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Change is afoot in the NBL this season with three new coaches and plenty of players changing clubs and imports coming and going.
Sydney, after their drought-breaking title win when the pandemic-delayed season ended in May, head into Round 1 as title favourites.
Kings coach Chase Buford certainly is not concerned about becoming targeted, saying they played like “arrogant pricks” last season and would maintain that swagger and “dog mentality” this time around.
“We’re going to be arrogant. We’re going to come in and be ourselves and be a bunch of dogs and not concern ourselves with what everyone else thinks of us,” he told reporters on Thursday.
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His mindset propelled the Kings to their first title in 17 years on the back of a 13-game winning streak.
Brisbane, with Boomers legend Aron Baynes and former NBA guard Tyler Johnson their star recruits, loom as the big improvers this season.
Aron Baynes (Photo by Getty Images)
South East Melbourne and Perth should bounce back into playoff contention, Tasmania are keen to repeat last season’s first-year success while Melbourne, Illawarra and Adelaide are also in contention for the post-season.
The Breakers are back home after two years on the road but the New Zealanders and Cairns will need to defy heavy odds to rise from the bottom rungs of the ladder.
Sydney tip off their title defence away to Illawarra on opening night on Saturday after the first match of 2022-23 is fought out in Melbourne between the Phoenix and Tasmania.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Melbourne United host the Breakers and Brisbane travel to Perth on Sunday before the JackJumpers complete the opening round in Hobart against Cairns on Monday.
Adelaide won’t suit up until October 13 as they are in the US to play NBA pre-season fixtures against Phoenix and Oklahoma City.
Team by team, here’s how the 2022-23 NBL season is shaping up.
Coach: CJ Bruton
Squad: Anthony Drmic, Antonius Cleveland, Cameron Thew, Craig Randall II, Daniel Johnson, Deng Acouth, Fiston Ipassou, Fraser Roxburgh, Hyrum Harris, Kai Sotto, Kyrin Galloway, Mitch McCarron, Nick Marshall, Robert Franks, Sunday Dech,
Last season: Seventh (13-23)
Player to watch: Antonius Cleveland was a standout performer last season at Illawarra where he averaged 14.2 points, 2.27 assists, 6.57 rebounds, and was named the NBL’s Best Defensive Player for the 2021-22 season as well as being a member of the All-NBL First Team.
Reasons to be optimistic: Cleveland and fellow import Craig Randall showed promising signs as a backcourt duo in the pre-season, throw in Robert Franks from Brisbane, Kai Sotto’s continued development and veterans like Daniel Johnson and Mitch McCarron and 36ers fans can be confident of a return to the playoffs after four years among the also-rans.
Causes for concern: There are a lot of moving parts for Bruton to blend in quickly. They’ve finished seventh for three straight years and after showing signs of sporadic improvement in his first year at the helm last season, the pressure will be on Bruton to deliver.
Prediction: 6th
Kai Sotto dunks for the 36ers. (Photo by Jenny Evans/Getty Images)
Coach: James Duncan
Squad: Aron Baynes, Devondrick Walker, DJ Mitchell, Gorjok Gak, Harry Froling, Jason Cadee, Kody Stattmann, Lual Diing, Matthew Johns, Nathan Sobey, Rasmus Bach, Tanner Krebs, Tyler Johnson, Tyrell Harrison
Last season: Eighth (10-18)
Player to watch: Aron Baynes. His return from a career-threatening neck injury suffered after a dressing room fall at the Tokyo Olympics is one of the main storylines of the season and also a heartwarming one. At 35 he is past his prime but the three-point range he developed in his final few seasons in the NBA will mean local centres will need to cover a lot of floor to defend the former Spurs championship winner.
Reasons to be optimistic: Baynes, former NBA guard Tyler Johnson and Nathan Sobey are likely to be the best scoring trio in the NBL while DJ Mitchell, the son of former Bullets star Mike Mitchell, is an exciting prospect.
Causes for concern: Success has been elusive for Brisbane in recent years and while their depth is much better, an injury to one of their main trio could leave them skinny.
Prediction: 1st
Bul Kuol of the Taipans. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
Coach: Adam Forde
Squad: Ben Ayre, Bul Kuol, DJ Hogg, Gabe Hadley, Jonah Antonio, Josh Davey, Keanu Pinder, Lat Mayen, Majok Deng, Mirko Djeric, Sam Waadenburg, Shannon Scott, Tahjere McCall
Last season: Ninth (9-19)
Player to watch: New import Shannon Scott will run the point, hopefully giving much-needed support to Tahjere McCall, who returns after leading the team’s scoring with 16.1 points per game last year. Scott is a seasoned playmaker at 29 who has had stints in the G-League, Germany, Lithuania, Greece and Venezuela.
