Melbourne United blew the salary cap,at least when it comes to NBA star power,for the opening day of their first training camp on Wednesday.
Patty Mills is on the move while four Australians have agreed to NBA free agent contracts with new teams.
Ben Simmons will be missed by the Australian Boomers when they head to the FIBA World Cup in August,but playing the three-time NBA All-Star with a back injury wasn’t something to risk the whole world cup campaign on.
Australian basketball legend Andrew Gaze is disappointed that NBA All-Star Ben Simmons has pulled out of the FIBA World Cup,but does not think he should be criticised for the decision.
Boomers coach Brian Goorjian says Ben Simmons has an open invitation to training camp in August,if his recovery from a back injury allows him to play.
Penny Taylor will become the latest Australian to enter the FIBA Hall of Fame at a ceremony in August,alongside Chinese megastar Yao Ming.
Dyson Daniels will be doing all he can to push for a place in the Australian Boomers team for the FIBA World Cup,even if it means beating out one of the team’s veterans.
Matthew Dellavedova will return to Melbourne United with plans to use his second stint in the NBL to make his case to remain in the Boomers team for this year’s FIBA World Cup and the Paris Olympics.
Boomers forward Nick Kay loved winning bronze at the Tokyo Olympics but he said that success has only fired up his NBA teammates to take the nation to the top of the tree at the FIBA World Cup in August.
Age may have wearied Lauren Jackson but her jump shot is forever and she proved this in her farewell Opals game on Saturday,leading the side to a World Cup bronze medal.
China has outlasted Australia to earn a place in the gold medal game at the FIBA Women’s World Cup in Sydney in front of a roaring crowd of 11,916 fans.