NBL season won’t resume until NRL and AFL seasons are completed
The NBL has made a crucial decision on the potential start of its new season — with key plans to be impacted by both the NRL and AFL footy codes. READ THE LATEST.
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The NBL will delay its upcoming 2020-21 season to avoid a clash with winter football codes whose coronavirus-interrupted campaigns look to push deep into basketball’s schedule.
The league also revealed it planned to begin its new season with all nine current teams, giving hope that the financially crippled Illawarra Hawks will remain part of the competition going forward.
The NRL became the first Australian competition to resume on Thursday night, with its season set to finish with the grand final on October 25, followed by the rescheduled State of Origin series to be played over three weeks in November.
The AFL has pencilled in October 24 for its decider at the MCG.
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Last year the NBL season began on October 3, meaning the league was looking at its season being delayed for at least a month in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdown.
NBL Owner and Executive Chairman Larry Kestelman said the league wanted fans at the games when the season is able to start.
“We are also heartened by the steps other sporting leagues have made as they return to play and we will monitor their progress and work with the relevant health authorities and government as we look ahead to the start of our next season,” Kestelman said.
“It is our intention to start our season after the AFL and NRL have completed theirs.
“The lifeblood of the NBL is its fans and basketball is a product for live fan entertainment and we will be doing everything possible to start our season in front of our much loved fans.”
The 2019-20 NBL season finished in high drama after the finals series between Perth and Sydney was called off midway through, with the Wildcats awarded the championship because they led the best-of-five grand final series 2-1.
Due to players being forced to take significant pay cuts as a result of COVID-19 effects on the economy, the Kings lost star players Casper Ware and Xavier Cooks, who opted out of their contracts to explore their options.
The Kings are privately hopeful Ware will follow the steps of Perth star Bryce Cotton, who opted out of his Wildcats deal but then re-signed with the club.
Off-contract Kings marquee Andrew Bogut also decided against re-signing with the club given the coronavirus uncertainty, but in no way was it a retirement announcement.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and work closely with the clubs and the Australian Basketball Players’ Association over the coming weeks and months and will provide further updates as more information becomes available. But we are taking a very positive and proactive approach,” Kestelman said.
“With the current uncertainty around other basketball leagues, the NBL will remain a highly attractive option for players from both Australia and New Zealand as well as around the world.
“The NBL is one of the best leagues in the world outside of the NBA and Australia will be one of the safest places in the world to play.
“We are delighted that the overwhelming majority of contracted players have already recommitted to the league and we have no doubt the NBL will remain of a world class standard to be enjoyed by fans across Australia, New Zealand and the rest of the world.”
Get ready for a pre-Olympic basketball bonanza!
Basketball Australia remain committed to the Opals playing a pre-Olympic warm-up match against the world champions United States on home soil next year.
The Opals had planned to play the Americans in Australia prior to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics before the event was cancelled due to the coronavirus.
The Olympics have been moved to July and August in 2021, opening the door for the Opals versus USA clash to be rescheduled.
The two teams last played in the 2018 World Cup Final in Spain, with the Americans beating the Opals 73-56 to claim the country’s 10th gold medal.
Basketball Australia CEO Jerril Rechter couldn’t confirm the Opals pre-Olympic opponents, but declared she is confident the warm-up games will go ahead prior to the Tokyo Games in 2021.
“We had some fantastic pre-Olympic warm-up games sorted, but we still have them in our back pocket,” Rechter said.
“We have been keeping in contact with the international federation who we are hoping to collaborate with.
“We have their support to hopefully rebound those fixtures for next year.
“It will all depend on international travel restrictions, but everyone is looking at Australia as a safe place to be.
“That is a real positive for us, plus we are in the time zone for Tokyo.
“We have everything going in our favour, as long as we don’t have any second waves on the coronavirus.”
Rechter also confirmed that the Boomers look set to have pre-Olympic warm-up games in Australia.
It’s understood France and Angola were in line to play Down Under prior to the coronavirus forcing the postponement of the Tokyo games.
In other news, Basketball Australia have confirmed that the 2020-21 WNBL season will be delayed and consist of 21 regular season games per team, with the opening round scheduled for 20 – 22 November 2020 and the final round to be contested 3 – 6 March 2021.
Following the regular season, the finals series will take place across the period 12 – 21 March 2021, with the grand final series to occur between 25 – 31 March 2021.
In consultation with the WNBL Commission, Basketball Australia made the decision to delay the commencement to the 2020-21 season to align with the expected state and federal governments COVID-19 restrictions regarding return to play guidelines for elite sport and public movement between states and territories.
Big decision looming for Aussie NBA hopeful
Makur Maker is leaving his options open ahead of next month’s NBA draft.
The 211cm-tall Aussie teenager might remain in the draft or choose to play a year with one of the several elite US college basketball programs keen to secure his services.
The 19-year-old’s immediate concern is completing high school this week in order to keep the college option open.
“It’s the last week,” Maker said, in between economics, English and US history virtual classes at the Pacific Academy in Irvine, south of Los Angeles.
The coronavirus pandemic has not only forced students across the US to complete the school year online at home, but it has also shaken up Maker’s grand plan to impress NBA representatives in the lead-up to the June 25 draft.
Maker had planned to impress at the Nike Hoops Summit, Iverson Classic and other traditional pre-draft showcase events, but the pandemic postponed them. NBA teams may also be blocked from working out with players ahead of next month’s draft.
It could put Maker at a disadvantage against other prospects who can fall back on extensive video showreels, including Australian guard Josh Green, who played a year with the University of Arizona, as well as LaMelo Ball and RJ Hampton, after their stints in Australia’s National Basketball League.
Key for Maker is ensuring he is a first-round draft pick. If it appears teams will not draft him in the first round he will take up a college scholarship, build up his draft stock and take another shot at the NBA next year.
Originally published as NBL season won’t resume until NRL and AFL seasons are completed
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