Herb McEachin - Canberra Cannons

Herb “The Snake” McEachin earned his nickname because of his ability to slip through opposition defences. McEachin played for the Canberra Cannons for 14 seasons winning three championships in ’83, ’84 & ’88. He retired as the all-time leader in games played with 341, all with the Cannons.

One of Herb’s best seasons was in ’84 when he averaged 22 points, 7.2 boards and 2.3 steals while shooting 57% from the field.

Check out one of the two types of Herb McEachin tees:
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/herb-mceachin-cannon-A13920742/customize/color/5

 

 

Brisbane Bullets update ... 2014 season return, maybe?

Word on the street yesterday that the Brisbane Bullets are closer to returning to the NBL than they have been for a long time. Fingers crossed!

Phil Smyth - Canberra Cannons

Our feature Canberra Cannons legend today is "The General", Phil Smyth.

Phil Smyth signed with the Canberra Cannons for the 1983 season and stayed for 10 seasons. During that time he enhanced his reputation as one of the best ever Australian basketball players and helped transform the Cannons into a championship winning team. Smyth would win three championships with Canberra in ‘83, ‘84 and ’88. The latter would also see him named Grand Final MVP.

Phil’s best season was 1998 when he averaged 23 points, 5.4 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 2.9 steals, 3 triples per game and shot 47% from the field, 47% from deep and 87% from the line.
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/phil-smyth-cannon-A13920754/customize/color/5

 

 

Tad Dufelmeier - Canberra Cannons

Our first Canberra Cannons feature Legend is Tad Dufelmeier (snr).

Dufelmeier played six seasons for the Canberra Cannons helping them win the title in ’88. The name may soon be better known for his son, Tad Jnr, who is one of the best up...-and-coming point guards in the country.

Tad’s best season was in ’87 when he averaged almost 17 points per game, 4.5 assists and shot over 50% from the field.
 

To grab your very own Tad Dufelmeier t-shirt:
 http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/tad-dufelmeier-logo-A13920764/customize/color/5

 

 

 

In The Game Tees on Twitter

My day has been made ... randomly just received the tick of approval for our Legends t-shirts from the greatest Australian basketballer ever!

You can now follow In The Game Tees on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/InTheGameTees

Canberra Cannons t-shirts

Gather round and let me tell you about a time when the NBL was booming, so much so there was a team in (almost) every capital city, even Canberra! That’s right kids, at one time it wasn’t just politicians, porn and fireworks in our capital.

The Cannons were one of the original ten NBL clubs competing in the league's very first season in 1979. Canberra dominated the league in the 80’s winning the championship in ’83, ’84 and ’88.

Representing Canberra in our “Legends” series are Phil “The General” Smyth, Herb “The Snake” McEachin, Emery Atkinson, Tad Dufelmeier, Simon Dwight, Rob Rose and Willie Simmons.

For the Cannons range we have two different styles. The white early style logo tee and the black later style pirate version (both pictured below). 

Canberra, its time to represent and show your support for your once great team. Like, share and shop!

Check out our store for team seven of the "Legends" range:

http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/

Steph Curry at The Garden

I got an e-mail from my best friend asking me to look in to some accommodation in San Fransisco for his 40th birthday next year. He mentioned a few of the things that we might get up to around the area and I said surely we'll be seeing a Golden State Warriors game. My friend isn't a basketball fan as such but knows a bit about the NBA as he loves sports and we used to have epic NBA Jam battles back in the day. I'm sure he wouldn't know that Aussie Andrew Bogut is now playing for the Warriors but I thought I should introduce him to Steph Curry ...

In The Game Tees - 20% off sale!

Seven weeks until Christmas, what do you get for the NBL fan that has everything? Well our partners at Spreadshirt have just announced a TWENTY percent off sale to answer that question for you! Loggins, Rucker, Rillie, D-Mac tees all now 20% off!
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/

Use coupon code: EARLY20.

