Aussie hoops future

[Big Bunny]

Things are looking very healthy for the future of the Boomers. Andrew Bogut is tipped to go top 3 in the 2005 NBA Draft, with a number of experts saying he'll go #1. Today he scored a career high 33, 16 rebounds and 5 blocks for Utah (ranked 15) in their latest win. Behind him there's Aaron Bruce (Baylor) who is posting big numbers in his freshman year, he's another who will or should slip into the NBA in a couple of years quite readily. Luke Schenscher is playing below his best for Georgia Tech but still soldily with regular double doubles. Alex Loughton is the best player in the Colonial Conference and his numbers don't reflect how good he is.

In all there's about 12 guys making solid progress in US division I colleges, standing out or contributing at a better than average rate, Janev, Kickertt, Martin, Crosswhite among them.

Hopefully they will be given a chance by Goorjian sooner rather than later, alongside domestic guns like Newley and guys overseas such as Anderson and Anstey.

 

[Southern Rooster]

The game within Australia doesn't look so healthy though.

 

[Big Bunny]

The game within Australia doesn't look so healthy though.

To what extent? It's growing in numbers, the juniors being sent to the US are world class and the national team will benefit because of that. The NBL is healthy and following a decent business plan for a change and will rapdily increase its revenue streams once it integrates itself into Asia in the next 5-10 years.

The only downside that I see at the moment is one of the most promising young players in the states just got kicked off his team. Ian Crosswhite was dropped from Oregon because he was too lazy and decided that smoking dope was more important.

 

[Southern Rooster]

The interest amongst the general public in Australia is nowhere near what it was 15 years ago. I know they have all these plans to increase it's revenue streams but people are not going to games. The Kings averaged 4,000 3 seasons ago and still do. It is the same groups and people there every week. Perth crowds are down. There is no real promotion of the actual NBL a bit of lip service on FOX but nothing FTA. I guess we have to wait and see.

 

[Mr Saab]

no FTA = zero growth

 

[Choppies]

It really is a shame and IMO Basketball is on its deathbed unfortunatly.

I do wish we could get some FTA coverage even if it is only 1 game a week

 

[edabomb]

You guys are looking a lot better than NZ. We have a few players in college though, so hopefully we'll keep making the Olympics and Worlds for a bit yet.

 

[Big Bunny]

It really is a shame and IMO Basketball is on its deathbed unfortunatly.

I do wish we could get some FTA coverage even if it is only 1 game a week

A pretty silly comment. Sure there's no FTA exposure, there's no a huge amount of interest but as long as junior numbers are growing in any sport comments like yours are off the mark. Give basketball a star and it will boost the games coverage and Andrew Bogut is such a star. Australia has a fair shot at having a number of NBA players.

Andrew Bogut is not likely to be drafted any lower than at no.5. He's also going to be a mid level star in the NBA or better. Luke Schenscher might get drafted quite low in the second round or not at all, but he'd be a solid role player much like Luc Longley was. Alex Loughton has the potential to do make the same sort of contributions in the NBA that Schenscher would and even better as he's a much bigger scoring threat and is a leader. It's hard to say that Aaron Bruce will be drafted in the next couple of years but since he is the highest scoring freshman in college basketball I'd expect that his stock will continue to rise considerably and he just may be potentially the second best Aussie in basketball history behind Bogut.

It's not out of the question to expect 4 Aussies in the NBA, maybe 5 if Newley goes. We still may only end up with 1, but with a much greater level of strength in the Boomers, with stars joining the likes of Andersen and Anstey in Europe. Across the board that's not all that bad.

 

[Kurt Angle]

I haven't heard of these youngsters playing college ball.

Can anyone tell me the positions these guys play ?

After the 2004 olympics, it's quite obvious the Boomers are a bit thin on the ground when it comes to guards.

 

[Big Bunny]

I haven't heard of these youngsters playing college ball.

Can anyone tell me the positions these guys play ?

After the 2004 olympics, it's quite obvious the Boomers are a bit thin on the ground when it comes to guards.

