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Season Results Record: 10-18 (Last) Average Points: 81.0 (8th in league) Average Points Against: 85.4 (6) Points Differential: -4.4 (8)   Statistical leaders Points: Torrey Craig – 15.2 Assists: Adam Gibson – 3.8 Rebounds: Torrey Craig – 8.0 Blocks: Tom Jervis – 0.8 Steals: Torrey Craig – 1.1   Team MVP – Torrey Craig The one shining…

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Kyle Abbott 0 February 19, 2017 2344 Views

As a gift from the basketballing gods or just a lucky break at the right time, I was invited by Aussie Hoopla, and the NBL to not only the MVP awards night but also to a get together with the playoff-bound teams on Larry Kestleman’s private yacht, Vegas.  It was an incredible opportunity to see…

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Kyle Abbott 0 February 16, 2017 2645 Views

When Kevin Lisch drained a jump shot over the outstretched arms of Mitch McCarron with 0.3 seconds to go to beat the Taipans in early November, the Kings were flying. Sitting at 6-2 on the season and firmly entrenched at the top of the NBL ladder, experts and fans alike were proclaiming that the championship…

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Kyle Abbott 0 January 25, 2017 2894 Views

With the NBL Heritage Round starting tonight with Melbourne traveling to Adelaide, it’s always enjoyable to see the old school uniforms that each team produces to honour their past.   This year has a theme, with each club choosing a design that throws back to the 1990s and a special occasion in the team’s history. …

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Kyle Abbott 0 January 12, 2017 4269 Views

The depth of the San Antonio Spurs bench is something that has delivered success for over a decade now and up until now Manu Ginobili has been the proverbial head of that snake.   As the team switches gears into the post-Duncan era Ginobilli remains the spiritual leader of the Spurs’ bench, but it’s Australia’s…

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Dan Boyce 0 December 21, 2016 2571 Views

Mark Worthington is unsure whether he will continue his playing career after the 2016/2017 season NBL season ends. The 33-year-old power forward is experiencing a good season as he’s averaged 11.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game in 15 matches played so far, according to Real GM and NBL. ”It’s a tough one,”…

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Dževad Mešić 0 December 20, 2016 1802 Views

Melbourne United veteran Dave Andersen has avoided surgery with scans showing no structural damage to his injured left knee.   The club said on Monday that Andersen had a grade 2-3 medial ligament strain and although initial fears were Andersen may be out for the entire season, now it seems he should be back on the court…

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Dan Boyce 0 December 12, 2016 1541 Views

A day after Steve Kerr admitted that he used marijuana twice over the last year and a half, players around the league are offering their take on the use of pot in the NBA.   The latest is Andrew Bogut. Prior to a game on Saturday night against the Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks centre and…

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Dan Boyce 0 December 5, 2016 1966 Views

Another topsy-turvy week.  We had a blackout where the laws of basketball were called into question, an overtime thriller between one of the best rivalries in the sport and a couple of legends returning to their old stomping ground.   In a win for equality, second and second last are only separated by two wins. …

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Kyle Abbott 0 November 15, 2016 1530 Views

Hands up all of you who thought Melbourne United would be on the bottom of the ladder after nine games? Not many. After five rounds the Victorian side has only three wins from nine games. Compare that to last season when they were still undefeated. They’re not only losing; the players’ attitude is rubbish, and…

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Kyle Abbott 0 November 9, 2016 1849 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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