The NBL in Australia has plenty of ex NBA players playing it and also other who went to college in the States, so here they are The Aussies Shane Hammer Heal- Twolves not plays for Sydney Kings (how can a guy who can only shoot going left make it to the show) Axel Dench- Played college @ Gonzaga and with the rocks in the past summer league, and now playing with the woolongong Hawks, I really like his game. Chris Anstey- Mavs and Bulls and originally drafted by the Blazers, currently playing for Victoris Titans. Andrew Gaze- Never played D in his life but did play for the Bullets for a while and Seaton Hall and then always with Melbourne Tigers. Mark Bradtke- Big guy who was on the Sixers roster for a while and now playing for the Melbourne Tigers. Paul Rogers- Another Gonzaga graduate, spent a season injured on the raptors roster, now with the Perth Wildcats (the team Luc owns), should get another shot. Mark Dickel- a new zealander who lead div2 college in assists (i think) and now playing for the Victoris Titans. Now the Yanks Kevin Brooks-Drafted by the Nuggets and now a fan favourite in my home town of Adelaide, the Sixers. Darnell Mee- Another nugget draftee and a legend here for the Adelaide Sixers. Charles Thomas- Ex Piston and now playing with Axel in Woolongong. Lanard Copeland- Ex 76ers and Clippers and has played for the Melbourne Tigers for years. Ricky Grace- One time Altanta Hawk now plays the point for the Perth Wildcats Leroy Loggins- legend of the game here in Oz and was originally drafted by the Piston in 1980 and in vited to the 1980 Olympic trials, is now 43 years old and still playign well. Kenny Payne- Plays for the Cairns Taipans here now, who did he used to play for in the NBA????? ------------------ www.NOPostCount.com
Paul Rogers? I thought he was the singer for Bad Company ------------------ In order to be a success in life, you need 2 things: 1. Don't tell everything you know.
Its great to see that Oz has a pretty solid basketball league. I happen to be from Sydney, myself. Since I could be moving back soon, I really hope that Basketball can keep improving in popularity. ------------------ 2000-2001 Rockets Game Formulas: End of 1st quarter: "They're playing so well!" 2nd: "What a great game!" 3rd: "Theres no way they can lose now!" 4th: "What the ******* **** happened?!!" Vote Gore to keep our planet green! Rocket's Championship 2001!!
Kenny Payne, Louisville, 6-8, F Selected by Philadelphia 76ers in 1st round (#19 pick overall) of 1989 NBA Draft. ------------------
Despite all the decent players...B Ball here has levelled out BIG TIME. In the early 1990's you could hardly get a ticket to see the Sydney Kings. People from everywhere were going and it looked like basketball would become THE sport in town... Now...the stadium is half empty (on a good day) and the comment around my office is (sadly) "do they still play?...what happened to them?" ... The team has to give out tickets to get anyone to go and the sport, in general, has lost any semblence of credibility around town. Before you all say "they are just fair weather supporters" etc...I already know that and agree. Point is...there is a hell of a lot of sports more popular than b ball in Sydney and the sport needs those people to be interested. It's going to be a hard sell to get them back as the Swans seem to have got most of them locked up... ------------------
That's a shame. Hopefully things will improve. ------------------ 2000-2001 Rockets Game Formulas: End of 1st quarter: "They're playing so well!" 2nd: "What a great game!" 3rd: "Theres no way they can lose now!" 4th: "What the ******* **** happened?!!" Vote Gore to keep our planet green! Rocket's Championship 2001!!
Smeggy Smegg: "Andrew Gaze- Never played D in his life but did play for the Bullets for a while and Seaton Hall and then always with Melbourne Tigers." Smeg, I know you simply forgot to mention that Gaze won an NBA championship with the Spurs two years ago, right? ------------------ There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Street Clothes don't count, although he probably played better D than normal. ------------------ www.NOPostCount.com
A further note on the Kings... Todays Daily Telegraph has 5000 tickets at$5 each...for the DERBY game As I said...b ball is on the decline dramatically, and giving tickets away (or as good as) for the ONE game that should sell does not bode well for the future... ------------------ [This message has been edited by ScreamingRocketJet (edited October 31, 2000).]
Thanks for the update cousin Smegg (and others). I like Axel. Chris Antsey never progressed with his game much, and probably needs to take a hard look at why he came to the NBA in the first place. I thought he had all the tools when he came in, but he basically stayed there at that level. Eventually everyone looking to unseat someone for a job, targeted him. Getting to the NBA is not even half the problem. Staying is 75% - 80% of the task. Every year.
ScreamingRocketJet the chances of basketball becomming "the number one sport in town" are (and always have been) ZERO. Sydney (an most of the eastern seaboard) is Rugby League territory in winter and cricket in summer. Infact the chances of basketball becomming a real top sport in Australia at all are very, very slim. Basketball here is Australia is of poor quality. Our best player is very, very old. Yet he can still dominate the league! I cant watch an NBL game without getting frustrated at how clumsy the players are. The main reason that Australia hasnt got a good league is because the best athletes in Australia have alot of sports to play, and basketball isnt high on the list. Its just a fact of life in Australia. Ask any young kid what sport they want to play when they grow up and you will be very hard pressed to find any of the say basketball. Basketball is fun to play against a few friends, or to practice by yourself. But players over here only realy get into the game seriously when they start growing VERY tall, and even then they realy, realy have to be big basketball fans. I'll be honest, Rugby League is my favorite sport by far. The Rockets are my favorite sports team. But basketball in Australia is of poor quality. Thats just how it is. ------------------ Your Starting Power Forward for the Clutch City Allstars My Expert Opinion Of Steve Francis:Mate he is a special player!
Nice post Chris, but you really hurt your rep by saying rugby league is your favourite sport, is a dead sport (the current world cup is an example of how much of a joke it has become) and will have to bite the bullet eventually and re-join with Rugby soon to save itself. ------------------ www.ILoveHumblePie.com
Smeg and Chris...I didn't mean to infer that Basketball would be the main sport, just that it WAS popular around town and cannot even lay claim to that title anymore... As for the footy...I am 30 years old and have loved Balmain all my life. Most of my mates are the same...only they followed Souths, Manly, Saints, Norths etc... I can honeslty say 80% of them couldn't give a crap about Rugby League anymore. After last friday, I am the same... ------------------ [This message has been edited by ScreamingRocketJet (edited November 07, 2000).]
Smeg....Grow up....Im just stating facts. League is by far and away the most popular sport in Sydney/Eastern Seaboard. To say otherwise is just stupid. ScreamingRocketJet its a shame you and most of your friends dont follow the game...thats to bad. ------------------ Your Starting Power Forward for the Clutch City Allstars My Expert Opinion Of Steve Francis:Mate he is a special player!