(Run time Nov 5 - 12 US EST time)

Shane Heal vs The Dream Team

One of my mates sent me this article last week and its a good look back at a famous moment in Australian basketball history.

The forgotten story of ... Shane Heal v the Dream Team

The Boomers guard was a thorn in the side of the NBA's biggest stars as Australia punched above their weight at the Olympics

The Dream Team III enforcer Charles Barkley was clear from the outset. “We’re here to prove we are the best country in the world. We’re the best at basketball. We have got to kill them all.”

Heading into Australia’s 1996 exhibition match against the reigning Olympic champions, peroxide-blond guard Shane ‘The Hammer’ Heal and his Boomers team-mates were excited but not daunted by the prospect of taking on the NBA’s best.

“I think it was a defining sort of a moment,” Heal tells Guardian Australia 17 years after a fiery confrontation that remains the first thing basketball fans want to discuss when they meet the veteran of four Olympic campaigns.

The Australians, a blue-collar line-up by international standards, approached the game with respect for their opponents but didn’t fear them. Heal recalls “we’d seen other teams getting photos taken with them and autographs before and after games and things like that. We said that wasn’t the Australian way and we certainly weren’t handling the game like that.”

Heal would finish the Olympic tune-up with 28 points and shoot a remarkable 8-from-13 from three-point range, many of them a remarkable distance out from the line, but it was his confrontation with the notorious Barkley that captured the attention of the media and fans alike.

Click here to read the full article.

Interview: Aron Baynes on the NBA

Not a bad interview with Australian/New Zealander Aron Baynes about his time so far with the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA.

Interview: Aron Baynes on the NBA

30.10.13

By Nick Metallinos in New York

Image: Getty Images

It would, naturally, be tough for any professional player to go from playing regular rotation minutes, to sporadic minutes. For Aron Baynes, the 6’10 Australian, the transition to the NBA was made smoother with the situation he found himself in.

 

Some may say it was serendipitous, but if you follow the Spurs’ organisation, you’ll know that nothing is left to chance when it comes to their player selection. Nothing is left to chance.

 

Yes, Baynes found himself at the end of a deep San Antonio bench, but his Boomers teammate Patty Mills, and then-national team coach, Brett Brown, were there to help guide him through the rigors of the NBA schedule. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt when you have one of the game’s greatest big men, Tim Duncan, to learn from while playing on a championship-calibre team.

 

Basketball Australia caught up with Baynes just before the 2013-14 season was set to begin to get his thoughts on last season, and what lies ahead.

 

Basketball Australia: Firstly, how was your summer? What did you spend it doing?

 

Aron Baynes: It was good. I spent a lot of time in San Antonio, played in the Summer League, and worked out here the rest of the time. I had a lot of time to get better, worked with big guys like, Tim Duncan and Tiago Splitter. It’s been good to be here and be able to develop my game.

Click here for the full interview: Basketball Australia : Interview: Aron Baynes on the NBA

Derek Rucker - Townsville Suns

Our final Townsville Suns legend is Derek Rucker. (Yes, this is now the third team we have Rucker in!)

In a shock move in 1995, Derek Rucker left a promising team in Newcastle to join the Townsville Suns which was a huge coup for the club... in just its third year. Derek teamed up with Clarence Tyson to make one of the most exciting duos in the 90s.

Rucker’s best season for the Suns was ’95 where he averaged 30.3 points, 8.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 steals, 3.6 triples while shooting 47% from the line and 89% at the line.

To grab your Derek Rucker Townsville Suns tee, follow the link:
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/derek-rucker-classic-A13670833/customize/color/135

NBA game down under and some gold from Chris Anstey

Two good reads from yesterday, first there is talk on the NBA blog about a possible pre-season game being played down under which I think is well overdue:

Why not down under?

By the end of 2013-14, the NBA since 1978 will have staged 148 preseason or regular season games in 20 countries and territories across Europe, North and South America and Asia. Still waiting their turn – to answer the many emails we get here at HTB – are Australia and New Zealand.

