Sport Basketball Minor premiers Auckland | Number of teams 10 Champions Wellington Saints | |
League National Basketball League Top scorer Ronnie Joyner (Ponsonby) | ||
The 1985 New Zealand National Basketball League season was the fourth running of the competition. Two new teams entered the league in 1985, expanding the number of teams from eight to ten. 1984 Conference Basketball League (CBL) champions New Plymouth were promoted to the NBL for the 1985 season, while 1984 CBL runners-up Palmerston North were readmitted to the league after being demoted following their last place finish in 1982.
The mid-1980s were considered the league's halcyon days, with Auckland, Canterbury and Wellington the benchmark teams. One of the league's most memorable grand finals was in 1985, with Wellington and Auckland facing off against each other for the third straight year. The game was televised live and most were expecting Auckland to revenge their 1984 defeat after garnering two 20-point wins over Wellington during the regular season. The game was a thriller, having to be sent into overtime after the scores were locked at 100 a piece after four quarters. Saints legend Kenny McFadden went on to hit the winning three-point shot at the buzzer to claim a 114–111 overtime win and back-to-back championships.