Crosscourt: Latest NBL news ahead of round 12 of the 2024-25
He hasn’t been short of a word on his cross-town enemy this season but, ahead of the Throwdown, Phoenix owner Romie Chaudhari has reignited the bitter rivalry with Melbourne United.
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South East Melbourne owner Romie Chaudhari has fanned the flames of his club’s bitter rivalry with Melbourne United and doubled down on ‘flopping’ barbs he levelled at Chris Goulding ahead of Sunday’s Throwdown blockbuster.
In a rare Australian interview, the American entrepreneur said the Phoenix’s determination to beat their powerhouse NBL rival had taught him the meaning of “tall poppy syndrome”.
“Our job is to chop these tall poppies down and that’s the mentality we talk about when it comes to Melbourne United,” Chaudhari told Crosscourt.
“We’ve got this grit and grind mentality and we’re the underdog, in a way, and I know that fits us.
“Little by little, each year that passes by, this thing is becoming a true rivalry and tradition.”
Mention that rivalry to a United fan and chances are you’ll get a smirk. Melbourne holds a lopsided 18-8 advantage in games between the two teams since the Phoenix were victorious in their 2019 league debut.
It’s a gap Chaudhari is hellbent on bridging, starting Sunday.
“I know there are a few people who say it’s not a rivalry because of the record but we’ve got to get better,” Chaudhari said.
He believes the team’s turnaround from an 0-5 start has steeled the Phoenix under hyper-energetic new coach Josh King – and the American’s sideline antics will add to the atmosphere inside John Cain Arena.
“The one thing I really love about Josh, and you’ve seen his motor, we haven’t had that in a coach before,” he said.
Goulding constantly flops and cries about it, that sh*t is weak.... Great win for SEM, they earned it, so proud of the effort, way to keep fighting!! 🙌ðŸ¾ðŸ™ŒðŸ¾ https://t.co/8AOmWc6TMn
— Romie Chaudhari (@RRome44) October 20, 2024
“The players have fully committed, the whole dynamic has changed and that’s going to create an even more electric environment because of that energy that Josh brings.”
Sunday’s clash comes against a backdrop of Chaudhari repeating his claim United’s captain Goulding exaggerated contact in a bid to draw fouls – comments coach Dean Vickerman vowed to “remember”.
“Chris Goulding’s such a talented player, he’s amazing, he’s been doing it for so long and he’s been so successful, he doesn’t need to do that stuff, he’s better than that,” Chaudhari said.
“If I saw Chris in the street, I’d say hello, have a conversation and be friends with him but, on the court, that’s a whole different thing.
“It was a flop, clear as day. Whoever at Melbourne United that said he didn’t flop, give them a lie-detector test, they would fail.
“They know. Everyone knows he flops.”
While Goulding won’t play due to a calf injury, Chaudhari expects Vickerman – who said at the time he’d be “disappointed” if a United owner made personal comments about another team’s player – to use it as ammunition.
Vickerman, though, said Chaudhari would not come into United’s thoughts ahead of Sunday’s game.
“Absolutely zero per cent chance of that being spoken about as motivation,” Vickerman told Crosscourt.
NBA SCOUTS SET SIGHTS ON TOOHEY
Sydney Kings Next Star Alex Toohey continues to catch the eye of multiple NBA scouts during his breakout NBL season.
Representatives from Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns have attended Kings training in recent weeks and have been impressed with Toohey’s progression in his second professional season.
And Crosscourt can reveal it’s only the beginning with up to 15 franchises, including New York and Cleveland, expected to send scouts Down Under in January to survey Toohey and other NBL players with NBA potential.
It will be the perfect chance for Toohey to improve his most recent ESPN NBA mock draft ranking of 37.
The Canberra-born forward has taken a big leap at both ends of the floor to become one of Sydney’s most consistent players this season.
Thus far in NBL25, Toohey is averaging more points (9.3), assists (1.6), blocks (1.0) and steals (1.2) than his rookie campaign.
His recent move to the bench has made a significant difference for the Kings’ second unit – a positive sign, given he’s projected to play a similar role in the NBA.
