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The NBL is officially dead. But what will replace it remains a mystery after the South Dragons sealed the competition’s last ever championship in an epic best-of-five grand final series.
The Dragons’ 21-point win over the Melbourne Tigers in Friday night’s game five to clinch the series 3-2 spelled the end of the 30-year NBL, which is expected to be replaced by a new, elite competition.
But the format – and just which clubs will be admitted – remains uncertain.
While current clubs the Dragons, Tigers, Townsville, Adelaide, Perth and New Zealand would probably have a lock on six places in what is likely to be an eight-team competition, all seems to be in the dark about the timeframe for action.
“I don’t know what’s going on, no-one knows who’s in or not,” Tigers coach Al Westover said.
“With pre-season training, when we start again, that’s all up in the air.
“No one’s heard anything but I’d assume Basketball Australia was waiting for this series to be over before they announce anything.
“For us it’s all right because we went to the grand final. Other clubs haven’t played in five weeks.
“There’s a lot of teams and a lot of players out there wondering what they’re going to be doing.”
Cairns and Wollongong, both of which have struggled financially in the NBL, have launched community-based salvage operations to have teams in the new competition.
But Sydney remains the problem area, with the Sydney Spirit shutting their doors and no firm interest declared in setting up a club in Australia’s biggest and most important strategic city.
One of the few firm directives for the new competition is that there will be a $1 million bank guarantee required up front to ward off fly-by-night owners who have dogged the league in recent years.
One player keen for a return to any new competition is Dragons grand final hero Donta Smith, who won the Larry Sengstock Medal for the most valuable player of the series.
US import Smith was recruited mid-season – a masterstroke by coach Brian Goorjian as the giant American grew in importance game by game to help turn the championship the Dragons’ way.
“I’ll head back and try out for the NBA like I do every year, then we’ll have a look at it,” Smith said.
“But I love it here. I wouldn’t mind coming back. The crowds are great, the basketball’s great.”
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