Crosscourt: Latest news ahead of round 19 of the 2024-25 NBL season
The NBL has found itself with a line to the White House after billionaire Illawarra Hawks owner Jared Novelly was tapped for a key role in the Trump administration.
Illawarra has its own MAGA man with US president Donald Trump announcing club owner and billionaire oil tycoon Jared Novelly will join his administration.
The NBL will have a seat at the White House with Trump appointing Hawks boss Novelly as the next US ambassador to New Zealand and the Independent State of Samoa.
In an official announcement late last week, the recently sworn in US president described the Illawarra owner as a “highly respected philanthropist”.
Novelly, who has been Hawks owner since 2020, serves as chairman of Crest Sports and Entertainment and Crest Management.
He is also an East Asia Superleague Basketball shareholder.
Congratulations to Jared Novelly on being appointed as the US Ambassador to New Zealand.
— Joseph Mooney MP (@JosephMooneyMP) January 25, 2025
I am looking forward to meeting him in my role as Co-Chair of the New Zealand - North America Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group. pic.twitter.com/zbuqv6m1IG
Trump took to social media to praise Novelly’s appointment.
“He will fight hard to protect our Nation’s interests in the Indo-Pacific, and always put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump wrote. “Congratulations Jared!”
The Novelly family is one of the wealthiest in America.
Jared’s father, Tony, heads up the family’s company – Apex Oil – a petroleum products distribution, storage and transportation firm based in St. Louis.
Forbes has the family’s net worth at $1.4 billion.
Contacted by Crosscourt on Wednesday morning, Novelly declined to answer questions about his new role, other than to say: “We’ll see, (I’ve) got to go through a senate approval process, first.
“Unfortunately I can’t speak about it.”
Crosscourt understands Illawarra players and staff were told about Novelly’s US ambassador news five weeks ago.
It’s understood Novelly may have to relocate to New Zealand for the role, which could force extra duties on to other staff members.
Illawarra also recently announced the departure of CEO Stu Taggart and are expected to announce a replacement.
It comes as the table-topping Hawks look to finish the regular season on a high, starting with an away clash against the Tasmania JackJumpers on Thursday.
HUNTING FOR THE NEXT NEXT STARS
The U20 National Championships is fertile territory for talent scouts, but the challenge for NBL Next Stars boss Liam Santamaria is identifying the absolute cream of the crop who could one day become an NBA draft pick.
Santamaria is spending the week in Ballarat, watching contracted Next Star Roman Siulepa (Queensland) and his newest recruit Dash Daniels (Victoria) strut their stuff against their peers.
But there are a number of other young guns who have shown glimpses of the talent that could take them to the top.
“There’s always a lot of great talent at these events so it’s important to make sure that we’re tracking those guys on a regular basis,” Santamaria said.
“The development pathways across the country just continue to churn out incredible talent, guys with genuine NBL, Boomers and NBA upside, which is really exciting.”
Among those firmly fixed on NBL radars is Victoria’s rising Marcu Vaughns, who, as a bottom-ager, has found his way into a starting role on the tournament favourite.
“I think he’s got a lot of great potential. He has some things that make him really special as a prospect,” Santamaria said of Vaughns.
“His improvement over the past six to 12 months has been really impressive.
“The work he’s done in Canberra, first as part of the NBA Global Academy with Marty Clarke and Nathan Brereton, and now part of the Centre of Excellence with Robbie McKinlay and Braden Cotter puts him now in a realm of having genuine NBA upside and of real intrigue and interest from a Next Stars perspective.”
That intrigue extends to 209cm ACT talent Ajak Nyuon who has shown a genuine elite skillset at both ends of the floor, coupled with a body built for the basketball court.
“I watched Jak play really well at the U17 World Cup in Turkey last year and so this is a great event to get an updated assessment and evaluation of his development,” Santamaria said.
“He’s long, athletic, skilled, there are some elements of his physique and his skillset that are really rare, so he’s a very interesting guy for us to continue to track.”
Two young guns in the NBA Global Academy – Mali’s Ladji Coulibaly and Victorian Guer Bar – have Santamaria’s attention, for different reasons.
“Ladji’s already played a little bit in the ACB (Spain) with Manresa and he’s a very talented young man with incredible physical gifts,” he said.
“He’s got a good strong frame, he’s 6’10” with a 7’5” wingspan and he has an ability to get his hands in the passing lanes, to rebound out of his position and protect the rim.
“He also has a pretty good shooting touch, which I think untapped potential for him.”
Just 16, Bar is going up against men three year’s older, but hasn’t been daunted.
“If you want to look a little further down the line, very much early in his process, but Guer Bar is someone interesting to keep an eye on, long term,” Santamaria said.
