Logue Down: Latest NBL news and whispers ahead of round eight
Footage of the moment that resulted in an NBL fan having his membership revoked by Tasmania has emerged. Watch it here.
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Damning footage has emerged of the moment that ended with an NBL club revoking a fan’s membership.
The Tasmania JackJumpers crowd ignited after an on-court scuffle during last Friday week’s clash with New Zealand, one taking it too far when he threw a handclapper at the Breakers’ huddle, which landed near bench spark plug Barry Browne Jr.
WATCH THE VIDEO IN THE PLAYER ABOVE
In the vision, the fan looks to his left, then right, then launches the clapper toward the Breakers, who had gathered at their bench.
Browne Jr initially reacts, before teammates rush in to calm him and then Breakers’ captain Tom Abercrombie picks the clapper up and throws it off the court.
JackJumpers coach Scott Roth then makes a beeline for the Breakers’ bench area, appearing to urge fans to calm down.
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The fan in question is caught on camera during Roth’s animated pleas.
It’s understood the fan initially claimed it was an accident.
The JackJumpers acted quickly, revoking the fan’s membership and banning him from becoming a member in the future, following a joint investigation with the NBL.
“The individual is very remorseful and embarrassed and has accepted the ban without question,” JackJumpers’ boss Simon Brookhouse said in a statement.
“We hope it can serve as a learning for all fans and we don’t have to go through this process again.”
NBL’S BEST OUT OF CONTRACT TALENT REVEALED
A cast of off-contract NBL stars are playing to secure their futures, headed by the league’s in-form big man Keanu Pinder.
The Logue Down column can reveal Pinder’s management has contacted rival clubs about its gun client for next season as his value on the open market rises.
The Taipans’ fan favourite has gone from the NBL’s Most Improved Player last season to arguably the league’s premier tall, with averages of 18 points, 9.78 rebounds and 2.78 assists.
It comes as Taipans’ officials privately concede it will be extremely difficult to retain the rising Boomers’ big man, who will also attract overseas interest.
Championship-winning NBL guard Shane Heal believes Pinder will command top dollar on the market, based on his current form.
“He deserves $1.5 million over three years in a good program,” Heal said on this week’s Basketball Show.
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“He would make an average program better straight away, but that is the sort of money that they (a club) would have to pay, surely.”
Heal praised Cairns for identifying Pinder as a player of significant potential while he was playing with the Adelaide 36ers back in 2020-2021.
The Taipans now face the prospect of history repeating with players like Cam Gliddon and Mitch McCarron developing at the club before leaving for bigger contracts.
Don't sleep on this week's #NBL23 Top Ten 😴
— The NBL (@NBL) November 21, 2022
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Heal would like to see the smaller clubs like Cairns given the opportunity to retain star players through the league’s soft salary cap.
Clubs that spend over the soft cap, which is set at $1.7 million, will have the money filtered down to the clubs that haven’t spent over the cap.
“To me, that is where teams that are paying the luxury tax that (money) should go to clubs like Cairns so it can go towards hopefully keeping someone like Keanu,” he said.
“That is how it should happen.”
WILEY ATTRACTING EYEBALLS
I’m told former Adelaide 36ers forward Jacob Wiley has been a target for the 36ers and the Brisbane Bullets.
The 36ers and Bullets are in the market for an import after releasing Craig Randall II and Devondrick Walker.
Wiley, who was released by the Shiga Lakes in Japan earlier this month, has emerged as an option for both clubs, however he can’t sign with a rival team for four weeks as per the terms of his release.
The 28-year-old American last played in the NBL with Adelaide back in the 2018/2019 season.
Wiley recently signalled his intentions to return to the NBL via a podcast with Aussie Hoopla. He loved his stint with the 36ers, and now he has experienced overseas leagues, he says a comeback to Australia is on the cards.
“Now that I’ve pretty much experienced it all and I’ve played everywhere, I’m like yeah, I want to return to the NBL,” Wiley said last month.
