Hoops

NZBL v SEABL

Top players in the seabl earn as much as those in the nznbl. $30,000 nz is about $28,000 aus and the nz dollar is strong at present.

The OP was asking about which league would be the better option for an NBL player looking to play in the winter, I believe.

It seems obvious that either league is fine, of course there are pro-cons for both, but they are both very good and suitable semi-pro leagues for an NBL player wanting to continue to play.

The money an NBL player may want to play seems to be so randomly available in either SEABL or the NZBL that it would have to be considered on a case-by-case basis and would be too subjective to comment on.

The discussion on which league has better players, teams or competition is a moot one because they are very different leagues in size and the competition in SEABL is much more widely spread.

That said, the main thing is that either appear good options, but I would suggest if the money wasn't great a player from Australia would probably choose to stay here instead of travel, same goes for the other side of the ditch...

A NZBL vs SEABL all-stars game would be good.. And have rules, no players with NBL experience or league NBL or higher could play in the all-stars game and no imports allowed either, basically just aussies and kiwis...

Just back on the NZNBL VS SEABL thing for a second

Wellington Saints in NZ have....

Shea Ili, Majok Majok, Shaun Bruce, Jordan Ngatai, Leon Henry.

And a 22 year old import named LJ Peak who played for Georgetown and then played Summer League and NBA pre season last year.

And they're 2 wins, 1 loss.

There's other teams with impressive rosters also who have started well - most teams have played 4 or 5 games.

Pretty safe to say those NZ teams would kill Seabl

In SEABL Hooley, Moller and Von Hofe playing starring roles on top teams. Melbourne United guys taking that championship confidence into the off season! (Except Barlow whose Sandringham team is languishing near the bottom)

Kilsyth have a good team on paper, and are leading the comp at 7-1 but I couldn't see how they'd get anywhere near the top 4 NZNBL teams.

Browsing NZNBL stats, some interesting stuff

- Loads of quality bigs. Pledger, Majok, Brandt- 2 have played major roles (started, even?) on NBL championship teams and the other was starter on a minor premier.

- Some well known NBL names really struggling- Reuben Te Rangi averaging 8 points and 2 rebounds after 5 games. Oscar Forman's gone 3-19 from 3 and 3-26 overall so far! He's been scoreless in 3 of his 5 games.

- David Barlow is listed, hasn't played a game, but he's been playing with Sandringham in SEABL. What's the go there?

- Some NBL youngsters going well- Adnam, Ili, Heier (who's unsigned), Delaney all putting up big numbers so hopefully that's a sign of improvement and things to come.

Surely the top 4 or 5 NZNBL teams would dominate anyone from SEABL?

Not sure about the bottom couple - results suggest the bottom 2 NZ teams are well off the pace.

The key point was made above. There's no superstars in NZNBL. In terms of NBL achievements the best are Vukona, Brandt, Pledger, Ili, Majok. All have played major minutes on NBL championship or playoff teams. And plenty of guys who are, or have recently been fringe NBL players. So if you took the top 15 players in the two comps there might not be too much difference. But the key point is they're concentrated in 5 or 6 NZNBL teams. Where as there's 16 SEABL teams.

I doubt SEABL players are getting $30,000k in what ever coinage you want it to be. Possibly more.

NZNBL Teams

Wellington Saints
Shea Ili, Shaun Bruce, LJ Peak (Import legit played at Georgetown), Jordan Ngatai, Leon Henry, BJ Anthony, Majok Majok
Kevin Braswell Coach

Bay Hawks
Jarrod Kenny, Everard Bartlett, Dion Prewster, Ethan Rusbatch, Oscar Forman, Mitchell Newton (Breakers DP), Jamie Skeen (Import), Kareem Johnson (Naturalised), Angus Brandt

Nelson Giants
Kyle Adnam, Damon Heuir, Jerry Evans Jr, Finn Delany, Mika Vukona, Tohi Smith-Milner
Jamie Pearlman Coach

Southland Sharks
Jarrad Weeks, Derone Raukawa, Orlando Coleman (Import), Reuben Te Rangi, Conor Morgan (Import played for Canada at Commonwealth Games), James Hunter, Alex Pledger
Judd Flavell Coach

Canterbury Rams
Xavier Thames (Import 59th Pick 2014 NBA Draft), Tony Tolovae (Ex Sydney & Illawarra DP), Julian Washburn (Import), Winston Shepard (Import)

Super City Rangers
Lindsay Tait, Brook Ruscoe (Ex Taipans DP), Marcel Jones, Dillon Boucher

Haha that's awesome in a really bad way. LOL @ it being close to our NBL.

if you follow NZhoops at https://twitter.com/NZ_hoops, you will quickly see what a bush league the NZNBL is. The Manawatu Jets, for example, returned to the league this year after a two-year hiatus and the players were wearing jerseys from 2015, with names on the back of players from that season.

The #ClassicNBL moments are the best

A few years ago (maybe circa 2008 - 2014) I would have said the NZNBL is miles stronger.

Some of those teams were unbelievable (some would compete with NBL teams back then) and even the lower teams back then even had 2 good imports, 2 good kiwis and some really good decent young talent.

I think recently a lot of teams have put security over spending; and spending has being pegged back in favour of opting for younger more inexpensive guys.

I would like to see an All SEABL v All NZBL end of season men's and women's game played as a showcase, maybe one year in Oz and the next in Kiwi, alternating at a different venue each year to promote the game to the peeps!

Maybe even add some rivalry to this second tier comp' and sort out some opinions...