Crosscourt: Bring him back- Andrew Gaze’s left-field Boomers’ coach pick
The hunt for the Boomers’ next head coach is heating up, and hoops legend Andrew Gaze has floated a left-field option. We take a closer look at all the contenders, and more in this week’s Crosscourt.
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Basketball Australia is about to ramp up its search for the Boomers’ next head coach and hoops legend Andrew Gaze has floated a left-field option among a number of prime candidates to take over from Tokyo bronze medal mentor Brian Goorjian.
BA will, in the coming days, release a position description for the role vacated by Goorjian at the end of the Paris Olympics, understood to be worth approximately $150,000 per year.
Gaze believes the likes of Trevor Gleeson, Brett Brown, Matt Nielsen, Adam Caporn, Dean Vickerman and Scott Roth should all be on BA’s radar but says Goorjian’s predecessor Andrej Lemanis should be given consideration.
“If you’re thinking really left field, I thought Andrej Lemanis did an extraordinarily good job when he was coach of the Australian national team,” Gaze told Crosscourt.
“He is someone I have great respect for, with the way the team played and he had great successes.
“If you’re thinking left field, he is someone who I really think would be worthy of at least a conversation to see where he is at.
“I don’t know whether he has any interest — this is just me going off the top of my head.”
The former Brisbane Bullets and New Zealand Breakers mentor might have been the first coach to lead an Australian men’s basketball team to a major medal, were it not for an egregiously bad foul call that gifted Spain a one-point win in the 2016 Rio Olympic bronze medal game. Three years later, at the 2019 World Cup, Lemanis’ Boomers just fell short again, going down to France by eight in the battle for rose gold.
Gaze said, given the majority of the national team was now made up of NBA players, exposure to the big league would be helpful but not vital for the next coach.
“Trevor Gleeson, with what he’s done, particularly over the last couple years, he’s got international experience, he’s been an assistant coach (on the Boomers) before, his record in the NBL has been impeccable, he understands the culture, I think he’d be a very strong candidate,” Gaze said.
“I would be reaching out to Brett Brown to ascertain his interest and I think that our assistant coaches, in particular Matty Nielsen and Adam (Caporn) would be worthy of a conversation.
“Dean Vickerman, because of his record in the NBL, has been really strong. He doesn’t have the NBA experience, but I don’t think it’s critical and I don’t think it’s a non-negotiable.
“In recent times it’s hard not be impressed with what Scott Roth has done from a club level in the NBL, he’s been an assistant coach with the Chinese national team and he’s had international experience.”
Gaze said the search should not be limited to obvious commodities, suggesting an international coach could provide a fresh perspective on the program.
“You look at what’s been going on around the world, Germany brought in a Canadian (Gordon Herbert) — there might be merit to considering an external option to bring a fresh set of eyes.”
Basketball Australia boss Matt Scriven said the Australian Institute of Sport had been engaged to undertake an extensive review of the Olympic cycle, which would help inform the process of hiring the Boomers’ next coach. He said BA high performance boss Jason Smith would be part of a panel that will include past Boomers greats, among others, tasked with securing the best candidate.
Australia’s first NBA player Luc Longley is likely to be among those.
Longley told Crosscourt he would like to see the next coach continue to grow the Boomers’ famed culture.
“The competitive advantage we have internationally is the Boomers’ culture, the legacy of the last 40-50 years has to be continued on,” Longley said.
“It needs to be respected and kept because, even though we have the NBA players, I think that’s our special ingredient, for sure.”
BULLETS’ BIG MOVE ON STRUGGLING IMPORT
Brisbane great Derek Rucker says the winless Bullets must make a swift decision on struggling import James Batemon.
The Bullets are set to make a change — Crosscourt understand they plan to move the 27-year-old to the bench, in favour of veteran hard man Mitch Norton — in a bid to take the pressure off the American point guard, who is averaging just 5.7 points on 29 per cent shooting from the field (7-24) and 16.7 per cent from deep (2-12).
Batemon’s had almost as many turnovers (7) as assists (8) and he hasn’t hit his free throws, either, just one make from four trips to the charity stripe.
Brisbane has a club option on the second year of Batemon’s contract next season, but Rucker believes the Bullets may be forced to act sooner if the American doesn’t dramatically improve.
“Only problem is do you see any other point guards across the league?,” Rucker said.
