
Mackinnon announces retirement
XY, you could well be right. I was simply pointing out that with so many Aussies doing well in the US college system, there should be a decent crop of well coached young athletes over the next few years just waiting to be harvested by NBL teams.
But running with your point, I suspect that many families of kids with basketball talent have taken notice of the success of Andrew Bogut and felt that the US college system might be a better career path than that of the NBL, which has been in financial trouble for a number of years now. After all, you go the US route and you walk away with a college degree, a great experience and if you're lucky, a shot at the NBA draft. Worst case scenario, you can still come home to Australia and see if you can crack the NBL.
Paul, in your last point, I'm not sure if you're referring to this 2nd tier league that has been suggested to help with a career path for young guys to the NBL? I'd like to see that go ahead, because right now, there are too many young athletes being lost to the NBL because there are better career paths in football and the US college system.

Beantown, the problem is that the NBL has lost so much stature that it is causing so many young Aussies to head to college.
In the past, many of those 18 to 22 year olds would have taken spots on NBL rosters, but now they are not available or are not interested. But I can't see any Ingles or Newley choosing these days to start their careers in Australia (or going back a generation, any Maher's, Bradtkes, Ronaldsons etc).

Great player, super athlete. Had a great career in the NBL and as a Boomer. Close to getting an NBA gig, but never had a good enough jumpshot to win himself a gig.
Was it the 2004 Olympics or the 2006 Worlds where Sam was absolutely dominant? I just remember one tournament around that time where his rebounding and defence was exceptional and the Boomers would have been sunk without him.
Looks like its the end of an era as well, as Sam appears to be the last of our World Champion U23s to retire from the NBL. Can anyone help me with the entire team? I've got Sam, Anstey, Dwight, Nielsen, Trahair, Drmic, J Smith, McGregor... who else?
LA Boy, although Sam had a good season, I think you're right, it will be good for the NBL. We are hopefully just beginning a new, more successful era in basketball and we need a whole new generation of young, athletic, exciting players to sell the game. There's so many good Aussies playing over in college right now, I hope the NBL can lure many of them home once they complete their amateur career.


He dunked on me when he was 14 at a monday night comp in Diamond Valley. We knew back then he was going to be special! Well done Sammy & thanks for the written warning...

