Scottie Wilbekin was an integral part of the Cairns Taipans success this year. Narrowly losing to the New Zealand Breakers in the championship game, he averaged 15 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists and guided the team to a #1 spot during the regular season. He alsobecame the first player in club history to win both team MVP…
Read MoreTodd Lichti knew it was only a matter of time before someone surpassed him as Stanford basketball’s career scoring leader. Turns out it took 26 years. “It was always going to be broken at some point,” said Lichti, 48. “In jest, I just sometimes say I babysat it for a while.” Lichti, a 6-foot-4 shooting…
Read MoreSomewhere between the behind-the-back-dribble driving one-handed dunk and the seeing-eye, full-court outlet pass, it occurred to me as I watched Ben Simmons at the Alario Center on Thursday night: Two of the 10 best basketball players in the world under the age of 25 will be playing along the I-10 corridor in 2015. Ben Simmons…
Read MoreDante Exum, Ben Simmons and even Jonah Bolden are second generation Australian basketballers who are now making an impact in the US, but another second generation basketballer is doing the same under much less spotlight, 18 year old Xavier Cooks. The talented 6’8′ swingman had a number of schools courting him which included Santa Barbara,…
Read MoreJack Purchase, son of Melbourne Tigers Legend Nigel Purchase, has committed to playing with the Auburn Tigers in 2014. The Carey Grammar student who was also pursued heavily by TAC Cup team Northern Knights in the hopes he would choose football over basketball committed to the Tigers only five days after officially visiting Auburn. As of…
Read MoreDarcy Malone and Nicholas Duncan, two members of the Silver Medal winning 2012 Australian Junior Men’s team have both signed letters of intent this week to play with Division I basketball programs at Louisiana State (LSU) and Boise State University respectively. Canberra’s Darcy Malone measures in at 213cm and currently for the Canberra Gunners. He made…
Read MoreThe St Mary’s Gaels have grown into one of the most powerful mid-major programs in college basketball thanks to their Australian pipeline of basketball players which has included Adam Capron, Daniel Kickert, Patty Mills and Matthew Dellavedova but before any Aussie had stepped into the gym in Moraga, California the University of New Mexico had…
Read MoreThere are over 80 Division 1 Australian athletes in the USA on college basketball scholarships with double that amount playing at different levels. Although challenging it can be at times living in a different continent Australian player’s have adjusted to life in America. Generally, they have thrived in the Mecca of basketball by achieving great feats on…
Read MoreIt has been proven over time that by going to play college basketball Australian athletes have developed their skills, received more lucrative professional contracts, and achieved more representative positions than player’s that have not. Player’s such as Andrew Gaze, Luc Longley, Andrew Bogut, Patty Mills, and up and coming players such as Matthew Dellevedova, Ryan…
Read More
Two-time NBL champion and five-time NBL Best Defensive Player Darnell Mee returns to the podcast to revisit the unfinished stories from one of the greatest careers in Australian basketball, including Adelaide’s heartbreaking 2001 playoff exit, his decision to leave the 36ers and the fight to keep the Cairns Taipans alive. Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms. Host Dan Boyce chats with Mee about watching his son Micale build his own basketball career in Australia, the chemistry behind Adelaide’s back-to-back championships, becoming teammates…
READ MOREJunior basketball development is where the Australian basketball journey begins. Before players represent Australia or reach the NBL, most first learn the game through their local basketball association. While hundreds of rookies have entered the NBL over the years, the same junior basketball programs regularly appear in their backgrounds. Some associations have developed significantly more NBL talent than others, establishing themselves as important pathways into professional basketball. Until now, a complete record of the junior association responsible for developing every player to have competed in…
READ MORETwo-time NBL champion Matt Garrison joins the podcast to reflect on winning back-to-back championships with two different teams, helping the Wollongong Hawks claim their first NBL title in 2001 before joining the Adelaide 36ers and winning it all again in 2002. Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms. Host Dan Boyce chats with Garrison about arriving in Wollongong as a mid-season import, adjusting from being a high-scoring starter to an important role off the bench, and being part of the Hawks team that…
READ MOREIn 1984, the NBL introduced the three-point line, forever altering the geometry of Australian basketball. Since then, the league has seen traditional snipers, stretch bigs and volume scorers completely revolutionise how offenses operate and defenses scramble. But as the modern game places a premium on spacing and perimeter shooting, a critical question arises: Who are the most efficient and devastating shooters in the 40-year history of the NBL? To cut through the noise, we have to look beyond raw percentages. By combining historical spreadsheet data…
READ MOREPerth 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 MORE