Scott Levy, senior vice president and managing director, NBA Asia, acknowledged the heavy interest in the NBA in those countries. Past and present players have hailed from there, including Andrew Bogut, Patty Mills, Luc Longley, Sean Marks, Shane Heal, Chris Anstey and Nathan Jawai. Oklahoma City’s first-round pick Steven Adams is from New Zealand and Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving was born in Melbourne.

Participation is high, Australia ranks No. 1 in subscribers to NBA League Pass International and in NBAstore.com’s international revenue, and the country certainly has the sports facilities and culture befitting a possible preseason destination.

“Australia is an important market for the NBA in the region and we enjoy a great following from our fans,” Levy said. “We have conducted several NBA events in the country, including the 2011 Asia Pacific Team Camp featuring the top youth basketball players from Australia, New Zealand, China, and South Korea. There have been discussions around many different programs from grass-roots clinics, development programs, mass participation events, and a preseason game, but nothing is definite at this point.”

For the full article, click here.

Then, in his weekly blog for the NBL website, Chris Anstey talks about what he learnt from Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki while he was playing for the Dallas Mavericks. Click here to read the whole story but what surprised me most was his final paragraph:

I played tennis until I was 17. My doubles partner, Dustin Fletcher, played to the same age and will become the second highest AFL games player in history.

Being a Bombers fan I didn't know this about one of my all-time favourite players. That must've been the tallest, skinniest doubles pair ever!

Clarence Tyson - Townsville Suns

Next up on our list of Townsville Suns legends is "The Elevator", Clarence Tyson.

Clarence Tyson was one of the NBL's best and most exciting imports of the mid 90s. He signed with the Townsville Suns in 1995, playing for them for three ...seasons and earning the nickname "The Elevator". He was rated as one of the leagues best rebounders during his time as a Sun and still holds the team record for 25 rebounds in a game.

His best season was ’95 when he averaged 24.6 points, 14.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.7 blocks, 1.5 steals and shot over 62% from the field!

Grab your very own Clarence Tyson t-shirt here:
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/clarence-tyson-classic-A13670838/customize/color/135

Reggie Miller vs the New York Knicks

I rewatched the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary about Reggie Miller and his battles with the New York Knicks on the weekend. Reggie is one of my top 5 all-time favourite NBA players so I thoroughly enjoyed it again and just reminds me why I like watching him play.

I literally burst out laughing when he gets drafted and I think its Donny Walsh that tells him that all he needs to do to make the Pacers happy is to have the same intensity as his sister. The look on Reggie's face when he hears it is priceless!

Rimas Kurtinaitis - Townsville Suns

Next up on our list of Townsville Suns legends is the first non-US import in the NBL, Rimas Kurtinaitis.

Rimas Kurtinaitis signed with the Townsville Suns in 1993, already known as one of the best European 3-point shooters of all time. During his short time in Australia, Rimas hit 5 or more threes in 6 of his 21 NBL games, including a game against the Adelaide 36ers when he scored a career high 41 points. Kurtinaitis averaged 24.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 2.7 triples per game.

To grab your very own Rimas t-shirt:
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/rimas-kurtinaitis-classic-A13670835/customize/color/135

 

Ricky Jones - Townsville Suns

We'll start off our Townsville Suns legends features with Ricky "Rainman" Jones.

Ricky made an immediate impact on the league scoring 47 points in his NBL debut against the Newcastle Falcons. He still holds the Townsville record for most points scored in a game with 53.

Jones was known for his high flying dunks, shot blocking ability and unorthodox shooting style. Ricky scored 30 or more points 20 times in his short NBL career (52games). His best season was in ’93 where he averaged 28 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 2.5 triples and shot 48% from the field. ...

To get your very own Ricky Jones t-shirt:
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/ricky-jones-classic-A13670832/customize/color/135

 

(Side note: When I was looking for pics of Ricky Jones, I think I found three and they were all of him dunking on Brisbane Bullets players!)

