NBL1 South season to resume but Hobart Chargers forced to wait another week before hitting court
It will be almost a month between competitive games for the Hobart Chargers when they return to the NBL1 court, but the long lay-off has a silver lining for an injured star. LATEST >>
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NEARLY a month between on court action will be no deterrent for the Hobart Chargers when they finally resume their run into NBL1 finals.
The league announced the NBL1 South roster will kick off again this weekend — the campaign was paused for a fortnight due to the Covid-19 enforced lockdown in Victoria — but the Chargers will have to bide their time for another seven days before hosting Waverley on August 6.
The roster season has been extended by two weeks to squeeze all games in, while the finals series has been cut from three weeks to two, with quarterfinals starting the first weekend of September.
Any further matches that are lost if another coronavirus outbreak occurs will be deemed ‘wash outs’ and the ladder adjusted to a win percentage.
Hobart is riding a five-game winning streak, including a clean sweep of its daunting three match road swing, but despite having the momentum sapped the long lay-off has been a blessing in disguise.
“Probably perfect timing for us in a way, Jack Purchase has had a little niggle but he is now right to go, that couple of weeks certainly helped,” coach Anthony Stewart said.
“But at the same time you are on a five-game winning streak and up and about, you win a three game road trip, we were rolling pretty well and the disruption has its positives, but also its negatives.
“The advantage down here is at least we have been able to keep training in some capacity, it has just been keeping the guys motivated and interested.
“Hopefully now they know the season is back up and running, we will start to pick the intensity up again.”
The two Chargers postponed home games against Ringwood and Nunawading have been moved to August 20 and 27 respectively, while the last remaining interstate trip to tackle Frankston and Waverley — originally this weekend — is now slated for August 14-15.
Hobart sits second on the NBL1 South ladder with an 11-4 record, one win behind arch rivals North West Thunder, who now face a similar three game road trip in a fortnight.
‘I am ready’: Young Russian sensation joins JackJumpers
The Hungry Jack’s NBL has confirmed young Russian sensation Nikita Mikhailovskii will join the Next Stars program as a member of the Tasmania JackJumpers for the 2021/22 season.
Mikhailovskii is a top European prospect for next year’s NBA Draft and will look to grow his stock while playing in the NBL after working out for a number of NBA teams earlier this month.
The 6’8 guard has played professionally for Russian club Avtodor Saratov in the highly regarded VTB United League since 2017 winning the league’s Young Player of the Year in 2019 and again in 2020.
The 20-year-old has made a name for himself playing for the Russian national team.
At the 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup, he recorded 20 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists in a game against Greece, which was the first triple-double at the event since Dario Saric managed the feat in 2013.
Mikhailovskii was also named to the All-Star Five at the 2018 FIBA Europe U18 Championships and to the All-Tournament Team at the 2018 Albert Schweitzer Tournament.
NBL Commissioner Jeremy Loeliger said: “We are delighted to welcome Nikita Mikhailovskii to the league as a Next Star this season.
“Nikita is one of Europe’s most promising young stars and he has repeatedly proven himself on an international level with Russia’s national team. Nikita is an NBA level talent, and we are very proud that he has chosen the NBL as his pathway to the NBA draft.
“As our third European Next Star signing for the forthcoming season, alongside France’s Ousmane Dieng (New Zealand Breakers) and Germany’s Ariel Hukporti (Melbourne United), it is clear the NBL has become a prime destination right around the world for aspiring NBA players, through the Next Stars program.
“Nikita joins what is shaping up to be an exciting Tasmania JackJumpers roster as they embark on their inaugural NBL season, and we can’t wait to watch he and the JackJumpers grow and develop in their inaugural NBL seasons.”
Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth said he was “really excited” to add Nikita to the roster for the upcoming season.
“Nikita has been playing at a very high level in Russia and his talent and shooting ability will be tremendous assets to us in our inaugural season,” Roth said.
“To be able to secure a player of Nikita’s talent through the Next Stars program speaks volumes of the program’s power and the credibility of the NBL. We look forward to working with Nikita and developing him as a player.”
Mikhailovskii said: “I’ve heard a lot about the NBL as a rapidly improving league. They are paying a lot of attention to younger players and giving them the opportunity to develop and improve.
