2024-25 NBL Season + Off-season news

[amber_fluid]

Will be no tickets available for any games at this rate.
The season will be a complete sellout well before the season even starts

Got this email today:

Due to overwhelming demand, full–season reserved seat memberships and general reserved memberships for new members are currently exhausted.

If you would still like a full-season reserved seat membership, you can join our reserved seat membership waitlist for a fee of $10 per seat.

This will grant waitlist members the first rights to any full-season reserved seats that become available after our existing reserved seat members have renewed and seat change requests have been fulfilled.

Existing members have until Friday 18th of July to renew their membership and keep the same package.

More general reserved seat memberships may become available once all existing general reserved members have had the opportunity to renew. We will continue to communicate with regards to the availability for new members.

[Gozu]

The NZ Breakers have announced they've re-signed star import Parker Jackson-Cartwright to a 2 year deal who just finished the season playing in Lithuania.

https://nbl.com.au/news/unfinished-busi ... -a-mission

[PatowalongaPirate]

Uh oh....

The Chinese Anti-Doping Agency has released the names of two American basketball players who failed in-competition tests in April during the domestic league.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Chinese Basketball Association said it had been notified by the agency of doping violations involving Montrezl Dashay Harrell and Troy Akeem Gillenwater.

It said both players tested positive for Carboxy-THC and that both have given up the right to have their “B” samples tested. The CBA said it would impose penalties on the players once the anti-doping agency had made a final decision on the case.

Carboxy-THC is found in cannabis. The World Anti-Doping Agency bans all forms of psychoactive cannabinoids during in-competition periods.

[Gozu]

Half the players in the NBA smoke dope on the reg to help them get to sleep after games. To quote a noted scholar, "Ain't no thang".

[Jim05]

Can’t smoke pot but you can juice your female swimmers up so they look like The Rock

[amber_fluid]

It’s not a performance enhancing drug anyway
What’s the problem?
Other than a few snowflakes getting upset about it?

[Gozu]

A big day at the NBA Draft saw four Aussies/NBL players drafted Brisbane Bullets centre Rocco Zikarsky had his rights traded to Minnesota (drafted by Chicago pick #45), Tyrese Proctor from Duke was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers pick #49, Sydney Kings forward Alex Toohey had his rights traded to Golden State (drafted by Phoenix pick #52) and local lad and ex-36er Lachlan Olbrich from the Illawarra Hawks had his rights traded to Chicago (drafted by the LA Lakers pick #55).

The shake out:

#45 Rocco Zikarsky, Minnesota
#49 Tyrese Proctor, Cleveland
#52 Alex Toohey, Golden State
#55 Lachlan Olbrich, Chicago

Also the Tasmania JackJumpers have signed import Bryce Hamilton to a one-year deal. He's a 6'4" SG who played in Germany last season.

https://nbl.com.au/news/hamilton-takes- ... -in-tassie

Finally the NBL announced the Blitz pre-season tournament will be held in Canberra this year and will run from August 27-31. The 36ers will play two games against the Illawarra Hawks on Wednesday August 27 and against the Tasmania JackJumpers on Saturday August 30.

https://nbl.com.au/news/blitz-heads-to-canberra

[Gozu]

Melbourne United have announced the signing of import Tyson Walker to a one-year deal. He's a 6'1" PG that played in the G-League last season.

https://nbl.com.au/news/walker-this-way ... sive-guard

Over the weekend the NBL played two games against Japan's B.League in Tokyo and in the first game the NBL won 75-64. Top scorers for the NBL Select team were Kyle Adnam with 14 points and Angus Glover with 13 points and for B.League United Marcus Tobin had 17 points and Kazuki Hosokawa and Takuto Nakamura each scored 12 points.

In the second game the NBL Select team won 78-69. For the NBL team Josh Bannan scored 23 points, Kyle Adnam had 12 points and Angus Glover added 10 points and for the B.League United Keita Imamura had 13 points and Troy Murphy, Takuto Nakamura and Jonnivius Smith each scored 11 points.

