Aussies Abroad

He’s played with Deandre Ayton, Dante Exum and Lauri Markkanen but he’s not known by too many in his homeland. 23-year-old Keanu Pinder from Derby, Western Australia is another name on the ever-expanding watchlist of young Australian talent. Son of former NBL player, Kendal Pinder, Keanu walked the classic path of both footy and basketball,…

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Luke Rogan 0 August 7, 2018 5906 Views

The first thing that I notice when I sit down with Isaac Humphries is his 7 foot frame towering over me. He barely fits into the chair at the café table where we sit for our interview. Unfortunately there aren’t any other chairs available, but he doesn’t look perturbed – I get the impression that…

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Olivia Oliver-Hopkins 0 December 16, 2017 1901 Views

Melbourne born Venky Jois has signed a two-year deal to play with Croatian team Vrijednosnice Osijek.   Jois, a former student at Box Hill Secondary College has been training with the Melbourne United until recently, including suiting up in their recent pre-season game against China.   After a four-year stint with Eastern Washington (Jois graduated with…

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Dan Boyce 0 August 14, 2017 2801 Views

Everyone remembers where they were at 2:30 am on August 21st, 2016 when Australia went down horrifically to Spain in the bronze medal Match of the Rio Olympics. The hype train was in full steam after coming second in the group, smashing France and Serbia and coming agonisingly close to downing the USA goliath.  So,…

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Kyle Abbott 0 August 5, 2017 2659 Views

The NBA Summer League is three tournaments built to give young players a chance for court time and for others to showcase their skills in the hope of being rewarded with an NBA roster spot With the extraordinary number of Australians, New Zealanders and folks with an Australian connection participating in this year’s Summer League,…

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Kyle Abbott 0 July 5, 2017 1924 Views

Patty Mills has risen from bench player in Portland to meaningful contributor for the San Antonio Spurs. He is entering free agency this offseason and there will be plenty of teams looking to add the Australian.

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Vince Massara 0 June 24, 2017 6781 Views

Australia’s Thon Maker is making waves in the NBA after an impressive rookie season in Milwaukee.

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Vince Massara 0 June 6, 2017 3308 Views

The Utah Jazz’s Australian utility, Joe Ingles has quickly became one of the NBA’s hottest free agents for this coming off-season.   Whilst it was not news to any Australian NBA fan, Australia’s Joe Ingles was a surprise stand-out this for the Utah Jazz this season. Ingles has been the ultimate glue-man for the Jazz…

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Vince Massara 0 May 5, 2017 4698 Views

Here at Aussie Hoopla, we love two things – Australian basketball and trivia about Australian basketball.   As the end of 2016 approaches, it is always nice to look back on the events of the past.   So, print this page out or read it off your screen and play with your friends to see…

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Kyle Abbott 0 December 20, 2016 3707 Views

With the Boomers finishing off their 2016 Rio Olympic Games campaign with heart-wrenching, infuriating fourth place, it’s time to look forward to the next Boomers squad for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.  Many of the key players who led Australia in capturing the country’s hearts in Brazil will be primed for another go around but it’s…

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Kyle Abbott 0 August 22, 2016 2760 Views
  • 10 AUSSIES IN COLLEGE NBL TEAMS SHOULD BE WATCHING

    Which Aussies in college are most likely to become future NBL players? These ten stand out for their production, professional experience and the roles they could earn in the league. The focus is their prospects of securing an NBL contract after college or later in their careers. The full Australian men's Division I player list follows below. 1. Ben Henshall — Ole Miss Henshall brings three seasons of Perth Wildcats experience to Ole Miss, including a final NBL season in 2025–26 averaging 8.9 points, 3.5…

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  • Gold Coast Blaze set to return to the NBL

    Gold Coast councillors have backed further work on an NBL expansion proposal, raising the possibility of a new team entering the competition in 2027/28. The proposed Gold Coast franchise is expected to revive the Blaze name, with Mayor Tom Tate indicating its identity has already been decided. “They’ve already got a name but I can’t tell ya.”Tom Tate Tate has been a leading supporter of the expansion bid and was part of the original Blaze ownership group formed in 2006 alongside David Claxton and Owen…

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  • If NBL Players Were Slipping at Any Other Workplace, Would We Still Be Waiting for a Solution?

    Imagine working in a warehouse where employees repeatedly slip on the same section of flooring. Management knows about it, workers have complained, and someone has already suffered a serious injury. Under Australian workplace safety laws, employers are expected to investigate and manage foreseeable risks, not simply rely on an industry safety certificate. A business found to be in breach of safety obligations could face a WorkSafe improvement notice requiring the hazard to be fixed. A serious breach could lead to prosecution, with companies in Victoria…

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  • Harry Rouhliadeff on NCAA Money and the Rebuilding of the Brisbane Bullets Program

    Brisbane Bullets forward Harry Rouhliadeff joins the Aussie Hoopla podcast to discuss his journey from growing up a Bullets fan to captaining the University of Hawai‘i at March Madness, before returning home to begin his professional basketball career. Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms. Host Dan Boyce chats with Harry about his first NBL start, the faith new coach Will Weaver has shown in him, and the challenges facing the Brisbane Bullets as they look to turn their fortunes around. Having grown…

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  • Which NBL Teams Spent the Most?

    Over the past three NBL seasons, clubs have spent almost $97 million assembling their rosters, but how much of that money has translated into wins, and which teams have delivered the best value for money? These figures represent cash spend, not salary cap spend. Cash spending includes player salaries and additional costs such as agent fees, bonuses, import related expenses and luxury tax, rather than simply the amounts counted against the league's salary cap. How much have NBL teams spent over the past three seasons?…

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  • ARE THE HAWKS “TIRED” OF TATUM’S VOICE?

    Larry Bird believed players began tuning out coaches after three years. Pat Riley reportedly put the limit at five, while Steve Kerr admitted his Golden State players were tired of hearing him in his fourth season. Now Justin Tatum is in his fourth season with Illawarra, and the Hawks have gone from NBL champions to the bottom of the ladder. Could they be experiencing the same problem? Justin Tatum transformed Illawarra from one of the NBL's worst teams into champions. But ahead of today's clash…

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  • COULD BRIAN GOORJIAN HAVE SAVED THE MELBOURNE TIGERS?

    In 2002, the Melbourne Tigers were fighting for survival when they identified an opportunity to attract supporters from their biggest rivals. Their plan to honour Brian Goorjian was blocked by the Victoria Giants, potentially changing the course of Melbourne basketball history. In 2002, the Melbourne Tigers devised a plan that could have changed the future of their club. The Tigers were emerging from financial administration, crowds were falling and the club had been forced to abandon its home at Vodafone Arena, now known as John…

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  • GOLD COAST NBL EXPANSION SET TO BECOME A REALITY?

    A new funding proposal, a crucial November meeting and renewed interest from the NBL could finally provide a pathway for professional basketball to return to the Gold Coast. The Gold Coast's long-running push to return to the NBL has reached another critical stage, with Mayor Tom Tate preparing to meet Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie in November to discuss the future of the proposed $1 billion Gold Coast Arena. After years of negotiations, changing timelines and funding setbacks, the city's hopes of securing an NBL…

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