NBL 2022: All the basketball news and happenings from around the Aussie league

Fiery Sydney King Dejan Vasiljevic has called out Melbourne United coach Dean Vickerman over his straight-shooting comments on under-pressure import Jordan Caroline.

A rival player has defended under-fire Melbourne United import forward Jordan Caroline after he was thrown “under the bus” with public criticism from his own coach.

Caroline’s job is under threat following a substandard start to the NBL season.

The former Los Angeles Laker has averaged just 5.5 points and 6.7 rebounds while shooting a lowly 27 per cent from the field.

At 201cm, Caroline has been forced to play as an undersized five for much of his stint after a season-ending injury to big man Ariel Hukporti.

The pressure on the 26-year-old has intensified after Melbourne’s big loss to the Sydney Kings on Sunday.

The 87-69 defeat, United’s fourth straight at John Cain Arena, prompted coach Dean Vickerman to openly criticise his import forward.

Dejan Vasiljevic has come out in support of under-fire Melbourne United import Jordan Caroline.

Vickerman called out 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.

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“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.”

Honestly bro I feel bad for Caroline. 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 ...

— Dejan Vasiljevic (@3jvasiljevic) October 23, 2022

NBL legend Shane Heal also weighed in.

“Dean is a man of high integrity and character, but he would probably want that press conference back again,” Heal said on this week’s episode of the Basketball Show.

Vickerman also reinforced that Melbourne are on the lookout for another player to replace the injured Huporti, but the club is yet to find the “right guy”.

Caroline’s position in the Melbourne team looks untenable, especially after Vickerman’s comments.

It’s likely United will make a move on the import forward once they can find a suitable big man replacement.

Melbourne has looked closely at the NBA and international market, with the likes of former Milwaukee and Boston power forward Jabari Parker and ex-Miami and LA Lakers power forward Michael Beasley mentioned as potential candidates.

Former Melbourne big man Jo Lual-Acuil Jr has been linked to a return to the club despite the fact he is currently playing in China.

Acuil Jr, who was an MVP candidate last season, is understood to be missing his young family in Australia but re-uniting with United seems unlikely given he is on a big dollar deal in China.