Reasons to be optimistic: Young prospects like rookie of the year Bul Kuol and Keanu Pinder will be better, Ben Ayre is an outside threat while their third import, DJ Hogg, is also a noted scorer who has played previously with McCall in the G-League.
Causes for concern: They struggled at the Blitz and don’t seem to have boosted their roster with enough top-level talent to compete with the big dogs.
Prediction: 10th
(Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
Coach: Jacob Jackomas
Squad: Akoldah Gak, Alex Mudronja, Daniel Grida, Deng Deng, George King, Harry Morris, Justin Robinson, Kevin White, Lachlan Dent, Mangok Mathiang, Sam Froling, Tim Coenraad, Tyler Harvey, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, William Hickey.
Last season: Second, semi-finalists (19-9)
Player to watch: New import Justin Robinson has the credentials to be a star in the NBL after short stints at five NBA teams but he has big shoes to fill in the backcourt after Antonius Cleveland’s switch to Adelaide.
Reasons to be optimistic: Mangok Mathiang is a similar player to the big body he’s replacing in Duop Reath, while Justin Robinson will look after the playmaking duties alongside Tyler Harvey and fellow import George King will be an all-round threat at small forward.
Causes for concern: Brian Goorjian is no longer the coach of the Illawarra Hawks. Jacob Jackomas has served an apprenticeship under the master and is ready to step up but there’s only one Goorj.
Prediction: 5th
Chris Goulding of Melbourne United. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
Coach: Dean Vickerman
Squad: Ariel Hukporti, Brad Newley, Callum Dalton, Chris Goulding, David Barlow, David Okwera, Isaac Humphries, Jordan Caroline, Joshua Duach, Lachlan Barker, Makuach Maluach, Malith Machar, Mason Peatling, Rayjon Tucker, Shea Ili, Xavier Rathan-Mayes, Zac Triplett
Last season: 1st, semi-finalists (20-8)
Player to watch: Rayjon Tucker is a former Milwaukee, Utah, Philadelphia and Denver guard who will be relied upon to run the point at United, taking over from Matthew Dellavedova after the Boomers veteran returned to the NBA at Sacramento.
Reasons to be optimistic: Tucker can put the ball in the basket and Chris Goulding will do so while he is on the floor so Melbourne should have plenty of scoring while Isaac Humphries transferring from Adelaide gives them size in the paint.
Causes for concern: They got off to a bad start with Next Star big man Ariel Hukporti ruled out of the season after tearing his Achilles tendon at the Blitz in Darwin. With no Delly, Jack White getting a start at Denver and Jo Lual-Acuil also trying to break into the NBA, United are down on talent from last season.
Prediction: 7th
(AAP Image/Craig Golding)
Coach: Mody Maor
Squad: Alex McNaught, Barry Brown jnr, Cameron Gliddon, Daniel Fotu, Derek Pardon, Izayah Le’Afa, Jamaal Brantley, Jarrell Brantley, Rayan Rupert, Robert Loe, Sam Timmins, Tom Abercrombie, William McDowell-White, Thomas Vodanovich
Last season: 10th (5-23)
Player to watch: Rayan Rupert is the latest member of the Next Star program to join the Breakers after Ousmane Dieng and Hugo Besson used the club as a springboard to this year’s NBA Draft. Rupert is projected to be a late first-round pick and if his silky shooting at the Blitz is an indication of what’s to come, the Breakers have a genuine talent on their hands.
Reasons to be optimistic: Jarrell Brantley has NBA experience from 37 games at Utah and will give the Breakers a go-to option while Mody Maor replaces Dan Shamir after three years as coach. Perhaps most importantly, they are back home after two years of pandemic relocations so the Auckland fans should flock back to support their side.
Causes for concern: Veteran forward Tom Abercrombie underwent surgery after suffering a detached retina in his left eye in the Blitz. The 35-year-old is facing at least seven weeks out in a major blow to the Breakers’ chances.
