NBA scouts heading for Tasmania as NBL Blitz hits the island state
The NBL Blitz is bringing unprecedented interest from arguably the world’s highest profile league, the NBA, to Tasmania.
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THE eyes of the basketball world will be on Tasmania later this week, with a horde of NBA recruiting scouts to descend on the state for the NBL Blitz.
One of the highest profile leagues in the world, the NBA will have 27 scouts in Tasmania watching the nine NBL clubs and the NBL1 All-Stars team in action in Ulverstone, Devonport, Launceston, Glenorchy and Kingston.
The recruitment of future NBA stars LaMelo Ball (Illawarra Hawks) and RJ Hampton (New Zealand Breakers) has put the Blitz, and subsequently Tasmania, on the world basketball map.
Highlights of Ball scoring 21 points in a practice game in Albury on Sunday against the South East Melbourne Phoenix have had over one million hits worldwide after gaining traction in the US.
The Tasmanian Government contributed $300,000 to bring the Blitz to the state for the first time.
NBL commissioner Jeremy Loeliger said this type of exposure was unheard of.
“There is unprecedented interest in this week’s NBL Blitz in Tasmania,” Loeliger said.
“We’ve had a bigger than usual number of requests from NBA teams who are keen to come down and watch NBL players.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for the NBL and shows the global interest in the league but also tremendous exposure for Tasmania.
“We are going to see some world class basketball and we encourage everyone to get a ticket and come along.
“It’s fantastic that so many NBA clubs are showing their endorsement of the calibre of our Next Stars (such as Ball and Hampton) but I also know that our local talent is going to make them sit up an pay attention.
“This is one of the key drivers of the Next Stars program — to attract new eyes to the league and for our young Australians to get the chance to be identified as some of the best developing talent in the world.”
The event will also six members of the Boomers squad — Brisbane duo Nathan Sobey and Cam Gliddon, Melbourne United pair Chris Goulding and David Barlow, Perth’s Nic Kay, who starred in the double overtime loss to Spain, and Phoenix’s Mitch Creek who played with Brooklyn in the NBA last season — that defeated the US for the first time last month and reached the top-four at the recently completed World Cup in China.
Goulding was born in Launceston and is the son of former North Launceston Football Club coach Steve.
Loeliger said it was not just on the court the league hoped to have an impact and said a big turn out would only be beneficial to the state’s push for a return to the NBL.
“It’s also a great chance for all of our clubs and players to engage with the Tasmanian community right across the state with 21 school visits alone across two days,” he said.
“There will also be other activities in major centres and we want it to be a celebration of the NBL and hopefully demonstrate that Tasmania can be part of a league that has not just a national presence but an international profile as well.”
Tickets are available at www.nbl.com.au/blitz
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