[Gozu]

The Sydney Kings have announced the return of import Tim Soares on a one-year deal. The 6'11" centre won a championship with the Kings in 2023 and has spent the past couple of seasons playing in Japan.

https://nbl.com.au/news/homecoming-king ... ith-sydney

Also Basketball Australia have announced a 14 man squad for the upcoming FIBA Asia Cup and the Boomers will play a warm up game against the University of Colorado on the Gold Coast on Thursday July 31.

Australian Boomers squad

Angus Glover
Ben Henshall
Dash Daniels
Harry Wessels
Jack McVeigh
Jack White
Jaylin Galloway
Josh Bannan
Owen Foxwell
Reyne Smith
Sean Macdonald
Will Hickey
Will Magnay
Xavier Cooks

https://nbl.com.au/news/next-gen-and-bi ... cup-warmup

[Gozu]

The Perth Wildcats have signed 18 year old big Noa Kouakou-Heugue to a Next Star contract. He's a 6'10" forward from France who plays for the INSEP academy there and just played for France at the FIBA U/19 World Cup.

https://nbl.com.au/news/deja-vu-wildcat ... connection

He replaces the Wildcats Next Star from last season Izan Almansa who has signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.

[Gozu]

The SE Melbourne Phoenix have announced the signing of import Vrenz Bleijenbergh to a one-year deal. He's a 6'10" forward from Belgium who played in Turkey last season.

https://nbl.com.au/news/heartlands-new- ... elgian-big

The Phoenix have also announced the mutual release of import Omari Moore who is now expected to sign with EuroLeague club Valencia.

Also the Illawarra Hawks have announced the signing of Harry Froling as an injury replacement player with an option for next season. The 6'11" centre makes his return to the NBL after the attack outside a nightclub that left him with a fractured skull in January 2023. He played in the NZ NBL and NBL1 South this off-season.

https://nbl.com.au/news/comeback-comple ... in-the-nbl

[DOC]

A man who allegedly racially abused NBL star Montrezl Harrell via social media has been charged following what authorities have described as the "first-ever successful arrest" for such an offence in Australian basketball.

In a statement, Basketball Australia (BA) said the accused, a 37-year-old man from the Melbourne suburb of Huntingdale, was arrested by Victoria Police Wednesday last week.

Police allege the messages were sent directly to the Adelaide 36er's personal social media account following a match against Melbourne United at John Cain Arena on Sunday, November 17.

"These messages were sent from an anonymous account, with officers working to identify the sender since the matter was referred to Victoria Police," police said.

Several fans were ejected during that match following an altercation with 36ers players, but police said the man was "not connected to any" of those fans.

Police said the accused had been "charged with using a carriage service to menace, harass and/or offend" and had been bailed to appear at Moorabbin Magistrates' Court on August 15.

In a statement released on Friday, BA said the arrest had been made after its integrity unit reported the incident to police.

BA said it was the "first-ever successful arrest of a person in Australian basketball on charges of racially abusing an athlete via social media".

"This is a landmark moment in strengthening the measures available to BA and the NBL, alongside legal authorities, to safeguard and protect athletes in all areas of public access," BA said in a statement.

The 36ers confirmed the arrest involved alleged abuse against one of its players.

"The Adelaide 36ers commend Victoria Police and Basketball Australia's Integrity Unit for their strong stance in pursuing this matter," it said in a statement.

The club said Harrell, a former NBA player, had been made "aware of the arrest and is comfortable with the way the matter has been handled".

"The club will continue to call out racism and remains committed to ensuring it provides and is part of an inclusive, welcoming and safe environment for players, staff and fans," it said.

In October, Harrell posted on social media about separate racial abuse he had allegedly been subjected to — also from an anonymous account.

The abuse was sent directly to his social media account and BA's integrity unit was also notified of that incident.

A spokesperson for BA said the arrest highlighted the fact that "there are laws in place to govern appropriate behaviour towards athletes".

"The individuals targeted by hateful messages are human, and Basketball Australia commends the courage it takes to call out this behaviour," the spokesperson said.

"Taking a stand sends a clear message of zero tolerance and helps drive the cultural change needed to create a safe sport and respectful environment for everyone."