Prediction: 9th
(Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)
Coach: John Rillie
Squad: Bryce Cotton, Brady Manek, Corey Webster, Corey Shervill, Jack Andrew, Jesse Wagstaff, Kyle Zunic, Luke Travers, Majok Majok, Michael Harris, Mitch Norton, Oliver Hayes-Brown, Todd Blanchfield, TaShawn Thomas.
Last season: Fifth (16-12)
Player to watch: Bryce Cotton, it’s always Bryce Cotton at the Wildcats until he’s not there anymore. The star guard averaged 22.7 points last season and the three-time champion and league MVP will be burning to get the Wildcats back into the playoffs after last year’s shock, horror failure to qualify for the first time in 35 years.
Reasons to be optimistic: Luke Travers is back in the West, stashed away in the NBL after being drafted by Cleveland, so he will be primed to continue his rise after getting a taste of the NBA at Summer League. There will also be no travel restrictions on the team after the western border proved an ongoing drama last season.
Causes for concern: It was no surprise to see coach Scott Morrison deposed from his leadership position after Perth didn’t make the final four and John Rillie is an NBL legend who has done the hard yards to get to a head coaching position but he has a daunting task getting the new-look side firing.
Prediction: 4th
Coach: Simon Mitchell
Squad: Alan Williams, Anzac Rissetto, Dane Pineau, Gary Browne, Grant Anticevich, Junior Madut, Kyle Adnam, Malcolm Bernard, Mitch Creek, Owen Foxwell, Reuben Te Rangi, Ryan Broekhoff, Tohi Smith-Milner, Trey Kell III, Zhou Qi.
Last season: Sixth (15-13)
Player to watch: Zhou Qi is a phenomenon. The Chinese tall timber will be causing many opponents to reconsider a drive to the hoop for fear of being swatted away and he will also get the Phoenix fans energised whenever he comes up with a play at either end.
Reasons to be optimistic: Alan Williams has 67 games on his NBA resume from stints at the Suns and Brooklyn, where he first got the lure to come to the NBL from Mitch Creek. Those two plus Zhou equals an imposing frontcourt while Ryan Broekhoff, who was hampered by a shoulder injury last year, adds three-point firepower.
Causes for concern: Imports Trey Kell (rib) and Gary Browne (knee) were banged up in the Blitz and will miss the first game or two. For a team looking to rebound after their meek finish to last season, they need to get everyone on the same page as quickly as possible, particularly two new key faces like Kell and Browne.
Prediction: 3rd
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Coach: Chase Buford
Squad: Angus Glover, Biwali Bayles, Dejan Vasiljevic, Derrick Walton jnr, Iggy Mitchell, Isaac Gattorna, Jackson Makoi, Jaylin Galloway, Jordan Hunter, Justin Simon, Kouat Noi, Shaun Bruce, Tim Soares, Xavier Cooks.
Last season: 3rd, Champions (19-9)
Player to watch: Former Miami, Detroit and LA Clippers point guard Derrick Walton jnr will be tasked with providing the scoring spark in Sydney both by scoring himself and setting up teammates.
Reasons to be optimistic: Local trio Xavier Cooks, Dejan Vasiljevic and Angus Glover are back to provide the backbone for the Kings so if the imports live up to the hype, the Kings should go close to defending their crown.
Causes for concern: NBA import trio Ian Clark, Jarell Martin and league MVP Jaylen Adams are gone along with a few role players from the championship team so Buford has a lot of moving pieces to slot in.
Prediction: 2nd
(Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)
Coach: Scott Roth
Squad: Clint Steindl, Fabijan Krslovic, Isaac White, Jack McVeigh, Jarrad Weeks, Jarred Bristow, Josh Magette, Josh Tomasi, Matt Kenyon, Milton Doyle, Rashard Kelly, Sam McDaniel, Sean Macdonald, Tristan Forsyth, Walter Brown, Will Magnay.
Last season: 4th, runners-up (17-11)
Player to watch: Josh Magette lit it up for Tasmania in their improbable run to the Grand Final series last season against Sydney and won’t back down from any challenge.
Reasons to be optimistic: The JackJumpers’ two other imports, new faces Milton Doyle and Rashard Kelly were impressive in the pre-season while Jack McVeigh was Blitz MVP. Tassie are far from a one-man band and surely won’t be under-estimated again like last season.
Causes for concern: There is still a drama with centre Will Magnay’s knee injury which cut short his 2021-22 season and there is no definitive timetable for when the former New Orleans big man can start filling up the paint for the JackJumpers.
Prediction: 6th