“The JackJumpers are a new franchise, but I understand that the team is very ambitious and expects to be competitive in its first season in the league.
“Scott Roth is a well-known coach with NBA and international basketball experience, and we have already had some great conversations.
“The upcoming season will definitely be a huge challenge for me, but I am ready for it.”
JackJumpers veteran import “still getting better”
A STINT with America’s Olympic squad was a “one in 10 lifetimes” opportunity for Tasmania’s latest NBL acquisition as he prepares for his first taste of Australian basketball.
Josh Magette was officially unveiled as the JackJumpers second import on Wednesday, a week after reports surfaced he had inked a deal with the club.
The 31-year-old will head to Tasmania on the back of a training block with some of the best players on the planet, having been picked in a Select Team which trained alongside a USA outfit boasting the likes of superstars Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard and Jason Tatum.
Magette, who has the second most assists in the history of the NBA G-League and played 26 NBA games with Atlanta and Orlando, didn’t hesitate to sign with the JackJumpers as the next adventure of his professional career.
“This has really been the first concrete interest we’ve had [from NBL clubs], I’ve had some preliminary interest but nothing that’s really gotten down the road,” Magette said.
“When my agent said that the NBL team was offering it’s something that jumped right to the top of the list.
“It [training with Team USA] was an unbelievable experience, it’s more than one in a lifetime, it’s like one in 10 lifetimes kind of opportunity to be a part of that group.
“To be in the gym with those guys every single day and to be coached by that coaching staff was very special and something I will remember for the rest of my life.
“On a personal note, I’m 31 but I still feel like I’m getting better and still have not even close to plateaued.
“M body feels great. I’m excited to be down there, I still feel like I’m improving on parts of my game and I just want to keep improving and keep enjoying the game and have fun with it.”
JackJumpers coach Scott Roth likened Magette to his former Utah teammate John Stockton — considered one of the greatest point guards and passers of all time — who will be the side’s onfloor general.
Magette is also set to form a formidable and exciting back-court alongside fellow import Josh Adams.
“He’s a left handed John Stockton in my opinion of how he handles himself and prepares and I think he’s just going to be a tremendous asset to the organisation in general,” Roth said.
“Josh possesses all the leadership and smarts on the court that you can find, again, my job is to just get him in place, he knows what he’s doing out there.”
Roth would not comment on reports Tasmania has also secured an emerging European talent as part of the Next Stars program.
ESPN NBA draft analyst Jonathan Givony revealed on Twitter Russian 203cm forward Nikita Mikhailovskii, who was named VTB young player of the year, would be joining the club.
JackJumpers in discussions with Next Stars option – July 20
THE JackJumpers are almost certain to have a Next Stars addition to their inaugural NBL roster — but coach Scott Roth has ruled out a LaMelo Ball type personality.
Ball, who was taken with pick No. 3 in last year’s NBA draft, created waves when he joined Illawarra for the 2019-20 NBL season.
While it gave the league unprecedented international exposure — numerous NBA scouts visited Tasmania during the pre-season NBL Blitz to catch a glimpse of Ball in action — Roth said any Next Stars signed by Tasmania will need to fit the “culture first” mantra.
The Next Stars program was introduced in 2018 as an alternative for young basketball prospects who opt against taking the US college route towards their NBA dream.
“I’ve always been willing to look at it, I just want to make sure that we’ve got the right fit,” Roth said.
“I said from day one when I interviewed with Simon [Brookhouse] and Larry Kestelman that building culture is the number one factor of growing this franchise and making it a championship level team.
“So, the Next Star to me has to be the right fit, the right kind of person. We’re very close to getting one of those.
“We’ll know very soon. A guy that is just going to fit in I think seamlessly with what we’re doing and bring us some more depth.
“I just don’t want to get the wrong one that over [shines] the entire club, and next thing you know, you got this guy that’s bigger than the club.
“Justinian Jessup this year in Illawarra to me was a home run for them. It was a great signing, a guy that had no ego, just fit right in.”
The Next Stars program has proven a big success, with RJ Hampton (New Zealand) taken in the second round of the NBA draft and Josh Giddey (Adelaide) and Jessup shining last season.
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