Excitement is growing as British men's top-flight basketball prepares for a new season. The reigning champions, London Lions, are set to face off against the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers in a prestigious friendly match in the United States on 12 October. This will mark the first time a British team faces an NBA squad in a non-competitive game. The third season of the men's Super League Basketball (SLB), which replaced the defunct British Basketball League in 2024, kicks off on Friday. The Lions will begin their campaign against Bristol Flyers, with the league now featuring 10 teams after the inclusion of Liverpool Basketball. Meanwhile, the women's Super League Basketball (SLBW) will start on Saturday, 3 October, with Cardiff Met Archers hosting B Braun Sheffield Hatters in the opening match. Last season, the London Lions achieved a rare "domestic quadruple" by winning the SLB Championship, SLB Playoffs, SLB Cup, and SLB Trophy. The team is aiming to build on that success as the season progresses, with the campaign concluding in May. Paul Blake, owner of the Newcastle Eagles and an SLB director, said the league is "the most competitive it's been in all those 30 years" he has been involved with. He praised the "highest level of player quality" across all teams, emphasizing the growing strength of the league. In international competitions, Manchester Basketball made history by becoming the first British team to win a qualifying round match in Fiba's Basketball Champions League, defeating the German side Wurzburg Baskets. Bristol Flyers will again compete in the European North Basketball League (ENBL), where Manchester finished as runners-up last season. The London Lions, meanwhile, are returning to the EuroCup for a second consecutive season and are in good form after defeating the EuroLeague team Paris Basketball in a pre-season match earlier this month. The London Lions' upcoming friendly against the Portland Trail Blazers has generated significant buzz. London Lions CEO Lenz Balan expressed his excitement, saying he had dreamed of playing in the NBA since childhood. The team has also made strategic summer signings, including the loan arrival of Keenan Evans, a 2025-26 EuroLeague winner. In the women's league, the Cardiff Met Archers have a unique team structure, with four players receiving salaries while also pursuing master's degrees at the university. The rest of the team consists of players on scholarships, postgraduate and undergraduate students, and those balancing basketball with full-time careers. Archers head coach Stef Collins, a member of Great Britain's 2012 Olympic squad, believes the league has the potential to grow into something people genuinely want to watch and follow, especially with the rising popularity of women's basketball globally.