NBL News

Sixteen-time NBA champions Los Angeles Lakers are in the midst of free agency. They only have four NBA players on their current roster, including incoming rookie Talen Horton-Tucker,  swingman Kyle Kuzma and future Hall of Famers LeBron James and Anthony Davis. They recently extended qualifying offers to guard Alex Caruso and forward Johnathan Williams. Potentially,…

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Marco Selorio 0 June 30, 2019 1675 Views

Basketball in Newcastle is booming and as a result a brand new 10-court facility, which will include a 4,000 seat show court, after securing $25 million in funding through this week’s state budget. The venue has been built with a plan to launch the regions inaugural WNBL team and possibly an NBL team back to the…

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Dan Boyce 0 June 28, 2019 2654 Views

Download and listen to Aussie Hoopla podcast on the links below. iTunes – Spotify – Stitcher – Libsyn – TuneIn   Benny Lewis played 250 games in the NBL and was one of the most potent scorers of the 1980’s. He arrived in the NBL in 1981, signing with Illawarra and averaging 20.5 points per game in his first season. He…

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Dan Boyce 0 June 26, 2019 2721 Views

Last year the Sydney Kings Amritpal Singh made history by becoming the first Indian born player to compete in the National Basketball League. At 27 years old Singh had already achieved arguably more than any basketball player India has produced. He had captained the national team, led India to some key international victories and after…

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Dan Boyce 0 June 17, 2019 2366 Views

James Harden, Anthony Davis and Damien Lillard are apparently not enough for Australian basketball fans, many of whom have slammed the 20-man Team USA squad announced today to take on the Boomers in Melbourne, as ‘underwhelming’. There are even calls from some to refund or sell their tickets. But calls to refund their tickets are…

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Jarrad Hurley 0 June 11, 2019 1170 Views

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…

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Dan Boyce 0 2094 Views

Rumours 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…

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Dan Boyce 0 May 31, 2019 1297 Views

One 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…

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Dan Boyce 0 May 21, 2019 900 Views

Although 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…

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Dan Boyce 0 April 28, 2019 1119 Views

Nate 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…

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Dan Boyce 0 April 15, 2019 1801 Views
  • Which NBL Teams Spent the Most?

    Over the past three NBL seasons, clubs have spent almost $97 million assembling their rosters, but how much of that money has translated into wins, and which teams have delivered the best value for money? These figures represent cash spend, not salary cap spend. Cash spending includes player salaries and additional costs such as agent fees, bonuses, import related expenses and luxury tax, rather than simply the amounts counted against the league's salary cap. How much have NBL teams spent over the past three seasons?…

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  • ARE THE HAWKS “TIRED” OF TATUM’S VOICE?

    Larry Bird believed players began tuning out coaches after three years. Pat Riley reportedly put the limit at five, while Steve Kerr admitted his Golden State players were tired of hearing him in his fourth season. Now Justin Tatum is in his fourth season with Illawarra, and the Hawks have gone from NBL champions to the bottom of the ladder. Could they be experiencing the same problem? Justin Tatum transformed Illawarra from one of the NBL's worst teams into champions. But ahead of today's clash…

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  • COULD BRIAN GOORJIAN HAVE SAVED THE MELBOURNE TIGERS?

    In 2002, the Melbourne Tigers were fighting for survival when they identified an opportunity to attract supporters from their biggest rivals. Their plan to honour Brian Goorjian was blocked by the Victoria Giants, potentially changing the course of Melbourne basketball history. In 2002, the Melbourne Tigers devised a plan that could have changed the future of their club. The Tigers were emerging from financial administration, crowds were falling and the club had been forced to abandon its home at Vodafone Arena, now known as John…

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  • GOLD COAST NBL EXPANSION SET TO BECOME A REALITY?

    A new funding proposal, a crucial November meeting and renewed interest from the NBL could finally provide a pathway for professional basketball to return to the Gold Coast. The Gold Coast's long-running push to return to the NBL has reached another critical stage, with Mayor Tom Tate preparing to meet Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie in November to discuss the future of the proposed $1 billion Gold Coast Arena. After years of negotiations, changing timelines and funding setbacks, the city's hopes of securing an NBL…

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  • Paul Rees on NBL titles, battles with Brian Goorjian and small town success

    Four-time NBL champion and 1994 Grand Final MVP Paul Rees joins the podcast to reflect on his journey from small-town basketball to a 17-season NBL career with the Brisbane Bullets, North Melbourne Giants and Adelaide 36ers. Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms. Host Dan Boyce chats with Rees about winning championships with North Melbourne and Adelaide, playing under Brett Brown and Phil Smyth, representing Australia at the 1994 World Championship, and battling Brian Goorjian and some of the NBL’s best teams throughout…

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  • MELBOURNE UNITED NEEDS TO DECIDE: Are they the Tigers or not?

    Jensen Bradtke wearing his father Mark’s famous No. 50 should be one of the great stories of NBL27. Instead, it has again exposed a question Melbourne United has never properly answered: when does Melbourne Tigers history belong to United, and when doesn’t it? Seeing BRADTKE and No. 50 together on a Melbourne basketball jersey again should be nothing other than a celebration. Jensen Bradtke is beginning his first season with Melbourne United, wearing the same number his father Mark wore through one of the great…

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  • The Next Step: Breakout player candidates for NBL27

    Every NBL pre-season, there is plenty of attention on players around the league who could take the next step in their professional basketball journey. A breakout can happen in different ways. For some players, it’s getting more opportunity. For an established player, it can mean building on what they have already achieved and elevating their game to another level. For others, it may simply take a new home where their skills can be maximised. Below are four players who I think are ready to break…

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  • Mario Donaldson on THAT 1994 NBL Dunk Contest and his time playing with Sydney & Canberra

    Former Sydney Kings and Canberra Cannons import Mario Donaldson joins the podcast to revisit his time in the NBL, including competing in the famous 1994 NBL Dunk Contest, the highs and lows of his seasons in Sydney and Canberra, and the success he found playing around the world. Host Dan Boyce chats with Donaldson about arriving in Sydney in 1994 and playing alongside Leon Trimmingham, helping the Kings return to the playoffs and establishing himself as one of the league’s best outside shooters. Visit dunk.com.au…

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