Crosscourt: A look at all the latest news from the world of the NBL and Australian basketball

NBL wages have been the talk of the town, but they needn’t be, an ex-NBL star says. The simple solution is to make them public. Cast your own vote.

The leaking of NBL player salaries has upset the Players’ Association and some players, but the concept also has support.

Former import guard turned NBL commentator Damon Lowery likes the idea of player wages becoming public knowledge.

“Every sport in the world pretty much knows what guys get paid, so I don’t see the big deal myself,” Lowery said during commentary.

“I’m all for salaries being posted.

“We’re professional and we’re a top three league in the world, so why not?”

Fellow commentator Peter Hooley can see the negatives of social media if player salaries go public from a criticism perspective.

“We want the NBL to be as enticing as possible for some of the best talent in the world, both homegrown and overseas, to come and show their craft on the biggest stage in Australia,” Hooley said.

Is it time to make NBL wages public?

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NBL BOOMERS POWER RANKINGS

NBL players aspiring to make the Australian Boomers squad for next year’s World Cup will receive valuable chances to impress in two qualifying games against Kazakhstan.

FIBA has announced two international windows, one from November 7-15 and the second from February 20-28.

The Boomers play away in Kazakhstan on November 12 before a return home clash on February 27.

The NBL will pause the season for both windows, opening the door for the league’s finest players to push their claims for a World Cup position.

Basketball Australia will name a formidable squad to play Kazakhstan after receiving strong interest from all 10 NBL clubs and overseas.

Former Perth Wildcats forward Nick Kay, who is now playing in Japan, will captain the side.

Kay will be joined by a host of star NBL players, including championship-winning Sydney Kings Xavier Cooks and Dejan Vasiljevic.

Which NBL players will make the Boomers World Cup squad?

Boomers coach Brian Goorjian will also contact Australia’s NBA contingent to see who is available for next year’s World Cup.

Watch every game live of the 2022/23 NBL Season on ESPN on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

It’s likely some NBA players won’t play at the Cup due to other commitments, leaving positions in the squad for NBL players.

Six NBL players made the 2019 World Cup squad in China, so there is precedent for domestic players in the green and gold.

Throw in the growing strength of the NBL, and players now have a legitimate chance of making a Boomers squad alongside NBA stars like Patty Mills, Jock Landale and Josh Giddey.

Crosscourt has named and ranked the NBL players in contention for a position in Australia’s World Cup squad for next year’s tournament in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines from August 25 to September 10.

Antonius Cleveland and the Adelaide 36ers soared against the Kings. Picture: Getty Images

36ERS LET HOOPS DO THE TALKING

The Adelaide 36ers won the basketball battle over the Sydney Kings, on-and-off the court.

Things got spicy in the days leading up to Friday’s match when Kings owner Paul Smith called out Adelaide for carrying on after their recent upset win over NBA heavyweights Phoenix Suns.

“These 36ers deadset think that they are the Golden State Warriors,” Smith said on radio.

The 36ers held their tongue and, instead, let their basketball do the talking with a stunning take-down of the defending champs on their home floor.

“For me, I don’t get into all that,” 36ers coach CJ Bruton said.

“For Paul and what he says, he deserves to say whatever he wants as the owner of the team.

“My focus is our guys, and as I’ve said to them behind closed doors, if that’s what helps you then use it.”

HOT JACKJUMPERS

The Tasmania JackJumpers are genuine contenders after recording their highest-ever score in a 103-72 thumping of Perth to secure a fourth win on the trot.

“To keep a team like that in that range, in the seventies, is just an incredible effort by our guys,” coach Scott Roth said after Tasmania’s record win.

DISLIKES

SIGNS, BOTH GOOD AND BAD

There is a reason the Brisbane Bullets lost the first five games of the season.

According to those sitting courtside at John Cain Arena on Saturday night, the Bullets’ body language was terrible. We’re also hearing one player isn’t popular within the playing group due to his “arrogance”.

Meanwhile, we’re told forward DJ Mitchell booted a basketball before he unloaded on coach James Duncan at a training session last week.

DJ Mitchell travelled to Melbourne with the Bullets, despite his suspension.

Mitchell copped a one-game suspension, but he showed class on Saturday night when he was seen during warm ups prior to the Phoenix clash high-giving and laughing with any Bullet who ended up in his vicinity.

Could Mitchell have helped put the clamps on a marauding Mitch Creek and turned the one-point loss into a victory? We’ll never know, but what we do know is the Bulles finally showed a sign of life with a dominant road win over Illawarra Monday night.

CRYPTO CRUSH?

Every other sporting league is doing it, so why shouldn’t we?

The NBL announced this month that it was entering the world of NFTs.

What’s an NFT, you ask? Surely you’ve heard of CryptoPunks or Bored Ape Yacht Club? No?

Well, NBL Chainz is the latest in the non-fungible tokens market.

In its official press release, the NBL doesn’t explicitly say what its NFTs will be. But, think digital assets or, if it’s like NBA Top Shot, individual highlight reel moments that you own. There’s no mention of Top Shot — the US league’s NFT product — for good reason. Top Shot was all the rage early last year, doing over $250 million in sales in February 2021. But, fast forward a year, and those sales are down nearly 70 per cent amid a user exodus.

Originally published as Crosscourt: A look at all the latest news from the world of the NBL and Australian basketball