Hoops

Where to for AIS players?

Perhaps flip the question and ask how many past and present Boomers members of Olympic and World Champs teams were AIS graduates ( working back from the first AIS graduating class).

I can only think of a handful of players but I can't be certain that they weren't (i.e. M Cattalini, A Gibson, D. Andersen, D.Barlow, C. Anstey, S. Heal, P. Crawford). Can anyone confirm these guys didn't go to the AIS or add names to this list?

Obviously, Emus and College is not mutually exclusive, because by the time players go to College they are too old for Emus anyway.

They are hugely related however, and dare I say it being part of the Emus helps players get scholarsip opportunities.

Look at the 2010 bunch of Emus. A lot of them went to some nice colleges.

They wouldn't have got some of those offers BUT for representing the Emus.

In 2010, the Emus went to the AST (Huge event with scouts everywhere), A China tour (against USA, Serbia etc.), The WC's in Latvia.

Great opportunities for exposure

I was just thinking Boomers in general but your right depends on what year you look at it.

How about World Champs or Olympics???

Some excellent points Bear.

$$$ is always a big issue. I read a report a while ago that claimed sports like rugby league and afl are draining the talent for sports like athletics because of the attraction to the sport for $$$ etc.

I didn't realise many basketballers were switching to the code that late in their lives

Being from nsw AFL is not as big a focus so I guess not being exposed to it as much would explain that.

Would like to see athletes who get to that far have something to go onto, no matter what sport they are from.

Would love to see some more money get injected into basketball to boost the national comp to what it used to be.
We need some Billionaires to buy teams so they don't go bankrupt.

If there were 12teams in the nbl it would make career options a bit easier I think.

Wasn't trying to be exclusive. I'm aware many good players in Aust don't get scholarships for various reasons.

Was mainly interested in what people think the graduation process is and where we see those specific athletes going.

I think there are limits in opportunities here compared to the years Isaacs brother graduated with the smaller NBL. That's less pro contracts out there making it a far more competitive market.

So what does an athlete at that level do?

You could include those outside the AIS if you like its just as important an issue for them.

How many of those guys played for Boomers?

Also let's not be bias, no mention of the NBL or SEABL in your response Isaac.

Let's not just focus on what I do.

If you didn't want a career why would you go to the AIS to begin with???

Obviously meant to say give up college for the Emu dream.

Isaac your using prior knowledge knowing that I do recruitment in your response. I was trying to keep what I do out of it.

In this discussion I'm more interested in seeing what people think about what the stepping stones are for when these players graduate from the AIS.

I read the college post about players in colleges for 12/13 and was surprised by how many there are but noticed a lot of guys from AIS squads were not on the list, hence my interest in that particular group.

It's not about the actual recruitment process or what colleges should be doing, but more what the athletes should be aiming for and identifying what options they Hbe if they are not directly recruited by colleges, nbl or other teams in other countries.

These are supposedly the best players in their age group in the country, I'd expect to see them playing somewhere?

Its different for every person, depends how good you are and if you want to play pro basketball or not. Not everyone chooses to make a career from basketball.

AFL.

Do you think that is the focus of the staff involved to get them there or do they have other plans?

What about the impact of the Emus? Do you think some players are more focussed on making that team before going to college or possibly giving up the college option to chase the college dream?