NBL grand final 2023: Sydney Kings snub Shane Heal from Wall of Legends

The Sydney Kings have admitted to an embarrassing error in leaving club legend Shane Heal off the Wall of Legends for their grand final game five victory.

Shane Heal’s bitter dispute with NBL champions Sydney Kings over bullying allegations has taken an embarrassing turn with the legend’s Hall of Fame banner accidently absent from Wednesday’s night grand final decider at Qudos Bank Arena.

As the Kings basked in title glory with an epic final quarter surge to claim a 3-2 grand final series over New Zealand Breakers, eagle-eyed supporters noticed a major snub of club legend Heal.

The Kings always hang banners inside the stadium celebrating their 13 club legends – including the likes of Steve Carfino, Bob Turner, Damien Keogh, Brian Goorjian and former player and coach Heal.

How the banners appeared during game 5 of the NBL finals series.

Sydney Kings Wall of Legends featuring Heal earlier in 2023 NBL season. Picture: Supplied

But News Corp has obtained images showing Heal’s banner missing from the Kings’ Wall of Legends in the rafters at Qudos Bank Arena for the decider.

Multiple witnesses at Wednesday’s Game 5 grand final clash have confirmed they noticed the banner of the former Kings captain and championship-winner had been removed.

Kings officials told News Corp that Heal’s banner was “inadvertently missed” prior to Wednesday’s game and after being alerted to the issue it was only upon inspection on Thursday that they noticed it had remained rolled up.

Sydney chairman Paul Smith said Qudos Bank Arena’s building management erect the banners for every home game and he didn’t realise that Heal’s Hall of Fame banner wasn’t on display until it was pointed out to him during Wednesday’s Game 5 win over the Breakers.

“It was a mistake,” Smith said.

Originally published as NBL grand final 2023: Sydney Kings snub Shane Heal from Wall of Legends