer, while every Ignite Cup game also counts towards the NBL regular season, meaning plenty is at stake from the outset.

The Bullets opened NBL27 with an 88-85 win over the New Zealand Breakers at Pat Rafter Arena, led by a spectacular debut from Arnas Velička, who finished with 23 points, 14 assists, five rebounds and five three-pointers.

Tyrell Harrison added 22 points, seven rebounds and four blocks, while Nate Hinton contributed 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Brisbane backed that up on Friday night with a 103-95 win over the Illawarra Hawks, with rookie Max Mackinnon producing a breakout performance of 31 points, 12 rebounds and six three-pointers.

Harrison added 17 points, five rebounds and four assists, Hinton had 16 points, 10 rebounds and four steals, Velička recorded 17 points and 11 assists, while Jacob Holt finished with 12 points and four rebounds.

The defending champion Kings also enter Wednesday night's clash with a 2-0 record, setting up an early-season battle between the NBL's two undefeated teams.

Wednesday will also see Weaver coach against his former club for the first time since returning to the NBL.

Weaver coached the Kings to within two games of a championship in NBL20, with Sydney's Championship Series against the Perth Wildcats abandoned after three games as the COVID-19 pandemic brought the season to an early end.

Now back in the NBL with Brisbane, Weaver's first road game of NBL27 takes him straight back to Sydney.

Weaver is looking forward to returning to a place where he built strong relationships during his previous stint with the Kings, but his focus is firmly on Wednesday night's challenge.

"I'm just excited to see a bunch of people I love again so I am looking forward to getting back to Sydney," he said.

"But my focus is on how we can beat the hell out of them."

GAME INFO – IGNITE CUP by 7-ELEVEN

Who: Brisbane Bullets vs Sydney Kings

Tip off: 7:30pm (AEST), Wednesday 30 September, 2026

Where: Afterpay Arena, Sydney

Watch: ESPN via Foxtel, Kayo and Disney+