“You’ve got a problem and you can’t afford to have a problem.
“Sydney can get away with Jaylen (Adams) not being at the top of his game, but the Bullets don’t have that depth.
“It’s a matter of do they ride this out? What’s the buyout look like and what do the club’s funds look like?
“Unless he can resurrect it, but I just haven’t seen enough yet.”
The Bullets bought out two underperforming imports at the end of last season — Shannon Scott and Chris Smith last season. Scott, a point guard, averaged 4.9 points, 3.3 assists and 1.3 turnovers in 22 games.
Brisbane faces the only other winless team in NBL25 South East Melbourne (0-4) — in Melbourne — on Saturday night in a must-win clash.
Encouragingly, the Bullets are third in the NBL in offensive rating at 116.9 points per 100 possessions. Unfortunately, they can’t stop anyone, currently owner of the worst defensive rating in the entire league, conceding 126.9 points per 100. They’re the only team with a negative net rating in double digits at -10.
The Bullets are second-last in the NBL in assists at just 15.7 per game, third-last in rebounding at just 40 — they had a massive 56 against the Kings — and they’re equal last in turnovers at 14.3 per game.
One mitigating factor has been the absence of second-year young star Josh Bannan, who was set to form a dynamic frontcourt with much-improved big man Tyrell Harrison.
The 24-year-old returned on the weekend from a hand fracture and really helped their rebounding with 11 boards to go with eight points.
His eventual return to the starting line-up should aid the Bullets’ rebounding struggles.
EXPANSION DELAYS PROMPT RETHINK
The NBL’s bid for a Darwin-based franchise will have to wait following a change of government in the Northern Territory.
The league was confident of closing in on a historic agreement before the Country Liberal Party claimed a landslide victory in the NT election.
The new government remains supportive of an NBL franchise, but wants to complete its due diligence.
NBL officials will revisit a Darwin side in the future but, for now, any plans for a new team are on the backburner.
There is more promise for a Gold Coast side, although Crosscourt can reveal a franchise won’t enter the league until at least NBL27.
All parties involved in the bid, including the NBL, have decided to delay a team on Queensland’s glitter strip for another season to finalise details.
League officials had hoped to announce a new Gold Coast franchise at this year’s pre-season Blitz before opting to take the patient road.
PHOENIX KELLY-MITCHELL COACH RUMOUR QUASHED
If South East Melbourne does decide to move on Mike Kelly before the end of the season, former Phoenix coach-turned-general manager Simon Mitchell will not be the man who replaces him.
SEN Radio purported a rumour this week that Kelly had been given an ultimatum that he needs to quickly turn around the Phoenix’s 0-4 start or face being replaced by Mitchell.
Multiple sources told Crosscourt this was not true.
Crosscourt, on Monday, reported there had been some frustration at the Phoenix over the poor start but the club, for now, was staying the course with Kelly.
Mitchell is a dear friend of Kelly’s and a fellow assistant on Melbourne United’s 2018 NBL title team. South East Melbourne’s inaugural coach amicably parted ways with the Phoenix at the end of the 2022-23 season, with Kelly appointed to the post on a two-year deal at the beginning of last season.
Mitchell returned this season as general manager of basketball. Crosscourt has been told he has no desire to take over from Kelly.
MCVEIGH COULD GIVE JACKJUMPERS ROCKET THEY NEED
He’s doing everything he can to stick in the NBA, but there is still some chance reigning NBL grand final MVP Jack McVeigh could be back in a Tasmania uniform this season.
The Boomers’ Paris Olympian is in Houston as a two-way player between the Rockets and Rio Grande Valley Vipers, but is in a fight for a meaningful role in the league. If he doesn’t get cut he’ll likely face a decision between slogging away in the G League or returning to Tassie.
A homecoming would be bittersweet for the JackJumpers, who are proud of their star player garnering an NBA call up but also desperately miss his unique scoring abilities on the court and his culture-setting attitude off it.
“The longer we wait, the less hope we’ve got,” a source close to the club said of the 28-year-old, who had 8 points in 8 minutes in his pre-season debut Tuesday.
“We feel like we’re in a win-win — if he was to come home, great for us, but if he stays, great for him and we’d be happy for him.
“We didn’t plan to not have him here so we’ve had to fill that position with what we can.
“Right now, We’re trying to work out a new identity with new players and do it tough, as we always do.”
