Chicago Bulls NBA star Josh Giddey plays in Frankston social basketball gameBy Luke PentonyTopic:Basketball40m ago40 minutes agoTue 6 May 2025 at 1:42amJosh Giddey (right) poses for a photograph with players from the Benny's Boys team. (Instagram: Frankstonbball)abc.net.au/news/nba-star-josh-giddey-plays-social-basketball-game-in-frankston/105258320Link copiedShareShare articleIt's a regular weeknight in Frankston.You rock up to the local basketball courts for a division-three social game a bit after 9pm, hoping to have a bit of fun.During the warm-up before tip-off, you look over at the opposition and what do you see?Rising Australian NBA star Josh Giddey wearing the singlet of your opposition.Loading Instagram contentThat was the scenario Jesse Lans and his Benny's Boys teammates found themselves in at Frankston Basketball Stadium on Monday evening.Melbourne-born Giddey — who plays for the Chicago Bulls — suited up for the Vales, much to the astonishment of Lans and others who were present.The footage of the game has gone viral, and Lans is still in shock."We just started warming up and one of our guys was like, 'Look who's in the stands'," Lans told ABC Melbourne on Tuesday."We were like, 'Oh no, this game's not going to go our way'."Giddey joined the Chicago Bulls last year. (Getty Images: Justin Casterline)Giddey is accustomed to playing at venues such as Chicago's United Center, which seats more than 20,000 spectators.It's a far cry from Frankston, a suburb more than 40 kilometres south-east of the Melbourne CBD."There was definitely a crowd there growing," said Lans, who described the evening as an "unreal experience"."I even heard that one of the games kind of got cancelled and they all made their way over."Lans admitted he was nervous about potentially injuring Giddey, who is in his off-season with the Bulls."I was a little bit wary about that … you kind of forgot about it once we all got going," he said.Giddey (right) made his NBA debut with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2021. (Getty Images: Michael Reaves)Lans did not back his chances against Giddey, who averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game in the 2024/25 NBA season.But the social basketballer finished the game with a 41-point haul."To be honest, [I] stood absolutely no chance," Lans said."He was much taller than you expect of someone at the point guard position. It was just another level to it."After the game, Giddey — who joined the Bulls after being traded by the Oklahoma City Thunder last year — posed for photographs with rival Benny's Boys players, as well referees and fans.And for the record, Benny's Boys came away with a 110-84 victory over Giddey and the Vales.The ABC of SPORTSports content to make you think... or allow you not to. A newsletter delivered each Saturday.Your information is being handled in accordance with the ABC Privacy Collection Statement.Email addressSubscribePosted 40m ago40 minutes agoTue 6 May 2025 at 1:42am, updated 39m ago39 minutes agoTue 6 May 2025 at 1:44amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)SportFormer AFLW All Australian says 2025 season opener honours traditionTopic:AFL Women’sPhoto shows GettyImages-1736580251 (1)New Zealander one of two dead after 'catastrophic' crash during motorbike raceTopic:Motor SportsPhoto shows A scene of motorbikes and emergency vehicles on a race track.What does Mary Fowler's injury mean for the Matildas heading into the Asian Cup?Topic:ExplainerPhoto shows Mary Fowler shooting at goals South KoreaThunderbirds tell white lie to shield player's pregnancyAnalysis by Brittany CarterPhoto shows A netball player flexes their muscles and smilesZhao becomes China's first world snooker champion after comeback from banTopic:SportPhoto shows Zhao Xintong holds the World Snooker Championship trophy.Top StoriesNationals deputy leader 'shattered' she will likely lose Senate seatLIVEPhoto shows Perin Davey listens to a press conference by Water Minister Tanya Plibersek at Parliament HouseGreens' Adam Bandt in danger as seat of Melbourne remains on knife's edgeTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows A composite photo of a brunette woman, brown haired man with glasses, blonde woman with glasses and dark haired man.Solar uptake a clue to why Australians chose batteries over nuclearTopic:Energy PolicyPhoto shows Electricians place solar panels on roofSurviving lunch guest describes fatal mushroom meal to courtLIVEPhoto shows A digital drawing of Erin Patterson wearing a pink shirtThe timeline prosecutors allege in the mushroom murder trialTopic:ExplainerPhoto shows A woman standing in front of her car.Related storiesExum's Mavs keep playoff dream alive as beaten foe's GM quits hours after lossTopic:BasketballPhoto shows Dante Exum dribbles the basketball in right handGiddey nails NBA game-winner over LeBron from beyond halfcourtTopic:BasketballPhoto shows Josh Giddey shouts in joy as Chicago Bulls teammates embrace him after a game-winning NBA shot.Daniels continues historic tear, LeBron sniffs title and old trade haunts 76ersCAnalysis by Chris De SilvaPhoto shows Dyson Daniels, LeBron James and Joel EmbiidGiddey lauds Caporn as 'perfect guy' to lead Boomers transitionTopic:BasketballPhoto shows Josh Giddey prepares to shoot the basketball'I'm pretty good': Ben Simmons is talking tough, but needs his game to back it up to save his basketball careerCAnalysis by Chris De SilvaPhoto shows Ben Simmons in action for the Brooklyn NetsRelated topicsBasketballFrankstonSportTop StoriesNationals deputy leader 'shattered' she will likely lose Senate seatTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows Perin Davey listens to a press conference by Water Minister Tanya Plibersek at Parliament HouseGreens' Adam Bandt in danger as seat of Melbourne remains on knife's edgeTopic:ElectionsSolar uptake a clue to why Australians chose batteries over nuclearTopic:Energy PolicySurviving lunch guest describes fatal mushroom meal to courtTopic:Law, Crime and JusticeThe timeline prosecutors allege in the mushroom murder trialTopic:ExplainerJust InWhy the head of one of the world's best orchestras still worries about scalesTopic:Classical Music20m ago20 minutes agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:02amFormer AFLW All Australian says 2025 season opener honours traditionTopic:AFL Women’s25m ago25 minutes agoTue 6 May 2025 at 1:58am'This game's not going to go our way': NBA star crashes social game in MelbourneTopic:Basketball39m ago39 minutes agoTue 6 May 2025 at 1:44amNew top cop Mike Bush to make significant changes to Victoria PoliceTopic:Police5m ago5 minutes agoTue 6 May 2025 at 2:17amMore Just InBack to top