 

Sydney Kings honour past legends

Its great to see the Sydney Kings paying tribute to some of their own former legends by naming their 25th anniversary team. Here's the story:
http://www.news.com.au/sport/basketball/sydney-kings-25th-anniversary-team-honour-heals-the-wounds-for-shane/story-fne5rrau-1226737970275

They also brought two of their most exciting imports, Leon Trimmingham and Dwayne McLain, back to Sydney for the opening game of their NBL season.

And from Steve Carfino, here's a pic of some former Sydney Kings meeting with the current team at practice.

October promotion: $10 off for orders over $50

If you've been eyeing off some of our basketball tees, our partners at Spreadshirt have just announced a Halloween promotion that gives you $10 off for orders over $50!

Use coupon code: TREAT2013.
(Run time Oct 8 - 15 US EST time)

http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/

Townsville Suns t-shirts

Gather round and let me tell you about a time when the NBL was booming, so much so the NBA felt threatened by its popularity! (Ok, I’m exaggerating a touch but I’ll explain shortly)

After several years of campaigning, Townsville entered th...e NBL in the ’93 season adopting the name of their state league team, the Suns.

The Suns got off to a slow start in the NBL losing their first four games and didn’t make the playoffs until they later changed their name. Despite not getting too many wins, they were fun to watch and the people of Townsville got behind the team selling out their first 69 games!

In ’98 the team was involved in a dispute with the NBA's Phoenix Suns, who held the "Suns" trademark in Australia. Faced with the prospect of paying Phoenix royalties on merchandise sales, the team changed its name to the Townsville Crocodiles.

Representing the birth of the NBL in Townsville for the Suns in our “Legends” series are Ricky “Rainman” Jones, Clarence “The Elevator” Tyson, Derek “I’ve been everywhere man” Rucker and Rimas “we’re surprised we managed to fit his name on a t-shirt” Kurtinaitis.

Townsville, its time to represent, show your support for the history of your team. Like, share and shop!

Check out our store for team six of the "Legends" range:
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/

 

 

Chris Mullin still has it

One of my all-time favourite NBA legends and shooter extraordinaire Chris Mullin shows that he still has it at training with the Sacramento Kings.

NBL countdown continues ... 4 days to go

The countdown continues ... only 4 days until the NBL season gets underway. The # 4 is brought to you today by Geelong Supercats legend Bobby Locke.
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/bobby-locke-classic-A13272516/customize/color/1

NBL countdown continues ... 6 days to go

The countdown continues ... just 6 days until the NBL season gets underway. The # 6 is brought to you today by West Sydney Razorbacks legend Sam Mackinnon.
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/sam-mackinnon-hashtag-A12595987/customize/color/17

NBA Summer League trip 2014

Jeff has teamed up with Daryl Corletto for next year's trip to the NBA Summer League.

I went last year and had a fantastic time, check out our photo albums (on facebook) for some of the sights.

For anyone that fell in love with the NBA in the late 80's and early 90's, half the fun of the games is checking out the legends that are there scouting the talent.

NBA, Las Vegas ... what more do you need?!

NBL countdown continues ... 10 days to go

The countdown continues ... 10 days until the NBL season gets underway. The # 10 is brought to you today by North Melbourne Giants legend Darryl McDonald.
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/darryl-mcdonald-hashtag-A13374383/customize/color/231

NBL countdown continues ... 14 days to go

The countdown continues ... 14 days until the NBL season gets underway. The # 14 is brought to you today by Hobart Devils legend Eric Bailey.
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/eric-bailey-ball-A13374430/customize/color/36

In The Game Tees - customers representing

Here are a few pics from In The Game Tees customers proudly showing off their recent purchases:

Scott Fisher - North Melbourne Giants
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/scott-fisher-classic-A13374378/customize/color/231

Leroy Loggins - Brisbane Bullets
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/leroy-loggins-ball-A12268582/customize/color/4

James Crawford - Geelong Supercats
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/james-crawford-classic-A13272538/customize/color/1

NBL countdown continues ... 20 days to go

The countdown to the new NBL season continues ... just 20 days to go now. Today the # 20 is brought to you by Brisbane Bullets legend Steve Woodberry.
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/steve-woodberry-hashtag-A12268521/customize/color/4

NBL 2013/2014 Countdown - 22 days to go

Its just 22 days until the 2013/2014 NBL season gets underway so we're going to begin the countdown with Brisbane Bullets legend Ronny "The Rat" Radliff.
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/ron-radliff-hashtag-A12268516

Cal Bruton - Still dishing out assists

A good story about one of our Geelong Supercats Legends Cal Bruton and his involvement in the community and how he's helping out the future of the game.

