Ten years ago, the National Basketball League, and Australian basketball in general was a failing disaster. Crowds of as little as 1,000 spectators to domestic matches, hardly any television coverage, limited financial backing and exposure, no genuinely elite talent in the NBA. It looked to be falling apart… literally.
Now as we embark on the 2019/20 NBL Season, the league has returned to the glory days of the 1980’s and 1990’s. It has past those times and has now risen to the highest level we have seen. Within the next decade, it’s expected to rise even more and it’s not beyond the realms of possibility it could be a top three sport in this country, taking it right up to the likes of Australian Rules Football and Cricket.
The standard of matches here down under is right at the top level. The games are fast, they’re exciting, they’re jammed packed with hoops tragics and now with a ninth team entering the league this season… it is sure to get even tighter! Australian’s on the international stage is at the peak of its powers as it stands. The likes of Aron Baynes, Ben Simmons, Joe Ingles, Matthew Dellavadova, Patty Mills and co. are tearing it up for their respective clubs in the NBA as well as for the Boomers in the FIBA World Cup.
Having said that, I personally am an Australian hoops tragic and would love to see our league here down under continue to soar and reach those unprecedented levels. I would love to see some of our Australian talent play in our league. I certainly acknowledge the NBA always has and always will be the premier basketball league in the world. But to have our elite talent represented on home soil is pivotal to our longevity. That is why it’s such a positive thing to see Andrew Bogut and Mitch Creek returning to the NBL after time in the NBA.
As it stands, we have nine clubs in the NBL with the inclusion of the South East Melbourne Phoenix entering in 2019/20. One of the only things in my opinion still needs to happen, is seeing the competition comprise of at least fourteen clubs… preferably sixteen. This is not something that would be easy, nor could it happen with the click of a finger, but in ten to twenty years from now it would be great to see further progression.
A club from Tasmania returning to the NBL is a must, just as it is for AFL, it is absolutely essential for our league. Ideally, having at least one club from every state in the country would be fantastic… although the Northern Territory would likely struggle due to the lack of financial backing.
Enticing international talent to venture to Australia and play in this wonderful league is now common. LaMelo Ball and RJ Hampton choosing the NBL route over College basketball will hopefully set the foundation for others to follow suite.
Also, as it stands, there is a top four system that work similarly to AFL and A-League finals. This I agree with, I for one am a rare basketball fan who would rather not see a conference system be applied when it comes to who plays who during the season. Having every one play each other is a true reflection of who the best is… and hopefully it remains this way. The play-offs probably need some re-shaping though. Ideally, it would be great to see the Grand Final series extended to seven games eventually, with five in my opinion still being too short. But I’ll leave that up to the educated ones to decide.
Time to get excited Aussie fans, the NBL is seriously going places. This isn’t an easy league to play in, it’s fast, hard and tough. Expect a competitive season ahead, may the best team win.
Dan is a self-confessed Aussie hoops tragic from Adelaide, South Australia. He is a young sports broadcaster and journalist with a passion for the NBL and Australian Boomers. Also hosts his own sports podcast; Amato's 5th Quarter.
