The possibility of an NBL expansion team in Geelong has gained momentum, with league owner Larry Kestelman confirming the city is a strong candidate—provided it can secure a suitable venue. However, much like we outlined in an article a number of years ago, How the Geelong Supercats could return to the NBL within 3 years,…
Read MoreThe Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award is supposed to recognise the most dominant defender in the NBA. If that’s the case, then Dyson Daniels should already have his name engraved on the trophy. But as the season winds down, there’s a growing concern that Daniels might get overlooked simply because he’s a guard….
Read MoreSydney Kings captain Xavier Cooks has served most of his one-month suspension for testing positive for cocaine but may still face additional disciplinary action from his club. He was provisionally suspended in early February after returning an adverse analytical finding just two days before the Kings’ sudden-death clash against Adelaide. Basketball Australia later confirmed the…
Read MoreA second Sydney NBL team is expected to be the league’s next expansion franchise, with Gold Coast, Darwin, and Canberra all encountering significant roadblocks in recent months. It’s believed the Harbour City Stars is the leading candidate for the team name, following a branding strategy similar to how San Francisco’s Golden State Warriors use a…
Read MoreRising star Malique Lewis joins the podcast to discuss his incredible journey from Trinidad & Tobago to professional basketball. At just 16, Lewis left home for Spain, where he developed his game with Fuenlabrada, before making the leap to the G League with Mexico City Capitanes. Now, as a Next Star with the South East Melbourne Phoenix,…
Read MoreThe Australian Boomers have reportedly found their next leader, with Washington Wizards assistant coach Adam Caporn set to take over as the national team’s head coach. The news, broken by SEN’s Andy Maher and Andrew Gaze, suggests that Caporn has been selected from a strong shortlist that included Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder, former…
Read MoreFormer West Sydney Razorbacks coach Mark Watkins joins the podcast to take us through the incredible highs and crushing lows of the franchise’s journey in the NBL. Watkins was with the Razorbacks from their inception in 1998 as an assistant coach and eventually took the reins as head coach in 2004. Across nearly a decade…
Read MoreKyrie Irving is taking serious steps toward a potential shift in his Olympic basketball career. While he previously hinted at the possibility of representing Australia at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, he has now confirmed that the process is actively underway. Having won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in 2016, Irving is currently…
Read MoreThe triple-double is one of basketball’s rarest feats, with only 130 recorded in NBL history. The latest to achieve it? Young gun Taran Armstrong of the Cairns Taipans. Armstrong delivered the season’s lone triple-double in Cairns’ 100-88 win over the Brisbane Bullets, lifting the Taipans to just their fourth home victory of the season and…
Read MoreThe NBL has officially announced the finalists for its end-of-season awards, sparking plenty of debate among fans and analysts. With categories including MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Most Improved Player, this year’s selections have drawn praise and controversy, with some notable snubs and unexpected inclusions. MVP Race: Cotton Leading the Pack? The three…
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Perth Wildcats head coach John Rillie joins the podcast to discuss the pressure that comes with coaching one of the NBL’s most successful clubs, the challenge of moving forward after Bryce Cotton’s departure, and what Perth needs to build its next championship contender. Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms. Host Dan Boyce chats with Rillie about taking over the Wildcats after the club missed the finals for the first time since 1986, the expectations of the Red Army, and how Perth’s three…
READ MOREFormer Sydney Kings and Townsville Crocodiles big man Rolan Roberts joins the podcast to reflect on his time in Australia, including joining the Kings mid-season and helping them complete their historic 2005 NBL three-peat. Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms. Host Dan Boyce chats with Roberts about playing under Brian Goorjian, becoming a key interior presence for Sydney, and being part of the Kings team that became the first in NBL history to win three straight championships. The episode also dives into…
READ MOREAt some point over the next 12 months, the Boomers are going to have to make a decision that Australian basketball has managed to avoid for almost two decades. Who exactly is this team built around now? Since 2010, that answer was simple. It was Patty Mills’ team. Mills has been the primary scorer for the Boomers for nearly two decades and few Australian victories have been recorded without a major scoring performance from Patty. But as the Boomers move toward the 2027 FIBA World…
READ MOREA player arriving in the NBL with NBA experience always creates interest. Fans get excited when their team signs a former NBA player, commentators mention it during broadcasts, and every article about that player usually links their NBL performance back to their NBA résumé. Sometimes, we see a big-time college prospect use the NBL as a springboard to the NBA and never return. Other times, established NBA veterans come to Australia looking for a fresh opportunity. And in many cases, local talent develops in the…
READ MOREOver the years, Aussie Hoopla has taken a deep dive into the full list of players who have competed in both the NBL and the NBA. You can see the full list of NBL players who have played in the NBA here: Names from every decade since the 1980s have featured, including NBL legends like Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Lanard Copeland and Rob Rose, alongside a long list of imports who used the NBL as a stepping stone to the world’s biggest stage. But with…
READ MOREFormer Adelaide 36ers star Julius Hodge joins the podcast to reflect on one of the most dominant short stints in NBL history, his journey from the NBA to Australia, and the impact he made during the 2007/08 season. Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms. Host Dan Boyce chats with Hodge about his incredible all-around performances, triple-doubles, and what it was like adjusting to the Australian game mid-season. The episode also dives into his time playing in the NBA and overseas, his perspective…
READ MOREBelow is an up-to-date roster for each NBL team and a list of rumours and potential signings derived from discussions with NBL staff and media. Players listed as contracted come from information supplied by the National Basketball League. * = Denotes import player ** = Naturalised Australian DP = a member of the team's development roster SRP = the previously named Asian player exception denoting an Asian player who qualifies as a local in the NBL. MP = Marquee players listed as known Click here…
READ MORECurrent head coach of the Akita Northern Happinets, Mick Downer joins the podcast to discuss the differences between coaching in Japan and the NBL, his stints with Perth, Cairns, Brisbane and Adelaide over the past 25 years, and his time with the Australian Boomers program. Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms. Host Dan Boyce chats with Downer about what he learnt stepping into the head coaching role in a non-English speaking country, as well as providing updates on NBL talent in Japan…
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