Cal Still Dishing Out Assists

Story by Brendan Parnell
Photos by Scott Soroka
Cal Bruton was a playground legend growing up in Queens New York, made his way to Australia in 1979 and then proceeded to revolutionise the development of Australia’s then fledgling National Basketball League (NBL).

Fittingly, in the very same year that the NBL has honoured him as an ambassador of its newly launched competition, Cal continues to dish out assists in the Canberra community by helping budding young indigenous talent Isaac Maher on his way to the Australian Under 14 Championships.
Lennock Motors Phillip, Cal’s employer, has this week joined him in sponsoring the ACT Under 14 Boys team and Isaac as they prepare for their trip to Darwin in late September to contest the Championships.

Lennock Motors has a strong ethic of contribution and a history of supporting local community, charities and sporting clubs. This current sponsorship sees a philosophical alignment between Cal’s commitment to youth basketball and Lennock’s increased focus in the field of youth wellbeing. Lennock Volkswagen and Dealer Principal Peter Munday have been working with the Canberra Hospital Foundation for 2 years to build a dedicated wing for the inpatient care of adolescent’s children which now has been established in the New Woman’s and Children’s Hospital and will open end of October 2013.

Click here to read the full article.

September promotion: Free standard shipping for 2 or more products

Our partners at Spreadshirt have just started a new promotion that gives you discounted shipping when you order two or more tees.

Here's the offer:

We offer free standard shipping on all orders including 2 or more products.
Coupon code FALL2013 applies.

• Free delivery on 2 or more products
• Coupon code: FALL2013
• Valid 09-10-13 to 09-17-13

Now, I said discounted shipping at the top because if you're in Australia its of course international shipping not standard. But, I've checked with Spreadshirt and they've confirmed that even on international you receive a discount of $9.50. So instead of the normal $12.99 international shipping, during the promotion its just $3.49!

So if you order two tees, instead of a total cost of $60.97 delivered, for the next week it'll cost you $51.47 which is a saving of over 15%!
(Prices are in US$ and the dates above are based on US east coast time)

 

Now is the perfect time to pick up a bargain and don't forget to use the coupon code above (FALL2013):

http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/

 

 

Paul Stanley - Hobart Devils

Our feature Hobart Tassie Devil today is Paul Stanley (no, not the guitarist from Kiss).

Paul Stanley spent 3 years in Hobart with his best season being his first in ’87. He led the NBL in scoring that year with 35.4 points per game and averaged 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game. He also made over 2 triples game hitting more than 45% of his attempts from deep.

To grab your very own Paul Stanley Hobart Devils t-shirt, follow this link:
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/paul-stanley-ball-A13374439/customize/color/36

Since I couldn't find any pictures of Paul on Google, check out this footage of him (as well as a young Steve Carfino).

Shane Heal - Geelong Supercats

Its his birthday today so our feature Geelong Supercats legend is Shane "The Hammer" Heal.

After his rookie season Shane Heal left the Brisbane Bullets and signed with the Geelong Supercats. A move that shocked many around the league as Geelong was coming off the worst season in NBL history. But Heal saw this as a challenge and although he struggled in ’89 during his first season with them, his break out season came the year after.

Shane’s best year for the Supercats was his last in ’91 when he averaged 23.4 points, 7.8 assists, 1.4 steals, 4.2 triples and shot over 46% from the field.

