NBA All-Star headed to Perth's HoopsFest

The Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) and National Basketball League (NBL) are proud to announce four-time NBA All-Star and Olympic gold medallist DeMarcus “Boogie” Cousins as the NBA Ambassador for HoopsFest Perth, presented by Virgin Australia, which returns to RAC Arena from January 13 to 17, 2027.

Selected fifth overall in the 2010 NBA Draft, Cousins was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in his debut season and went on to earn four consecutive NBA All-Star selections (2015–2018) and two All-NBA Second Team honours (2015, 2016).
On the international stage, he is a two-time gold medallist with Team USA, winning at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Cousins was a special guest at NBA House Australia, and will now head west for the first time to join the biggest edition of HoopsFest yet.

Known for his on-court presence, fiery competitiveness and larger-than-life personality, Cousins is a fitting ambassador for HoopsFest Perth; Australasia’s biggest celebration of basketball, culture and lifestyle, expected to draw thousands of interstate visitors to Western Australia.

The festival will feature five nights of double-headers, featuring every team from the Hungry Jack’s NBL and WNBL, during round 17 of the NBL27 regular season and round 14 of the WNBL27 season, presented by Ford.

>> ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HOOPSFEST

During HoopsFest, Cousins will sit courtside for NBL and WNBL games at RAC Arena, connect with fans across the event, and visit key event sites including Sneakerland and the free Bounce Nation Fan Zone at Forrest Place, while also experiencing the vibrancy of Perth City and exploring the wonders of Western Australia. For fans, the best chance to see him in the flesh is with a ticket to HoopsFest.

Off the court, HoopsFest is a five-day celebration of basketball and culture.

Sneakerland, Australia’s largest festival of sneaker culture, is included in every game-day ticket at RAC Arena, while the free Bounce Nation Fan Zone returns to Forrest Place, in partnership with the City of Perth, as a five-day fan festival celebrating all things basketball culture.

Community clinics, grassroots activations and open training sessions round out the program, all set against Perth’s fantastic summer in January.

“I am excited to get back to Australia and experience all Perth has to offer, after receiving such a warm welcome on my last visit. Western Australia is meant to be incredible in January, and it’s a dream to finally experience it first-hand," Cousins said.

"I want to explore the beaches, head over to Rottnest Island and hopefully meet a quokka, and try a glass of Margaret River’s incredible wine, all while watching some amazing games with the fans. Can’t wait to see you there.”

NBL Chief Product Officer Alex Hamilton added, “HoopsFest has quickly become a signature moment on the basketball calendar, and in its third year in Perth it’s bigger than ever.

"DeMarcus is a proven star of the game with a passionate following here in Australia, and his love for the NBL is well known, so he’s a natural fit to lead the festival’s star power.

"We thank the Western Australian Government, through Tourism WA, for their continued commitment to HoopsFest, and look forward to welcoming fans from across the country to Perth in January.”

Tickets, travel packages and further information are available at HoopsFest.com.au. 

Basketball fans can also stay connected to all the latest event announcements by downloading the NBL App.