Rising Stars of the NBL

THE National Basketball League season is well under way for 2017-18, and fans of the local game have had a chance to check out the homegrown stars pounding the pine, who’s on the up, and who’s on the slide. The most exciting part of any new season is seeing what young talent is rising to the top.

Sydney Kings

Here’s a quick glance at some of the NBL’s big movers: young men who right now look to have big futures.

Perrin Buford Brisbane Bullets coach Andrej Lemanis had high hopes when he signed Alabama small forward Buford before this season, and the 23-year-old swingman has started the season with promising signs that those expectations will be fulfilled. The Bullets are sitting just south of mid-table, but Buford’s form has been a highlight, at both ends of the court: he leads the league for both points and blocks per game, and is running second for rebounds. His athleticism and high workrate should make him a fan favourite in short order. Kyle Adnam After two years as a Development Player with Melbourne, Wild Kyle has been elevated to the contracted playing group, and is already racking up many more minutes on-court. United fans have taken to the gutsy point guard in a big way, showing appreciation for his dedication and spirit, not to mention the fact he’s a bona fide local boy, born and raised in Melbourne. At 23 Adnam has been making all the right noises during his rise through the ranks, and his dedication to hard work and self-improvement should stand him in good stead. Having waited his turn and absorbed everything he can from senior players like Casper Ware and Chris Goulding, there’s massive upside for the man who says he aims to “be a pest out there”. Amritpal Singh Coach Andrew Gaze admits the team hasn’t played up to expectations, but there are bright spots to look forward to, not least the chance to see more of giant centre Singh, the first Indian-born player to grace the NBL. India’s national captain, Singh brings huge presence and rebounding power to the purple and gold, showing off his wares in the Atlas Challenge tournament pre-season, where he dominated in the Kings’ ultimate victory. From a tiny village in Punjab, Singh didn’t pick up a basketball until he was 19, and now at 26 has the potential to become a bona fide cult hero with Australian fans. If the Kings are to turn their disappointing start around in 2017-18, Singh will be a key part of it. Jerome Randle It didn’t take long for Randle to make an impact at the Sydney Kings: in his first game for the harbour city team, he put on a show with 28 points, nine rebounds and five assists against the Hawks. The game ended in a frustrating overtime loss, but it was a potent sign of what the Kings can expect to get out of their star recruit. Randle is a real globetrotter (not that kind), having played professionally in seven different countries prior to his Australian career, and even turning out for the Ukrainian national team, despite hailing from Chicago. Last season he was the league’s MVP when turning out for the Adelaide 36ers, so he’s proven he can walk the walk. A prolific scorer with an unquenchable competitive fire, Randle brings oodles of class as well as invaluable aggression to the Kings, and coach Gaze will have high hopes for him forming a formidable backcourt with skipper Kevin Lisch. Jeremy Tyler The towering Californian centre, newly-minted in purple and gold, has been brought to Sydney in the hope he can play the role of enforcer in the middle. Topping out at well over two metres and a hundred kilos, Tyler’s presence under the hoop is an intimidating one, and his wingspan is well-equipped to haul in the big rebounding numbers Gaze’s troops will need to climb back up the ladder. Travis Trice Buford’s fellow Bullet impressed in his first NBL season with the Taipans and has picked up at his new club where he left off, impressing with his creativity and speed. Coach Lemanis says the Ohio-born guard is the kind of player who “makes his team mates better”, and that’s borne out by the stats – he’s currently third in the league for assists, having averaged 3.46 per game last year. He’s also leading the competition for steals, and it’s his playmaking and court smarts that should see Brisbane reaping the benefits of the signing for the rest of the season. Mitch McCarron It was a coup for the Cairns Taipans to win McCarron back to his home state last year, after the 191cm guard won a championship with Spain’s Palencia Balesto in his first year of professional basketball. That followed workouts with the Lakers and the Nuggets in the US, and a senior year at Metro University in Denver, where he won the NCAA Division II National Player of the Year award in the course of leading Metro to the Rocky Mountain conference championship. It’s the kind of pedigree any NBL club would love to have on their side, and both McCarron and Cairns will be hoping to see the young gun build on a solid last season – early signs are good, with McCarron gaining more game time and climbing the ranks on assists and steals.

Originally published as Rising Stars of the NBL