Five to ten years ago, if an Australian headed to Japan, it was typically because of not making NBL roster spots. Players like Venky Jois, Daniel Dillon and Rhys Vague fit this profile. Now Australian basketballers looking to play overseas rarely viewed Japan as a serious career destination. The traditional pathways pointed elsewhere, but that…
Read MoreThe recent FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers in Traralgon showcased not just Australia’s dominance in the region but also why Australian basketball is becoming an invaluable asset for Asian nations looking to grow their game. The Boomers’ commanding victories over Indonesia (109-58) and Thailand (114-64) were not just displays of superior talent but reflections of an…
Read MoreWith basketball booming in Australia and Asia, it seems some are betting on the New Zealand NBL following suit, and they are getting in on owning some of the action. Chris Anstey and sports media company Media8 have purchased the Taranaki Airs and joined the Otago Nuggets, owned by Perth Wildcats owner Paul Hutchison and…
Read MoreThe FIBA Basketball World Cup, is right around the corner, with Australia and the rest of the world’s top basketball nations finalising their rosters. This tracker will keep you up to date with what players will represent their countries as each team announces their preliminary and final rosters over the next month. Rosters displayed on…
Read MoreAs the thrilling NBA Summer League commences, Australian talent is making a powerful impact, both on the court and behind the scenes. Not only will we witness a surge of NBL prodigies showcasing their skills on the global stage, but a promising group of Aussie NBA Front-Office Executives is also stepping into the spotlight. In…
Read MoreNBA superstar shooter, Seth Curry is confirmed to arrive in Australia later this month to appear exclusively at Foot Locker stores and to take part in training clinics across Sydney and Melbourne. Landing on 30 July, Seth will conduct two in-store appearances at Foot Locker Sydney and Melbourne which will be available for all fans to attend. Whilst in Australia, Seth will be…
Read MoreJackson, at 41 years of age, will participate in a national team camp in Canberra next week, 25 years after she was first picked for the Australian team. The four-time Olympic medallist and 2006 World champion last played for Australia in 2013, returned to the court for Albury Wodonga in NBL1 this season and has…
Read MoreFive-star Australian point guard Tyrese Proctor has committed to Duke’s 2023 class, he announced on Thursday. He chose the Blue Devils over offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Proctor, who stands at 193cm and 77kg and is currently a part of the NBA Global Academy based in Canberra. The Global Academy is run…
Read MoreNew Zealand basketball great Kenny McFadden, who has died, aged 61. McFadden, who had battled polycystic kidney disease for the past five to six years, blazed a trail for American imports in New Zealand basketball and also spent a season with the Hobart Devils in 1992. McFadden led his beloved Wellington Saints to repeated NBL…
Read MoreSouth East Melbourne’s Mitch Creek soaring over NBA champion Matthew Dellavedova has become an iconic image for the NBL in the 48 hours since the Phoenix claimed victory in the latest edition of “The Throwdown”, with the footage exploding on US social media after ESPN’s Sportscenter posted the video to their 21 million followers on…
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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…
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