Basketball 2022: Melbourne United coach Dean Vickerman labelled a ‘hypocrite’ after calling out NBL commentator
NBL commentator Corey ‘Homicide’ Williams wasn’t happy when Melbourne United coach Dean Vickerman called him out for being ‘controversial’. And he didn’t miss when he returned fire.
Basketball
Don't miss out on the headlines from Basketball. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Melbourne United coach Dean Vickerman has been labelled a “hypocrite” after criticising NBL commentator Corey ‘Homicide’ Williams for being controversial despite the United mentor recently calling out his own import.
Vickerman caused a stir on radio this week when he said that commentators like Williams are “trying to get clickbait by making crazy comments.”
“The commentators this year and the amount of people that have come out, and different commentators, and you see Corey Homicide Williams as a viewpoint to say: yep, I’ve got to be controversial,” Vickerman said on SEN.
“And now we’ve got Damon Lowry doing the same thing and it all comes back to social media and mental health.”
It comes as Vickerman singled out Melbourne import forward Jordan Caroline back in round four.
The United mentor referenced Caroline’s inability to make shots at the rim like the club’s former forward Jack White, who is now on a two-way NBA contract with the Denver Nuggets.
“I thought the shots ‘JC’ (Caroline) had tonight, we were talking in the locker room, and it was like, ‘Wow, if Jack White had every one of those kinds of catches where he caught it and those takes at the rim and just was able to finish it, they were 11 kind of good shots,” Vickerman said.
“He just hasn’t been able to finish some of those over the length of people in this league.”
Vickerman’s remarks didn’t go unnoticed on social media, with a host of fans expressing their frustration about Caroline’s predicament.
This prompted Sydney Kings guard Dejan Vasiljevic to also back United’s under-pressure import.
“Honestly, bro I feel bad for Caroline,” Vasiljevic said.
“He understands he’s under pressure but for a coach to come out publicly and throw him under the bus is not it.
“I’d comment more but I’ll leave it at that.”
Just at home thinking out loud. 🤔ðŸ’💠@MelbUnited DO NOT WANT TO LOSE to @CairnsTaipans Tonight
— Corey “Homicide†Williams (@chomicide) November 4, 2022
Because if they do…
It could be a bad look come Sunday vs well rested & healthy 4game win streak @SEMelbPhoenix in THE THROWDOWN. 👀 👀 #Nbl23pic.twitter.com/MvMcDqckyF
Williams questioned the hypocrisy of Vickerman calling him out for being controversial.
“What did he say about his own import?,” Williams said.
“Reminiscing about Jack White who ain’t here. Playing his own import. What is that? Hypercritical.”
Williams went on to say he is a commentator who is paid for his opinions, and he will always be truthful.
He also insists he is his own man, and his strong opinions are pushed by no one, including the league.
“I ain’t nobody’s puppet, I’m calling it as I see it and right now you (United) have got problems with your imports, and I feel you should focus on that then what I’m saying,” he said.
“Is this pro sport or is this under 12s?
“I don’t say nothing for clickbait.
“I call it as I see it. It’s not clickbait and we don’t go to mental health when I’m cheering and praising you.
“Who have I demonised or talked horrible about at Melbourne United for them to say that?
“To be honest with you, that is nonsense what he is saying. “I don’t respect that. Not at all.
“If you were 9-1 you ain’t saying nothing about that. You got your imports wrong — that is on you.
“Don’t come with that energy this way because you’re struggling right now.
“I’ve been doing this for six years now and commentators come with opinions.”
It’s understood the NBL back its commentators to be honest and opinionated and will not stop rostering the likes of Williams on United games.
My comments on NBL media were sparked from Scott Roth’s press conference - being in this league for 20 + years I felt compelled to support Scott’s comments and have media consider the wellness of both players & coaches whilst driving exposure of the NBL. https://t.co/l6LscHwSkJ
— Dean Vickerman (@DeanVickerman) November 10, 2022
Vickerman took to social media on Friday to explain his comments about the NBL media being controversial were in response to Tasmania coach Scott Roth calling for the media to be wary of the impact that commentary can have on players and coaches.
“My comments on NBL media were sparked from Scott’s press conference,” Vickerman tweeted.
“Being in this league for 20 plus years I felt compelled to support Scott’s comments and have media consider the wellness of both players and coaches whilst driving exposure of the NBL.”
Triple-Brownlow Giddey: How NBA gun teamed up with AFL stars
Rising Australian NBA star Josh Giddey believes the Boomers are in a “gold-medal” window that he would “love” to be part of for years to come — starting with next year’s World Cup.
The OKC Thunder guard says the Australian men’s program has become so strong that gold medals are no longer just a pipe dream.
“With the talent that we have available for the World Cup and Olympics, the gold medal chances are as real as they’ve ever been,” Giddey said.