“But I want it to be the right situation and I just don’t want to be like: ‘yeah I want to go back to Australia and jump on any team.’
“I want to make sure that it is the right situation, but after following the league it has grown so much since I’ve been there, and it is only getting better every year and I want to be a part of that again.”
FAMILY AFFAIR AS BEST HIGH SCHOOL BALLERS ON SHOW
It will be a family affair for former NBL forward Anthony Petrie at next week’s 2022 Australian School Championships on the Gold Coast.
Petrie, who played 268 NBL games for five teams, is coaching the Southport School in the men’s Championship Division.
His daughter Jessica Petrie is playing in women’s Championship Division for Lake Ginninderra College – the same college that her mother Sarah – a former championship-winning Canberra Capitals player – attended.
“It’s awesome,” Petrie said. “Jess plays the game before we play. It is a really nice moment and it’s both world’s colliding.
“It’s special to see Jess play for my wife’s high school.
“Jess is also a Gold Coast junior and some of her best friends who she played juniors against all go to Hillcrest – a girls school on the Coast.
“School sport is still one of the purest forms of sport.
“It’s important for me that the game becomes generational, because basketball can become the biggest code in the country if we get it right.”
AUSTRALIA’S NEXT NBA STAR?
A respected US-based scout whose father recruited NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo has hailed Sydney-born guard Tyrese Proctor Australia’s next NBA draft lottery pick.
Matt Babcock – a former agent and development coach who now has his own NBA draft coverage for basketballnews.com – is currently scouting Proctor at Duke University.
Babcock believes the 18-year-old rising Boomer has the ability to follow in the footsteps of Dyson Daniels and Josh Giddey as lottery picks.
“It’s really amazing having these high lottery picks in multiple years and Tyrese seems to be the next one coming,” Babcock told the Basketball Show.
“You can tell that he is very naturally smooth, he has great size, and it looks like he has the potential to be a combo guard.
“I do project him to be an NBA player at some point.”
This week we're joined by @MattBabcock11 for a wide ranging chat including a BTS look at how the @Bucks drafted Giannis
— The Basketball Show 🇦🇺 (@BasketballAu) November 22, 2022
"There's this kid, he's really raw, he's long, plays hard, I think his upside's really high. They really didn't have much information on him" Thanks to @2K_ANZ! pic.twitter.com/NW5Tlt2SZg
Proctor has impressed playing for Duke thus far, including a standout 13 point, 10 rebound and 4 assist game against Delaware.
Babcock credits a strong and globally respected NBL competition for helping Australia consistently produce quality basketballers.
“The league there (the NBL) it has been good basketball for a long time and good coaching compared to other countries,” he said.
“Kids are getting solid coaching from a young age, and they are getting a head start compared to some of these other countries.”
LIKE
It’s brilliant to see Ben Simmons back smiling while he is playing basketball.
Simmons has been through the toughest period of his young career following his bitter trade standoff with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Throw in back and knee injuries, and he hasn’t been at his best.
Ben Simmons hits both free throws and gives a shrug to the Sixers crowd 😂pic.twitter.com/fj5nZBf4Yf
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) November 23, 2022
This has changed in recent games for the Brooklyn Nets, with the Melbourne-born star recapturing his confidence and on-court aggression and it’s there for everyone to see.
DISLIKE
The Tasmania JackJumpers fan who purposely threw a handclapper during last round’s clash against the New Zealand Breakers has been justifiably banned for life.
The incident was identified in which a handclapper was purposefully thrown towards the Breakers’ bench and team huddle late in the game.
The NBL provides one of the best family friendly environments in Australian sport and it’s paramount that it remains that way.
Well done, JackJumpers officials for the swift response.
SHOOSH
Which two club officials have a frosty relationship – and the players have noticed?
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Originally published as Logue Down: Latest NBL news and whispers ahead of round eight
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