Hoops

Third import needed?

I think two is more than enough. Fact is that over the last 10 years or so, some teams have gone without an import and some have gone with just 1, with both options experiencing varied success.

I think that we need to keep options for both young up and coming players but also those Aussies on the periphery that just need a chance or even a second crack. Look at what such an opportunity did for Daniel Dillon this past season. And is was great to see a discarded player such as Graeme Dann reinvigorate his career at Sydney.

We also need to keep in mind NBL teams depth charts are far better than what they were 5 years ago. Most teams could easily go 9 if not 10 deep now. I would argue with the 40min scheduled, they probably don't need to barring injury.

Also, keep in mind the talent that is likley to head back to Australia over the coming 3 years from Division I college hoops. The following 6 players graduated this past season and are looking to hopefully secure their first professional gigs:

Anatoly Bose / G / Nicholls State / Sydney, NSW
Ben Dowdell / Sr / F / Santa Clara / North Nowra, NSW / AIS
Brad Kelleher / Sr / G / Hofstra / Hallam, VIC
Ben Louis / Sr / G / James Madison / Dandenong, VIC / AIS
Chris Clausen / Sr / G / North Dakota / Adelaide, SA
Graeme Radford / Sr / C / Stetson / Moe, VIC

Bose is likely to head to Europe as he has a Euro passport (born in Kazahkstan) but grew up in Sydney. If I were the Kings I would be pushing hard for his signature in any case...

Dowdell would be a great pickup to provide solid minutes as a role player off the bench. Maybe Adelaide to get him on board to play alongside his brother Jeff or Sydney can look at him as another (relatively) local player?

Kelleher and Lewis are worth a look at by teams. Kelleher got genuine starter minutes this past season at Hofstra. Clausen and Radford may be stretching it a bit at NBL level...

The following year, these are the Aussies at this point expecting to graduate from Division I schools:

Akinpetide, Femi / F / Sacred Heart / Northeast
Baldwin, Illiwa / C / Nevada / Western Athletic
Duinker, Josh / F / Richmond / Atlantic 10
Iliadis, Trian / G / Old Dominion / Colonial Athletic
Massey, Matt / C / Southern Utah / Summit League
Steindl, Clint / G / Saint Mary's / West Coast
Tomlinson, Nate / G / Colorado / Big 12
Witt, Cameron / F / Valparaiso / Horizon League

Steindl and Tomlinson are class acts and have already been starters at solid Division I schools. They would be viewed as potential starters in the NBL and could contribute in some shape and form immediately. Iliadis has been getting genuine backup minutes on a very good NCAA tournament team, whilst Massey and maybe even Duinker are worth a look at for NBL level given their size and scoring ability.

And don't forget guys like Dellavedova, Young, Page, Motum and Brokehoff for example will be looking at returning just 1 year later...there is some serious talent to come back at some point in time.

Maybe David Andersen will come back and play a season or two in the NBL before finally retiring? Matt Nielsen may do the same too.

This is a great topic but I believe it should stay at 2 imports with each club able to have one player signed out of the cap. This player can be a Aussie or import. It would imporve our leagues standard and also help promote the league when you get a genuiune superstar sign. Imagine if there was a lock out in the NBA and teams could compete with Europe to sign a player of real NBA talent not just a bench rider.

2 Imports is plenty enough.

the other thing is that if a 3rd import is bought in to each team, that will kill our ozzie talent.

2 imports is plenty

** Molitor ** I meant to say. My mistake..

(Got Daly on the brain lately)

I think two is sufficient.

It doesn't look like there's a restriction of having to play one under aged player in 10players anymore
which helps a lot in a professional league.
although we lost a few good players n brought in Daly or so.

what a game its in double OT phoenix up by 2 159-157 with 8 seconds left nash 40 pts 13 ass while kidd has 38 points 14 assists

A lot of teams already have a third import in the guise of a "naturalised" player. Certainly the quality this year of the four imports was inferior to Ballinger