Grab your very own Shane Heal Geelong Supercats t-shirt here:
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/shane-heal-ball-A13272551/customize/color/1

Eric Bailey - Hobart Devils

Today our feature Hobart Devil is Eric Bailey.

Before Hurst and even Carfino, the Devils were led by Eric Bailey in ’83 and ‘84. In his second season in Hobart he averaged 29 points, 12 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game. After his years playing in the NBL, Bailey is now an author and professional speaker. 

To get your own Eric Bailey t-shirt, follow this link:
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/eric-bailey-ball-A13374430/customize/color/36

Andre Moore - Brisbane Bullets

Our feature Brisbane Bullets legend today is Andre Moore.

“A-Train” joined Brisbane in 1990 after stints in the NBA and exploded in to the league scoring 27ppg, 13rpg and 2bpg. Andre Moore spent his first 5 years with the Bullets where he teamed with Leroy to form one of the best frontcourts in the history of the NBL.

Here's our favourite Andre Moore t-shirt:
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/andre-moore-classic-A12268476/customize/color/4

In The Game Tees

We've just finished doing some branding work for our t-shirt range that we've been working on and I've now set up a new facebook group for it. Click here to check out the page and "like" to stay up to date with everything coming up.

In the lead up to the new NBL season we'll be running a competition where you can win your own legends t-shirt, so stay tuned for more details.

NBA2K14 trailer released

For all the NBA gamers out there, the crew at NBA2K released their trailer for their upcoming release. If you haven't seen it yet, here it is:



I didn't buy 2K13 and still play 12. I've just discovered just how good the Indiana Pacers are on that game and am currently enjoying the combination of Granger, Hibbert and George.

Scott Fisher - North Melbourne Giants

Today our feature North Melbourne Giants Legend is Scott Fisher.

When Scott Fisher first entered the NBL he played for North Melbourne and won the MVP in his second season ’89 and then again in ’92. “The Fish” led the Giants to the title in ’89 but his best statistical year was ’90 when he averaged over 32 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals while shooting 56% from the field and 89% from the line.

Here's our favourite Scott Fisher t-shirt:
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/scott-fisher-classic-A12378758/customize/color/231

Scott Fisher back in the day ... I do wonder just how many of these posters they sold?

Joey Wright - Geelong Supercats

Our feature Geelong Supercats Legend today is Joey Wright.

Long before he took over the coaching reigns of the Brisbane Bullets back in 2003, Joey Wright played for the Geelong Supercats in ‘95 and ‘96. In his first year in the NBL, Wright was known as one of the best guards in the league, and had one of the most memorable games of the 90s when in June 1995, he went 24 from 25 from the free throw line (a current NBL record for most attempts and most free throws made in a game). He finished the game with a triple double scoring 28 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds.

In the ’95 season, Joey averaged 22.2 points, 5.8 assists, 5.6 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 2.2 triples per game. 

To grab your very own Joey Wright t-shirt, follow this link: http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/joey-wright-classic-A13272548/customize/color/1

NBL legends Leroy Loggins and Cal Bruton honoured

Two of our featured NBL legends, Leroy Loggins and Cal Bruton have had the pre-season tournament trophy named in their honour.
Here's the story from Boti Nagy:

NBL legends Leroy Loggins and Cal Bruton to be honoured with Blitz "Cup" as league relaunches in Sydney

• by:BOTI NAGY THE ADVERTISER
• From:The Advertiser

 

NBL legends Leroy Loggins and Cal Bruton will be honoured next month when the winner of the league's pre-season tournament - confirmed for Sydney - will walk away with the inaugural Loggins-Bruton Cup. 

  
The 2013 Pre-season Blitz will feature all eight NBL teams converging on Sydney for the second and third rounds from September 20-22 after an initial round in Cairns, Wellington, Penrith and at Trinity Grammar in Sydney.

All games in the tournament will be for seven premiership points, with three points for the winning team and one point allocated for each of the four quarters won.

In the event a quarter is tied, both teams will receive half of a point and in any game which goes into overtime, there are no additional points.

