Logue Down: LaMelo Ball’s salary revealed; NBL to unveil NBA-style Replay Centre; Longley’s Bulls buzz
He’s the most exciting prospect in the NBL, but how much is NBA-bound star LaMelo Ball is earning to play in Australia? We reveal the American’s Illawarra Hawks deal in The Logue Down.
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Player wages have long been a taboo subject in the NBL. Unlike the approximate wages that get thrown around in the NRL and AFL, the Australian basketball league prefers to keep figures private.
Despite this stance, there has always been intrigue around players’ wages in the NBL.
The interest has risen this season following the arrival of NBA-draft bound teen LaMelo Ball at the Illawarra Hawks.
Ball is currently sidelined with a foot injury, but he has excelled when on the court for the Hawks, including registering back-to-back triple-doubles.
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He recently donated a month’s wage to the Australian bushfire appeal, which was approximately $14,000 of the $100,000 he is being paid by the NBL as part of the league’s Next Stars program.
If Ball is made the No.1 pick in the NBA draft in June, he will earn almost $12 million in his first season. Even if he is selected as low as the fifth pick, he will still be able to sign a contract worth $7.7 million.
While he’s destined to walk into a substantial deal in the near future, the fact Ball was willing to donate $14,000 of his NBL income to the bushfire appeal is commendable. Well done, LaMelo, we look forward to seeing you on the court again soon.
NBL BUNKERS DOWN
The NBL will introduce an NBA-style Replay Centre, starting with Friday’s game between the Illawarra Hawks and Perth Wildcats at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong.
A fifth referee will be based at the NBL Replay Centre in Melbourne to assist the on-court referees with making non-judgement calls, such as score reviews and provide multiple camera angles to assist them for reviews of judgement calls like fouls.
The NBL’s Replay Centre is a replica of the NBA version and will use the same communication protocols and decision-making processes.
The NBL Replay Centre will be phased in for selected games and is expected to become fully operational for the finals.
NBL Commissioner Jeremy Loeliger revealed the new review system was the result of years of research, including trips to America to analyse the NBA’s video set-up.
Loeliger hopes the technology will assist the officials and add more game time to matches for the fans.
“We are continually looking at ways to improve the product and minimise in-game delays and the introduction of the NBL Replay Centre will help achieve this.
“Non-judgement decisions, such as checking the shot or game clock and reviewing a two or three-pointer, will be made at the Replay Centre to help expedite the review process.
“The referees play a vitally important role in our game and the improved technology at the NBL Replay Centre will assist them in making decisions on game day.
“This is something we have been considering for some time and have spent time looking closely at the NBA’s Replay Centre as we set about building our own.
“The NBL Replay Centre will also allow for greater transparency for fans about decisions made during a game.”
BIG PLANS FOR FIRE SUPPORT
Australia’s NBA stars showcased enormous generosity by donating over $1 million to the bushfire victims, but this is just start of their support.
News Corp Australia can reveal the players are working behind the scenes on an initiative to help with the ongoing recovery process for families in Australia.
The likes of Patty Mills, Joe Ingles and Matthew Dellavedova have been in contact with the Australian Basketballers’ Association about their plans to assist those affected.
The players are looking at ways they can help with the rebuilding process in Australian communities in the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympics in July.
There are hopes for the bushfire support initiative to be a collaborative approach with the WNBA, WNBL, NBL and Australia’s European-based players.
LONGLEY’S BULLS
Luc Longley has been waiting years to see the footage, so naturally he can’t wait to watch the new ESPN documentary on his beloved Chicago Bulls.
Hoops fans are pumped after ESPN dropped its trailer for an upcoming 10-part documentary on NBA legend Michael Jordan and the Bulls.
The teaser landed early on Christmas morning and gave basketball fans even more reason to look forward to June — the month the NBA Finals take place — because that is also when The Last Dance will be officially released.
Chicago was a powerhouse in the 1990s, winning six championships with Jordan on its roster and the series will delve into the NBA icon’s final season with the Bulls in 1997-98.
Longley claimed three consecutive championships at the Bulls between 1996 and 1998.
“Those guys from ESPN followed us around for a whole year,” Longley told the Hoops Capital podcast.
“I haven’t seen any of the shorts yet, but I’ll be watching.
“It will be interesting to see what they end up portraying.
“The good thing about getting older is your game gets better. People remember you for the good stuff, not the bad stuff.
“It will be interesting to have that doco to remind me of how bad I was sometimes.”
KINGS FOCUS ON TEAMWORK
Luc Longley’s influence as a special advisor at the Sydney Kings was shown this week when he encouraged a special team activity.
Kings players put aside training for the day to attend the Social Escape Rooms in the inner-city suburb of Eveleigh.
The locked rooms are filled with challenging mind games, riddles, puzzles and mysteries, which require a group of people to use teamwork to escape.
Kings owner and chairman Paul Smith said the players thoroughly enjoyed the escape room experience as a way to further build bonds within the team.
“It was an opportunity for the guys to be put under a different pressure, in a different environment,” Smith said.
“It was an idea that Luc was very supportive of. We wanted to change things up a bit. There are only so many times that you can run a drill, so for us it is about keeping everyone focused by keeping things fresh.
“It was a good experience for the players. The feedback was great. We left the players to their own devices.
“There were no coaches or personnel there.
“The players then went for lunch after and had a debrief – the players thoroughly enjoyed it.”
BOGUT’S BUSINESS FUTURE
Andrew Bogut had a catch-up with Kings officials before Christmas to talk about all things business at the franchise.
It was mutually agreed to put talk of his future beyond this season on the backburner until post the finals.
This said Bogut is actively involved in Sydney’s off-court direction.
He played a major role in encouraging the Kings to signing a full-time conditioner in Toby Banfield. Bogut has a 10 per cent share in the club when he retires, with an option to buy up to 50 per cent.
If he decides to retire at the end of the current season, he would make a seamless transition into the basketball business world.
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WHERE THERE IS SMOKE, THERE IS TATE
If the presence of Jae’Sean Tate’s manager is an indication, the Sydney Kings import forward will return to the world’s best basketball league next season.
Tate’s agent has been a constant at Kings games in recent weeks as his client continues to impress with his toughness, skill and determination.
The 24-year-old is desperate to land a gig in the NBA after going undrafted in the 2018 draft.
Tate joined the Milwaukee Bucks for the 2018 Summer League, but he had to withdraw after fracturing a right finger.
He may be under-sized for a power forward, but he possesses the heart and effort to excel at any level on the world stage.
Originally published as Logue Down: LaMelo Ball’s salary revealed; NBL to unveil NBA-style Replay Centre; Longley’s Bulls buzz