“He hasn’t been playing basketball at a serious level for very long but he’s very gifted.
“An incredible athlete, seems like a really quick learner and he’s in a great situation to fast track his development at the COE.”
“He’s a 2008-born kid and he’s going be playing for Victoria at the U18 nationals in April, so it’s going to be fascinating to watch his growth.”
GRACE WEIGHS IN AS COTTON HINTS AT FUTURE
Perth legend Ricky Grace says the Wildcats will survive even if modern day master Bryce Cotton opts to chase overseas dollars and leave at season’s end.
Grace – once considered the Wildcats’ guard GOAT before Cotton arrived on the scene – hopes Bryce stays in the NBL but won’t begrudge him if he departs.
He believes the Wildcats can still achieve success without Cotton – just like the club did when he retired after the 2004-05 season.
“There was a guy that retired many years ago who they said was the GOAT and they found a way to replace him, so the club will be ok,” said Grace, who won four NBL championships with Perth.
“It’s a business and Bryce has to be approach it that way.
“My gut feeling is that Bryce and Perth will work something out, but if he goes the Wildcats will be fine.”
Cotton’s Australian visa ban ends next month, but the Wildcats star insists it means “nothing” as he seriously weighs up overseas offers.
In a concerning sign for Cats’ fans, the gun guard strongly indicated the possibility of leaving Perth.
The American guard attempted to gain his Australian citizenship in 2021, but a paperwork mishap while he was changing from a normal visa to a Distinguished Talent Visa saw him without a legal visa for around 30 minutes.
That period of time between paperwork saw Cotton be in Australia illegally without a visa, barring him from applying for citizenship until 2025.
The Wildcats star confirmed his visa ban ends in February, but he “still has to go through other hoops” to receive the green light.
Asked what it would mean for the NBL and the Wildcats if he got his Australian citizenship, Cotton said via Ten News in Perth: “Nothing. I’ve got to assess what is best for me when the season is done to figure out what is the right contract for me to take.
“Who knows where that is for me, but I haven’t thought about it yet.”
HARRELL’S CHALLENGE TO REACH NBA
Adelaide marquee man Montrezl Harrell is “by far” the best NBA calibre talent in the NBL but he still faces a challenge to return to the world’s best league.
That’s the opinion of NBA scouts, who spoke to Crosscourt on the condition of anonymity per league regulations.
Many scouts still rate Harrell as a world-class rebounder and presence in the paint but have concerns around his temperament.
Harrell’s frustrations have been on show at times throughout NBL25 – most noticeably the player and fan altercation from a game with Melbourne United in round 9.
To Harrell’s credit he has taken control of his emotions in recent weeks and it has resulted in Adelaide’s rise up the ladder.
The former NBA Sixth Man of the Year has dropped double doubles in two of his past three games, including 23 points and 11 rebounds in a big road win over the Sydney Kings in round 18.
Harrell, 31, has shown he deserves another shot in the NBA, but it won’t be easy according to some scouts.
“He (Harrell) played his way out of the NBA, but he is an excellent rebounder and he can finish at the rim,” a scout said about Harrell, who last played in the NBA in 2023 with the Philadelphia 76ers.
“He is by far the best NBA calibre player in the NBL and for sure an NBA talent but the (off court) makes it a challenge.”
ROCCO’S GROWING PAINS
Rocco Zikarsky won’t play another NBL game this season unless Brsbane pulls off a finals miracle.
But fears the towering Next Star had been struck down by a serious knee injury have been allayed after it was found the teenager has been battling persistent pain caused by his still-growing frame.
It’s understood Zikarsky, still just 18, is now taller than his NBL-listed 220cm and, while he hasn’t been officially shutdown, he’s been ruled out of the Bullets’ last two regular season games against Adelaide (Friday) and Cairns (next Thursday).
It’s understood there have been no concrete decisions on Zikarsky’s future with the NBA draft process looming.
There is a misconception that Next Star deals are limited to two years, but Crosscourt has been told Zikarsky, if he chooses not to enter his name in the 2025 NBA draft, does have the option to return as a Next Star for a third year next season.
Brisbane chief executive Mal Watts said the club was determined to do everything it could to ensure he is in the best place possible ahead of this year’s NBA draft process.
“We believe Rocco has a bright future in the NBA and we see him as a Bullet for life as he continues his basketball journey,” Watts said.
Inside the life of the NBA’s favourite content creator
She’s your ‘favourite NBA players favourite photographer,’ but Cassy Athena’s impact is global. The content queen shares how she built a trailblazing career, that has the likes of Steph Curry calling her up.
Humphries shares his ‘tricky’ locker room experience
As the only current openly gay basketballer in the world, Isaac Humphries reflects on his ‘tricky’ locker room experiences and the positive change he’s seen at the NBL.