Download and listen to Aussie Hoopla podcast on the links below. iTunes – Spotify – Stitcher – Libsyn – TuneIn Dusty Rychart was a star at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis where he became a three year starter after being a walk-on in 1997. After missing out on the 2002 NBA draft, moved to Australia and joined the Victoria Giants for the 2002–03 NBL season. Although…
Read MoreRumours have circulated for weeks within basketball circles that the New Zealand Breakers had decided to part ways with head coach Kevin Braswell after the team missed the playoffs last season. Although no announcements have been made as yet, it seems Dan Shamir, the current coach of Hapoel Holon in the Israel Super League will…
Read MoreOne team’s trash becomes another team’s treasure with the announcement that former Melbourne United star Josh Boone, has signed a one year deal to play with the Illawarra Hawks. The 34-year-old Boone was overlooked by the Melbourne United, who chose instead to chase the signature of the much younger, 26-year-old Shawn Long who played last season…
Read MoreAlthough it seems he hasn’t put pen to paper as yet, Shawn Long has agreed to play with Melbourne United in 2019-20. Iight. Everyone is blowing me up. I’ll just go ahead and say I’m excited to sign with @MelbUnitedHQ ! Thank you @NZBreakers for the opportunity and support last season. I look…
Read MoreNate Jawai and the Cairns Taipans have failed to reach an agreement on a new contract for 2019-20 and chances of any being made in the future are now doubtful. Cairns coach Mike Kelly said earlier this month he was keen to bring Jawai back for another season and although it felt as though a…
Read MoreThe NBL plans to expand become a reality on the 2nd of September 2018 when businessman Romi Chaudry was granted the license to the NBL’s ninth franchise. The team now known as South East Melbourne Phoenix, an apt name that incorporates history and a nod to the future all at the same time, is a…
Read MoreIn 1984, the three-point line was introduced into the National Basketball League, with players such as Brian Goorjian, Darryl Pearce, Ron Radliff and Mark Gaze making immediate use of the long range bomb. Since then, we’ve seen Australians like Andrew Gaze, Daniel Kickert and John Rillie master the triple, while imports like Bryce Cotton, Gary…
Read MoreCasper Ware Jr. powered Melbourne United to a second straight NBL Finals appearance with a convincing 90-76 win over the Sydney Kings at Qudos Bank Arena today. The 5’10” guard dominated the game from the start, racking up 17 points in the first half. Ware created havoc with an array of jumpers, three point buckets…
Read MoreIt’s do or die for the Sydney Kings as they prepare for game two of their semi-final showdown with the Melbourne United. The defending champions are rolling right now, having made the Kings look downright foolish in their first semi-final match-up. United cruised to a 95-73 win, making a bold statement that if the Kings…
Read MoreSydney, NSW – Today is D-Day for the Sydney Kings. It’s the second game of their best-of-three semifinal series against defending champions Melbourne United. After last Thursday’s trashing in Melbourne, Sydney are ready to make up for it and make a statement at home. Game 1 is behind them now. The 95-73 loss…
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Former 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…
READ MOREWe wrap up our seven-part deep dive into one of Aussie hoops’ fiercest rivalries — Sydney vs Illawarra — as the modern era turns the heat all the way up and the Freeway Series swings wildly from season to season. Host Dan Boyce picks things up after the Hawks’ rebirth under new ownership and Brian Goorjian — a fresh start that quickly turns into a brutal reality check, including the worst season in franchise history (3–25) — before Illawarra pulls off one of the great…
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