Melbourne United defeated the Adelaide 36ers 100-82 to win their best-of-five series 3-2 and secure their maiden NBL Championship. United’s Chris Goulding was awarded the Larry Sengstock NBL Grand Finals MVP. It was a fitting victory for first-year coach Dean Vickerman, who assumed the head coaching role after a short stint as an…
Read MoreThere is always pressure in stepping onto an NBL court. The cheering in the stands, family and friends watching and the game in the balance, no NBL games are ever easy. Reaching the NBL Finals is even more daunting. Every win is a step towards reaching the pinnacle of Australian basketball, winning an NBL…
Read MoreAs they look ahead to the club’s 30th Anniversary Season, the Sydney Kings today announced that superstar point guard Jerome ‘The Handle’ Randle will return to the purple and gold for the 2018/2019 National Basketball League season. Signed to a one-year deal in 2017, with a team option on a second season, the Kings have now formally put the new deal in…
Read MoreTONIGHT the Perth Wildcats will face-off with the Adelaide 36’ers in game two of their semi-final series at Perth Arena, and obviously, it’s a game which will play a significant role in deciding who will meet Melbourne United in the Grand Final. If Perth can mentally bounce back from the embarrassing 35-point demolition they…
Read MoreMilwaukee Bucks gritty point guard, Matthew Dellavedova, is inching closer to a much-anticipated return to the Bucks bench. The Aussie point guard has been sidelined since injuring his ankle on February 4th in Brooklyn against the Nets. The injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Bucks, who had already had lost…
Read MoreGilas Pilipinas, a collection of the Philippines’ best basketball players, has just arrived in Melbourne City for a chance to qualify into the FIBA World Cup in 2019. But first they need to face reigning FIBA Asia champions Australian Boomers at Margaret Court Arena on Thursday February 22. In a David vs. Goliath match…
Read MoreAngus Brandt has been one of the significant improvers in NBL18, developing his game to become a strong inside scoring option for the Perth Wildcats, but for the 28-year old big man from the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, this story of success wasn’t always set in stone. Brandt was born in Epping,…
Read MoreHead to iTunes to download this episode on your phone or iPod Lindsay Gaze sits down with Dan Boyce on the Aussie Hoopla podcast to share how the Australia Boomers program came about and shares his stories from a career that includes either playing or coaching the men’s national basketball team from it’s inception in…
Read MoreThe Sydney Kings are looking at finishing their NBL season on a high note. They just defeated Brisbane Bullets tonight 90-73 and will go up against New Zealand Breakers at home on Sunday. Now, Sydney is playing for pride and respect and it’s that mentality that has seen them escape the bottom rung of…
Read MoreFor the fourth time in two weeks, Ben Simmons has once again been overlooked for the NBA All-Star game with Charlotte Hornets Kemba Walker being selected as a replacement for injured New York Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis who tore his ACL this week. Walker will join Team LeBron despite the fact Simmons averages more rebounds,…
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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?…
READ MORELarry 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…
READ MOREIn 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…
READ MOREA 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…
READ MOREFour-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…
READ MOREJensen 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…
READ MOREEvery 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…
READ MOREFormer 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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