This is a list of all the Aussie guys currently playing in the US college ranks, from australiabasket.com

Aitken Robert 202 F 83 SE Oklahoma
Albury Ben 188 G Illinois Valley CC
Allen Ben 208 C/F 86 Indiana
Barlow Glen 203 F 81 Wisc.-Parkside
* Blaszczynski Stefan 198 G 84 Nicholls St.
Bogut Andrew 212 F/C 84 Utah
Brebner Dean 201 F Augusta St.
Brennan Mitch 198 F/G 84 Mercyhurst
Brophy Kevin 186 G 85 Georgia
Bruce Aaron 191 G 84 Baylor
Burch Samuel 193 G Santa Barbara CC
Burns Tom 201 F USF
Cameron Christopher 210 F/C 82 Louisiana-Lafayette
Campbell Nic 197 G/F 84 Cal-Irvine
Cannan Ashley 201 F Colorado Christian
Cannon Matt 201 C Frank Phillips JC
Clarke Tyson 193 G/F 81 Viterbo
Conias Emmanuel 196 F/C Christian Heritage
Conias Frank 202 F Nyack
Conn Simon 206 F/C Gardner-Webb
Cook Scott 185 G Lindsey Wilson
Cooper Luke 183 G Alaska-Anchorage
Cooper-Brown Nathan 196 F Dominican
Crosswhite Ian 212 F 82 Oregon
Darragh Josh 188 G Long Beach City CC
DeChellis Paul 198 G Anderson
Deich Jason 198 F E.Wyoming JC
Dillon Daniel 191 G Arizona
Dreaver Caleb 206 C Coll.of the Ozarks
Evans Chris 213 C Lindsey Wilson
* Fereti Zarryon 194 G 84 S.Idaho JC
Fitzgerald John 194 G/F 84 Lindsey Wilson
George Daniel 209 F/C 82 Seton Hill
Gleeson Kieran 205 C 84 Nicholls St.
Gray Rowan 206 C 83 Christian Heritage
Greer Tommy 201 F 84 Nova SE
Hamilton Paul 201 G/F 84 Cascade
Harms Andrew 193 G Metro St.
Harris Sam 221 C 84 ODU
Hayman Alex 193 G Colorado Mines
Hedges Luke 209 F/C Canisius
Henderson Luke 194 G Christian Heritage
Hickey Phillip 203 G/F Lincoln CC
Hitchens Scott 205 F Brewton Parker
Hobba Brent 205 F/C 82 Colorado Christian
Hodgeson Rob 196 F Siskiyous JC
Holden Jon 205 F 82 Minnesota
Hunt Ben 186 G 78 Texas Wesleyan
* Hyams Eban 194 G/F Co.Georgia CC
Isaacson P.J. 197 G/F 84 S.Connecticut
Iti Martin 213 C 83 Charlotte
Iwanicki Dale 190 F Iowa Wesleyan
Jackson Christopher 206 F 85 Portland
Janev Blagoj 203 F 84 New Hampshire
Kelly Rhett 198 F Lindsey Wilson
Kickert Daniel 209 C 83 St.Mary's, CA
Knight Matthew 201 F 85 Loyola Marymount
Kuhn Jeff 196 F Cuesta JC
Labka Anthony 207 C 84 Lindsey Wilson
Labka Tim 196 G/F Westminster
Lemezs Trevor 201 F Cameron
Lester Brian Clayton St.
Leven Steve 196 G 82 Wyoming
Lewis Lloyd 198 F/G 85 Christian Heritage
Loughton Alex 205 F/C 83 ODU
Maric Aleksandar 209 C 84 Nebraska
Martin Damian 186 G 84 Loyola Marymount
McCormick Ashley 201 F Missouri Baptist
McDonald Shane Nova SE
McFadden Levi 183 G W.Wyoming CC
McGlynn Ben 187 G 81 Brewton Parker
McKay Luke 195 G 77 E.Carolina
Meakin Ryan 175 G 80 Cal.Baptist
* Mills Danny 193 G 84 Three Rivers CC
Mitchell David 202 F/C 82 Adams St.
Moore David 196 F/C Dominican
Nevill Luke 213 C 86 Utah
Nikolic Marko 201 F Freed-Hardeman
Nitsios Oresti 197 G 86 Nova SE
Paget Scott 193 G 85 New York Tech
Parry Ryan 201 F/C Brewton Parker
Podger Dean 196 F Great Falls
Purcell Neil 192 G Lon Morris JC
Randall Warren 179 G 83 Iowa Central CC
Rivera Nick 172 G Nebraska CC
Ryan Lawrence 203 F Seminole JC
Schenscher Luke 213 C 81 Georgia Tech
Shepherd Jonathon 191 G Nova SE
Smith Hayden 200 F 85 New York Tech
Spehr Todd 180 G Lamar CC
Spencer-Gardner Luke 186 G ORU
Steinke Dane 208 C Tusculum
Susnjara Anthony 203 F/C 81 C.Carolina
Tanner Adam 206 F/C 85 Seward County CC
Thompson Ryan 198 F 82 Connecticut
Tovey Cameron 201 F Augusta St.
Tran Andrew 178 G Salem Intern.
Tribe-Simmons Liam 186 G Christian Heritage
Tunstead Patrick 196 G 81 New York Tech
Unicomb Matt 193 G Tusculum
Walker Lucas 201 F Montana St. - Billin
Watts Steve 199 F N.Michigan
Weir Josh 190 G 85 Kaskaskia JC
Williams Stephen 183 G 83 Belmont Abbey
Williamson Drew 193 G 83 Metro St.
Worthington Mark 201 F 83 Metro St.

