Crosscourt: Latest news ahead of the final round of the 2023-24 NBL season
Ahead of a do-or-die clash, it’s emerged Sydney has considered a pursuit of bitter rival Perth Wildcats’ most successful coach as the Kings mull Mahmoud Abdelfattah’s future.
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Five-time NBL championship-winning mentor Trevor Gleeson has emerged as a coaching candidate for the Sydney Kings.
Code Sports understands the Kings would chase Gleeson, should they move on from underperforming coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah. It’s looking increasingly likely Abdelfattah will face the axe with a season to run on his contract.
With many Kings fans hopeful the club will chase three-peat coach Brian Goorjian, Gleeson’s name is intriguing, given the bitter on and off-court battles Sydney has had with Perth and its most successful coach.
In 2019, Gleeson copped a fine after he and former Sydney centre — now Kings’ part-owner — Andrew Bogut got physical. Bogut tried to eavesdrop on a Wildcats huddle during a 77-72 Kings win, prompting a heated exchange where Gleeson pushed away the former NBA giant, who grabbed the coach on the wrist, although both later brushed the incident off.
Despite owning the last two NBL championships, there is a lingering bitterness over the Covid-impacted 2020 grand final loss. The NBL cancelled games four and five after the Kings’ collective decision to avoid travel during the pandemic, due to concerns over player and community welfare.
With Perth leading 2-1 in the best-of-five series, Gleeson was vocal in calling for the league to award the Wildcats the title, which they eventually did, further igniting the rivalry between the two clubs.
Gleeson was close to signing with Adelaide in late December before he accepted an NBA assistant role with Milwaukee. His contract with the Bucks ends in June, paving the way for him to link with an NBL franchise.
GOORJIAN OPEN TO NBL RETURN
The NBL’s most successful coach Brian Goorjian wants to finish his illustrious career in Australia in a major boost for the booming domestic competition.
Crosscourt understands Goorjian’s post-Olympic preference is to secure an NBL job with a rebuilding franchise, much like his stint at the Illawarra Hawks in 2020-22.
The big-dollar lure of Asia remains an option for the veteran mentor but his priority is the NBL.
Goorjian has already had an online meeting with Adelaide 36ers officials — and he is seriously weighing up accepting the role.
The Boomers coach was impressed with the 36ers’ pitch and the ball is now in the Sixers’ court.
“They know I am here if they are interested,” Goorjian told Crosscourt.
Goorjian’s signature would be a major coup for an Adelaide franchise that hasn’t won a championship since 2002.
The six-time title winner, who turns 71 in late July, brings automatic respect and an aura that helps him recruit big-name players.
During Goorjian’s Illawarra stint, he secured Boomers centre Duop Reath, Defensive Player of the Year Antonius Cleveland and highly-rated Golden State draft pick Justinian Jessup.
The master mentor would likely have a similar influence in Adelaide, with the likes of star centre Isaac Humphries ending talks with the club and planning to test free agency. Goorjian will coach Humphries next week during a pair of Boomers Asia Cup qualifiers.
There’s a tsunami of support among Sydney fans for the club to bring its greatest coach home to replace the struggling Mahmoud Abdelfattah who is contracted for next season.
It’s understood Goorjian would listen to a Kings’ pitch if approached, but is yet to hear from the club.
MAGNAY IN BOOMERS MIX
Tasmania JackJumpers big man Will Magnay won’t play for the Boomers in next week’s Asia Cup qualifiers, but he remains on the international radar.
Magnay has defied injury to play 17 games for the third-placed JackJumpers this season, averaging 10.2 points and 7.2 rebounds — and is statistically the best defensive player in the game, with the JackJumpers surrendering just 98 points per 100 possessions he’s on the floor.
Kiwi Rob Loe, who played eight games as an injury replacement for Melbourne United earlier this season, is the only other player in the entire league who concedes fewer whose defensive rating is under triple figures, an indication of the gravity a healthy Magnay has brought to the third-placed JackJumpers, this season.
The former Bullet, who has NBA experience with New Orleans, dropped an impressive double-double (11 points and 12 rebounds) in a win over Adelaide in round 18.
Magnay’s performances haven’t gone unnoticed by Boomers officials, who see the Brisbane-born 25-year-old as potential depth player at the centre position.
There is a push to add layers to the squad as insurance for injuries, given the Boomers were left scrambling to cover for star centre Jock Landale, who went down with an ankle injury on the eve of last year’s World Cup.
FROM ONE RETIRING GREAT TO ANOTHER
Ahead of the last round, retirement season has begun in the NBL.
And across the ditch, New Zealand’s finest Tom Abercrombie announced NBL23 would be his 16th and last season.
Newley paid the ultimate tribute to Abercrombie when he spoke to Crosscourt earlier this week, putting the rangy wing alongside the likes of Casey Prather and Chris Goulding as his toughest match-ups in the NBL.
“Like for like, Abercrombie and I always had good match ups, they were great battles,” Newley said of the 425-game Breakers’ lifer.
“He’s someone I have pretty strong memories of coming up against and always knowing you were going to be in for a tough night at both ends.”
There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when Abercrombie, flanked by coach Mody Maor and Breakers media boss Craig Stanaway.
“To my children, Pilot, Porter and Pacer, thank you for letting your dad to live out his dreams. It’s time for me to be there for you now,” he said.
“When I first came into the Breakers, first practice I’m practising with my heroes. I was practising with Kirk Penney and Phil Jones and Paul Henare, Dillon Boucher, these were guys I grew up watching and, all of a sudden, they became teammates and then friends.
“Kids who got their photo with me when they were five-years-old in my first Breakers game are now coming up and they’re 20 and having a chat to me after the game and reminiscing on some of those good times.”
A four-time NBL champion, Abercrombie’s legacy is extensive but perhaps the single best known moment was when he used future NBA defensive player of the year Jaren Jackson Jr as a stepladder.
During the Breakers’ 2019 visit to Memphis as part of the NBLxNBA program, Abercrombie caught the ball on the wing and made a beeline for the cup, coking it back and yamming it down with a vicious one-handed yam on the 208cm Grizzlies’ big man’s head.
“That was a good one, I’ve always been a two-handed dunker, too, (so) I still don’t know where that one came from,” he recalled.
“Something inspired me to use the one hand at the time and that was a really cool one to get that poster.
“The fact that he’s gone on to do such great things just makes it get better with time.”
NBL ROUND 20: (All games live on ESPN and Kayo)
Thursday, February 15:
Illawarra Hawks vs Perth Wildcats at WIN Entertainment Centre from 7.30pm (AEDT)
Friday, February 16:
New Zealand Breakers vs Brisbane Bullets at Spark Arena from 5.30pm (AEDT)
Cairns Taipans vs Melbourne United at Cairns Convention Centre from 7.30pm (AEDT)
Saturday, February 17:
South East Melbourne Phoenix vs Sydney Kings at John Cain Arena from 5.30pm (AEDT)
Tasmania JackJumpers vs Perth Wildcats at MyState Bank Arena from 8pm (AEDT)
Sunday, February 18:
Melbourne United vs Illawarra Hawks at John Cain Arena from 2pm (AEDT)
Adelaide 36ers vs New Zealand Breakers at Adelaide Entertainment Centre from 4pm (AEDT)
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Originally published as Crosscourt: Latest news ahead of the final round of the 2023-24 NBL season
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