The tournament will not have a final - the team with the most premiership points claiming the Loggins-Bruton Cup, named after the NBL's two Hall of Fame superstars.

"There is no better time to reconnect and recognise our legends and the names Loggins and Bruton were easy selections," the NBL's interim chief executive officer Steve Dunn said today.

"Both have a long history not only with the NBL but with basketball in Australia.

"As well as helping launch our pre-­season, Leroy and Cal have also accepted ambassador roles for the new NBL and will work with our board and management to drive the league forward in a number of areas.

"We are excited to have them as part of the team and they will be valuable assets to assist us with our goals of expansion, connecting with the NBA and making other changes to make the entire game experience the most exciting it can be."

Expansion to regain a team from Brisbane, an inaugural club with the NBL in 1979 until its demise after 30 years, and where Loggins and Bruton were championship winners in 1985, is high on NBL Pty Ltd's agenda.

To read the entire article, click here.

Geelong Supercats t-shirts

Gather round and let me tell you about a time when the NBL was booming! So much so that back in the early 80’s you actually had to earn your way in to the league, proving yourself against NBL teams in a gladiatorial-style running of the gauntlet!
 
The (other) Geelong Cats were founded as part of the Victorian Basketball Association in 1978. After achieving championship success in that league in 1981, the club was pitted against four NBL clubs over two tournaments. After defeating all of these NBL teams the Supercats were accepted into the NBL for the 1982 season.

With star players such as Cal Bruton and James Crawford on the roster, the Cats recorded 13 straight victories and finished second overall at the end of the regular season with 21 wins and 7 losses. The Cats would go on to compete in the Grand Final in their first season, losing to the West Adelaide Bearcats.

1991 was probably the final high point for Geelong when they finished third at the end of the regular season and boasted such guns as Shane Heal, Terry Dozier, Bobby Locke, Vince Hinchen and John Dorge. 

Grew up in Geelong but don’t like AFL? No problem, we’ve got you covered with our tribute to the once great Geelong Supercats. Representing them in our “Legends” series are James Crawford, Cal Bruton, Bobby Locke, Joey Wright, Shane Heal and Vince Hinchen.

Geelong its time to represent, show your support for our game, and remind everyone that your town is not just about AFL! Like, share and shop!

Check out our store for the team 5 of the "Legends" range:

http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/

NBL photo feature pic on ESPN's NBA webpage

Thanks to Jonny Flynn's time with the Melbourne Tigers, an NBL photo is the feature pic on ESPN's NBA webpage today:

The article is actually by the team from Grantland. Here's the excerpt about Jonny's time in the NBL:

Flynn spent last season with the Australian National Basketball League's Melbourne Tigers. "I really wanted to play in a place that was English-speaking," Flynn said. "That was really my main focus. I want to know what's going on around me." He showcased his burst, stood up against physical players who wanted to prove their worth against a former NBA lottery pick, and was selected as a reserve for the league's all-star game. "They don't call fouls down there," Flynn said. "In the league, you can't touch guys. Down there, you can have the ball and a guy will be almost forearm-shivering you in your side and they won't call a foul. I just think getting beat up and coming from the NBA, I had that target on me."

Flynn shared an agent, Leon Rose, with Melbourne's coach, Chris Anstey. "He would have benefited from the continuous playing time over the course of a season, and the ability to run a team for extended minutes," Anstey wrote in an e-mail. "International defensive rules were new to him, whether playing it or attacking it, and he got better as the season went on.

"His offensive skillset is NBA-caliber, but he needs to continue to work on his defensive game. As great as Syracuse is as a basketball program, it certainly doesn't create the best defensive man-to-man habits in its players for when they become pros."

Not many NBA players go down under. Fewer return to carve out a sustainable NBA career. Flynn, despite the summer league setback, is attempting to do just that.

To read the full story, click here.

Bruce Bolden - West Sydney Razorbacks

Today our feature West Sydney Razorback legend is Bruce Bolden. Before he completely changes his name to Jonah Bolden's s dad (the time is coming quickly), let's pay tribute to his time in West Sydney.