Toohey has also significantly bulked up this season – adding 6kg of muscle.
At 201cms, Toohey can switch onto smaller guards, but he can now also mix it with the bigger bodies around the rim, which has allowed him to improve his rebounding and ability to block shots.
Toohey produced his best game of NBL25 in a narrow loss to Melbourne United in round 10. He ignited a Kings’ comeback off the bench with 16 points, three rebounds and four assists.
NBA scouts are impressed by Toohey’s maturity and calmness under pressure, given he is just 20 years old. Scouts see him as an ideal bench igniter who can contribute in multiple ways.
NO TO TAIPANS, SO WHAT’S NEXT FOR ROMAN?
Multiple US colleges are circling teen NBL Next Star talent Roman Siulepa as the 18-year-old hoops prodigy continues to weigh up his next basketball move.
The Queensland beast parted ways with Tasmania before a ball had been bounced in the 2024-25 season and Cairns emerged as the favourite to sign Siulepa once he’d completed his Year 12 studies in mid-November.
But Crosscourt has been told the Taipans, now on an 11-game losing streak, wanted Siulepa to sign as a development player, rather than a Next Star.
His camp rejected that offer and it’s understood Siulepa will now hold off until the New Year to decide the next step in his promising career.
Only Illawarra and Adelaide can take him on as a Next Star this season.
The contending Hawks remain open to Siulepa but are among the deepest teams in the NBL, leaving little opportunity for minutes, given fellow young gun Lachie Olbrich manages just 17.4 per night.
The Sixers are working through a disruptive period where two imports were suspended and are in the midst of a four-game losing streak.
It could mean Siulepa won’t join an NBL team until next season – if he’s not poached by an NCAA college and the lure of a lucrative NIL deal.
Siulepa is currently recovering from a back injury.
It’s understood he has plans to play NBL1 for South West Metro Pirates under Patrick Ewing Jr next season and represent Australia at the U19 World Cup.
CHANNEL SEVEN FIRMS ON NBL BROADCAST RADAR
Channel 7 has emerged as a genuine option as a potential NBL broadcast partner with the network showing unprecedented levels of interest in Australian basketball.
With NBL broadcast rights up for grabs at the end of this season, high-ranking officials from Channel 7 have been spotted at multiple games in recent weeks as conversations between the two parties ramp up.
Crosscourt understands the NBL sees significant upside in a potential switch to Channel 7, given the network broadcasts major sports, including the AFL, cricket and horse racing.
These big sports provide the opportunity to give the NBL more exposure, with the use of targeted promotions aired during games or races.
Crosscourt has been told ESPN pays $17-18 million as the NBL’s major broadcast partner but the likes of Seven, Nine Network and Network 10 are all in talks with the league to muscle in.
Ten currently airs two free-to-air Sunday games, which has been popular, despite the broadcast cutting out prior to the completion of games for the past two weeks.
Aggrieved fans took to social media to vent frustrations after the broadcast ended prematurely during the round 10 clash between Sydney and Melbourne United and in round 11’s United v Brisbane game.
GAZE SEES MERIT IN INTRODUCING NBL LEGENDS
The NBL’s greatest player says there is merit in the league following other sports and introducing a ‘Legends’ or ‘Immortals’ concept to celebrate basketball’s best.
In the wake of Bryce Cotton’s remarkable scoring feats, seven-time MVP Andrew Gaze said it made sense for the NBL to have its own honour roll, separate to Basketball Australia’s Hall of Fame.
The AFL and NRL have Legends and Immortals. The NBL could do similar, introducing the likes of Gaze and Leroy Loggins onto the league’s Mt Rushmore.
The fiery debate around who is worthy of Legend status would attract significant attention for the NBL.
“I think they (the NBL) have tried to do that in the past, which I support,” Gaze said.
“I think it’s great to acknowledge exceptional performances and we should pay homage.
“Bryce’s recent performances sometimes jogs memories of players like Leroy Loggins, Al Green, Reg Biddings and Ian Davies.”
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Originally published as Crosscourt: Latest NBL news ahead of round 12 of the 2024-25
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