With uncertainty around the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) many stars have chosen to play elsewhere this season, and a number of them have decided to spend this season in the NBL while the CBA gets its act together. Under the influence of the epidemic and major changes to the CBA contract, this year, the league…
Read MoreRobbie Heath grew up on the outskirts of Melbourne, in the basketball hotbed of Whittlesea, around 40 minutes from the CDB. Much like Ben Simmons, Dante Exum and even Kyrie Irving, Heath is a product of one of the many US imports who came to Australia in the 1980s and 1990s to play basketball. His…
Read More“I wanna be like Mike” to quote the 1992 Gatorade commercial. This advertising campaign was merely a promotional ploy focused on selling sugary beverages, but it is also an example of how endemic the belief is that Michael Jordan has no equal on a basketball court, and how this myth has been spread throughout society. Michael…
Read MoreDespite losing Rio Olympian Chris Goulding to injury, being unable to hold player selection camp and having only one training session prior to facing an unbeaten Filipino national team, Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis says it’s a challenge the team is ready for. “We haven’t seen each other for three months and that’s a challenge,…
Read MoreEveryone 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,…
Read MoreHere 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…
Read More18-year-old Adam Lulka, who plays for Penrith Panthers and in his final year of high school at The King’s School, Parramatta has been snapped up by the University at Albany. Securing a four-year scholarship, he says he will most likely undertake a psychology degree while playing for the university’s basketball team the Albany Great…
Read MoreWith all the excitement of the Olympics, it wouldn’t be a surprise if you didn’t notice one of Australia’s finest talents outside of that Boomers team recently who has signed to play for a Lithuanian powerhouse in 2017/17. Ben #Madgen from #Australia will be playing in @BCLietkabelis next season. Welcome to #Panevezys, @iMadgen01! pic.twitter.com/XXra8BOaB7…
Read MoreWith 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…
Read MoreDespite a gut-wrenching loss to Serbia, Australia remains focused on making basketball history – not repeating it. The Boomers cinderella run through the group stages had the nation believing a chance at a gold medal was possible until their semi-final loss to Serbia which NBA small forward Joe Ingles labelled “pathetic”. “We’re all very…
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