 

[Trollhammaren]

Harris Sam 221 C 84 ODU

Would this guy be the tallest player we've got? We've never had a HUGE centre, bar maybe Luc Longley

 

[Big Bunny]

Harris Sam 221 C 84 ODU

Would this guy be the tallest player we've got? We've never had a HUGE centre, bar maybe Luc Longley

More than likely, Longley was 7"2. Harris at the moment doesn't get much court time because he's behind Alex Loughton, who I'd rate as the 3rd best Aussie in NCAA division 1 behind Bogut and Bruce. It reminds me, Martin Iti was thinking about applying for the draft last year and listed himself as 7ft. When they measured him with his shoes off he was registered as being 4ft shorter. Since then his stats have turned into rubbish as well.

 

[Kurt Angle]

4 foot shorter ?

He's only 3 foot ?

Now that's overlisting

 

[Big Bunny]

My mistake, I meant inches of course.

 

[douglasallen91]

quite surprising aussie's don't have a nba player while new zealand has one full time (sean marks) and one part time (kirk penney) nba player

 

[Big Bunny]

quite surprising aussie's don't have a nba player while new zealand has one full time (sean marks) and one part time (kirk penney) nba player

Not really. It doesn't make sense for a player of Mark's or Penney's ability to be playing at the lower wage bracket of the NBA when they could get better minutes and pay in Europle.

Chris Anstey quit the NBA because the money is better in Russia for a player at his level of strength. David Andersen is another who could pick up minutes in the NBA but who is doing what's best for his future by playing in Russia. When it's added up Australia has had better success in the NBA, only that the players are better off elsewhere. Longley, Gaze, Bradtke, Heal, Rogers, Anstey all played in the league and whilst Pepper and Bruton were late draft picks. What's really good though is that the current crop of college kids have the potential skills to run circles around guys like these.

Bogut will go top 3 in the NBA draft, Bruce this year will be a freshman All-American and Loughton will be a good tip for best player in his conference.

 

[douglasallen91]

1.4m american for around 10 games is nice for me (thats how much marks plays a year max - he is injury prone)(just got injured again).

was heal the one the got cut by the spurs this season?

 

[douglasallen91]

i thought pero cameron would have got a shot (talk with detroit) especially after the performance when the tall blacks got to the semis in the world championships and getting named in the world starting team (only non NBA player). good inside presence 3 point shot and rebounding, but i guess his fitness held him back. especially this season.

 

[felix]

Pero isn't fit enough to play a full game. Too much Burger King :lol:

 

[douglasallen91]

Pero isn't fit enough to play a full game. Too much Burger King :lol:

how many players play a FULL GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! in the NBA