Boomers great Andrew Bogut’s comments on McVeigh’s likely move back to the JackJumpers were shared on the NBL website, a move that didn’t sit well with former Tassie import point guard Josh Magette.
“Jack just realised a lifelong dream appearing in an NBA game and this is the (garbage bin emoji) that gets posted from the official @NBL account. Be better!” Magette wrote.
Jack just realized a lifelong dream appearing in an NBA game and this is the ðŸ—‘ï¸ that gets posted from the official @NBL account. Be better! https://t.co/awxXdHls0X
— Josh Magette (@joshmagette) October 8, 2024
The Jackies, as always, are the No.1 defensive team in the NBL, conceding just 82.3 points per game. But they find it nearly impossible to put the ball in the hole, managing a league low 85 points per game across their first four contests which have produced a 2-2 record.
McVeigh is a unique inside outside threat, with a clutch gene that makes him a rare game-winning force — Tasmania were a remarkable 244 points better than the opposition when he was on the floor last season, No.1 in the league by a remarkable 57 points over second place. His 16.4 points per game could be enough to swing the JackJumpers to back-to-back title fancies.
Reigning NBL Most Improved Player Sean Macdonald is yet to suit up in NBL25 after he suffered a severe ankle sprain during the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in Singapore.
But, in a massive boost, Crosscourt can reveal the JackJumpers expect the 24-year-old guard to be back on court far sooner than the initial 12-week diagnosis.
His return would be huge for the Jackies, given he has offensive chops and can help imports Jordon Crawford and Milton Doyle with playmaking duties.
NBL AIMING FOR MORE FREE-TO-AIR GAMES
NBL circles are abuzz with talk of more free-to-air games from next season in what would be a major boost for the booming Australian league.
Crosscourt can reveal discussions are underway for at least four games on free-to-air across multiple networks.
Channel 10 currently broadcasts the two Sunday games, but there is hope for more games to be telecast to reach a bigger audience.
Both Seven and Nine Networks have engaged in talks with the NBL about the league’s future and potential broadcast deals.
The prospect of more free-to-air games has sparked conversation among the NBL’s current commentators and sideline eyes, who are fascinated about the competition’s direction and what impact it could have on their careers.
MORE WOMEN IN THE NBL COACHING RANKS, THANKS
Shout out to WNBL life member and Adelaide Lightning championship captain Sam Woosnam, who has packed up and headed to Far North Queensland to lead Cairns’ Taipans Academy — Girls initiative.
Woosnam has designs on being an NBL assistant and said while she was focused on the TAG program, which entails school visits to encourage girls to stay involved in sport, the opportunity to work with Taipans’ coach Adam Forde and the club’s front office was also a drawcard.
“I guess it’s a stepping stone but, to be honest I’m not coming to Taipans because I think it’s going to get me into the NBL,” Woosnam said.
“I’m coming to Cairns to be part of the TAG program but also to get that experience of working alongside Fordey, he’s a great coach, NBL Coach of the Year, multiple championships when he was assisting at Perth so I’m really looking forward to that side of it.
“It’s definitely an aspiration of mine to be a coach in the NBL.”
Only five women have been appointed to an NBL coaching panel in league history, — Michele Timms, Lori Chizik, Chanel Pompallier, Tracy York and, most recently, Fleur McIntyre, who franked her assistant coaching role with the Sydney Kings into a WNBA assistant general manager gig with Phoenix Mercury.
Forde said Woosnam would be a huge asset to the Taipans.
“She’s got great credentials … her coming up to run TAG really, for me as a coach, to have another resource available with someone like Sam who’s got so much basketball experience, I’m ecstatic,” Forde said.
“The video side of it, the scout related stuff, this is not just going to be someone who’s going to come in and help rebound, we’ll get Sam involved with player development, we’ll get Sam involved with the scout.
“She knows her stuff so we want to make sure we try to maximise that for us and we want Sam to enjoy her time here and feel like she’s being utilised.”
The league needs more elite women in key roles and Woosnam is the perfect candidate.
She led Kilsyth to the inaugural NBL1 Women’s Championship and has twice been named Basketball Victoria Coach of the Year.
She’s since been head coach of the Dandenong NBL1 South Men’s program, taking a 4-18 club to 13-9 and the playoffs for the first time since 2019, with current Taipans injury replacement Tad Dufelmeier running the point.
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