“When the time comes, I’d love to play in the World Cup.
“It’s something as a kid that you dream of doing, representing your country.
“I’m excited for that when it comes around.”
The Boomers have the deepest pool of basketball talent in Australian history to select a squad from for next year’s World Cup in August-September.
Australia’s NBA stars, and at least a dozen NBL players, are in the mix for 12 roster spots.
Giddey expects the competition for positions to be fierce.
“There are going to be elite guys that get left off the team,” he said.
“It (the depth) is probably at an all-time high.
“It’s a good problem to have with the talent we are going to have miss out on the team, which means that Australian basketball is progressing in the right way.
“I watch the NBL as much as I can and it’s great to see the Aussie guys, especially the younger guys come up, and really make a name for themselves.
“When selection camp comes around, it’s going to be interesting because a lot of good players are going to miss out.”
TACKLING SECOND YEAR HEAD ON
Giddey concedes he’s faced the inevitable bumps that come with a second NBA season, but he has accepted it as a reality of the world’s best league.
The Melbourne-born guard is embracing the fact that he has gone from the hunter to the hunted this season following a stellar rookie season that featured four triple-doubles — three of those in succession, making him the youngest to achieve that feat since hall-of-famer Oscar Robinson in 1961.
🇦🇺 @joshgiddey was back in action for the @okcthunder in their 116-108 win over the Magic #ThunderUp
— NBA Australia (@NBA_AU) November 2, 2022
📊 7 PTS | 10 AST | 1 REB | 1 STL | 1 BLK pic.twitter.com/NKPKsirA4Z
“The biggest difference (in your second season), in a good way, is that you know what to expect,” said Giddey, who is averaging 13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.3 assists this season despite missing three games with a right ankle sprain.
“You’ve had a year of 82 games under your belt with the travel, the late nights, the different schedules you’ve had to adjust to.
“Then the reverse of that is that teams figure you out. They understand how to play you now after playing against you for a year.
“So, it’s about finding ways to adjust to that, but I’m loving it. I love my team and the guys I’m with every day, so it has been a fun time while I’ve been here.”
EXPECTATIONS IN OKC
The rebuilding OKC Thunder aren’t expected to make much noise this season, but it won’t stop Giddey dreaming big.
The Thunder won just 24 games last season to finish second last in the 15-team Western Conference.
Oklahoma City has opened the 2022-23 season with a 4-5 record to sit eleventh in the West.
It won’t be easy for the Thunder to climb the standings, but Giddey is embracing the challenge.
“As a young and rebuilding group, it’s hard to go from that last year to being a championship contender in one year, but we understand that we are getting better,” he said.
“You can already see the improvements that we’ve made from last year with guys individually and as a team.
“So, we’re heading in the right direction. Whether that is the playoffs, the play-in or we miss the playoffs completely, I think that if we can look back at the end of this year and say we’ve made progress from 12 months ago, then we are going to be happy.”
A BROWNLOW IN BUSINESS
Giddey is eyeing a long future in business after joining AFL stars Tom Mitchell, Patrick Cripps and Lachie Neale as a co-owner and content creator for the popular fitness and skills app, Ball Magnets.
It’s a free training and development app that aims to inspire, inform and entertain aspiring athletes with insights and training drills used at the highest level.
The idea to get involved in the app was sparked at one of Giddey’s speaking events in Melbourne in April when he sat alongside Mitchell – the former Hawthorn midfielder who has moved to Collingwood.
“I had no idea that Tom was going to be there, but he was actually sitting right next to me at my table,” said Giddey, who is taking home $6.2 million for the 2022-23 NBA season.
“I’m still a big Hawks fan and he was my favourite player when he was at the club.
“I knew what they were doing with Ball Magnets, and it was always something I found interesting.
“When I was a young kid this (app) is the perfect thing that I would’ve loved to have, with insights from people where you aspire to be at.”
Giddey hopes his involvement in the Ball Magnets app is a starting point for more opportunities.
“It (business) is definitely an avenue that I want to branch off into and hopefully this is the start of a long business career ahead,” he said.
“I haven’t really had much to do with it because I’m still so young, so I’m kind of growing into it and learning about it as I go.”
Ball Magnets is a FREE App that has been developed by some of the best AFL, AFLW and NBA players. Download now and find out what it takes to train like an AFL and NBA player and find tips to start improving your game.
South East Melbourne sack coach after horror start
Patience has officially run out at the Phoenix, with South East Melbourne axing coach Mike Kelly after its latest defeat.
How Longley lured the NBL’s ‘Beast’ to the Kings
Keli Leaupepe is the Kings’ self-confessed ‘Beast’, but if it wasn’t for Luc Longley he would be flexing his muscles for the Phoenix. This is how the hoops legend changed the course of NBL25.