Now known as the Basketball Australia National Centre of Excellence (CoE), the Australian Institute of Sport basketball program was the pinnacle of basketball development in Australia. The AIS operated by offering 12 scholarships each year to players who had already achieved success in their respective state squads and were identified as potential players for the…
Read MoreAlthough it’s not uncommon to hear of the latest graduate from Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence to accept a scholarship to play with well-known Division I schools like St Mary’s of California, Boise State, UC Riverside but college hoops is also an option many Australian’s who haven’t been identified by the AIS, their state team…
Read MoreI was first introduced to the Flex Offense as a simple continuity that required players to stick to a pattern and wait for a layup to present itself. As a player, I thought it was boring and restrictive. As a coach, I only see Flex action as a part of a set or occurring randomly…
Read MoreIn the heat of the game, the decision to make a change – or to stay the course – is one instance when coaches can impact the outcome of the game in real-time. Whether it is a change in the coverage of an action, how an individual player is defended, or where to attack offensively,…
Read MoreThe first thing that I notice when I sit down with Isaac Humphries is his 7 foot frame towering over me. He barely fits into the chair at the café table where we sit for our interview. Unfortunately there aren’t any other chairs available, but he doesn’t look perturbed – I get the impression that…
Read MoreWe know only Hoops Tragics listen to this show, so for something different we sit down with Pete Philo, who spent 14 years as an NBA scout with the Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks. Pete, who was also a director of scouting for the Chinese National team from 2010-12, goes into great…
Read MoreAustralian women’s basketball has been a force in world standards for many years and the trend is not slowing, rather gathering more momentum and driving interest in our pathways for junior girls. Who can forget our 2016 Sapphires who defeated Italy 62-38 in the FIBA U17 women’s world championship final to become the first…
Read MoreThe NBL and W Sports and Media are pleased to announce in hosting of Australia’s first inaugural National Pro Combine on 20-21 June 2016 in Melbourne. This excellent and historic event gives NBL clubs and SEABL clubs the chance to pick up young Australian basketball talent and also a potential pathway to the NBL. The combine is…
Read MoreI turned 30 years old last year. Ancient, I know. But when I was a junior I played at a pretty high level of ball. I played CBL against a young Shane McDonald (New Zealand Breakers). I lined up against Troy Chaplain (Richmond Tigers) playing for Country Victoria, tried (and failed) to defend Brad Robbins…
Read MoreDo you want to become a professional basketball player? Nothing will crush your odds of joining the basketball elite like a history of knee pain. If you can’t run or jump with 100% effort, you won’t reach your full potential as a player. Without exceptional skills, you will go undrafted. To join the basketball elite,…
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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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