Bruce Bolden joined the West Sydney Razorbacks in 1999 having already played 12 seasons in the NBL. Bolden may well have been past his prime but provided much needed leadership to the start-up franchise. In ’99 he was named the NBL's best sixth man award and averaged 16 points and 6 boards while shooting 56% from the field.

Here's our favourite Bruce Bolden t-shirt:
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/bruce-bolden-ball-A12596027/customize/color/17

NBL working with the NBA?

Here's a good article by Boti Nagy that I came across earlier in the week.

You would hope the NBL have tried to develop closer ties with the NBA in the past ... but you never know. Hopefully the relationship strengthens over the coming years and maybe we could get an NBA game down here in the near future.

James Ennis' signing with Perth has prompted the NBL to look at developing a relationship with the NBA

by: BOTI NAGY THE ADVERTISER

 

PERTH Wildcats signing 2013 NBA draft choice James Ennis has prompted calls for the NBL to establish closer links with The Show and to keep its season running in summer. 
  
Wildcats chief executive officer Nick Marvin - one of the architects of the Ennis signing - today said the NBL needed to establish a working relationship with the NBA.

"The NBL playing in summer actually does work and I think, after spending time with seven NBA clubs and watching the summer league, we can establish a relationship," Marvin said.

Marvin suggested the NBL, acting on behalf of its clubs, could stage its own summer league to look at potential imports, or court the NBA to release players to Australia instead of the D-League.

"If we could get the NBA to release say 16 players to the NBL instead of the D-League, the quality of our league and the resultant spin-off advantages would be huge," he said.

"We'd need to play more than one game per round - I think it's at 1.5 per team now - but it would work.

"If they (the NBA) wanted a player in-season, the only difference would be a 16-hour flight."
Ennis, 23 and 200cm was taken at 50 by Atlanta Hawks and traded to Miami Heat.

With the Heat unable to fit him into their 2013-14 roster, they still wanted him to play at a tough professional level.

The dual and reigning NBA champion has a wealth of superstar wing players but traded for Ennis expecting him to be a perfect fit in 2014-15 when several of their veterans, including Shane Battier and Ray Allen, become free agents.

Click here to read the full article.

Paul Maley - North Melbourne Giants

Today our feature North Melbourne Giant is "The Mailman" Paul Maley.

Paul Maley might be one of the most under-rated imports the NBL has seen and if it wasn’t for a back injury he may have dominated the ‘90s. Maley helped North Melbourne win the title in ’94 but his best season was ’91 when he averaged 28 points, 10 rebounds and 2 steals.

Here's our favourite Paul Maley t-shirt:
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/paul-maley-hashtag-A12378988/customize/color/231

NBL Announce 2013/2014 schedule

MEDIA RELEASE

9 August 2013

NBL ANNOUNCE 2013/14 SCHEDULE

The National Basketball League is pleased to announce the full schedule for the 2013/14 season which will commence on 10 October 2013 with the final games of the regular season being played on 23 March 2014.

There will once again be eight teams competing, which includes the new community-owned Townsville Crocodiles.

Each team will play a total of 28 games over 23 weeks with the top four teams to contest the NBL Finals in March and April.

Dates and venues for the finals will be confirmed following the final round of the regular season.

The 2013/14 NBL Season tips-off with three-time defending champions, New Zealand Breakers raising their championship banner and also retiring Dillon Boucher’s singlet on opening night when they take on the Wollongong Hawks at Vector Area in Auckland.
On the Friday night of opening weekend, two new coaches go head-to-head when Trevor Gleeson’s Perth Wildcats take on Joey Wright’s Adelaide 36ers at Perth Arena.

This will be the first of 10 Friday night games in The Jungle for the ‘Cats who last season averaged crowds of more than 11,000.

Round one continues on Saturday night with the first Reptile Rumble of the season as the Cairns Taipans take on the Crocodiles, under the guidance of new coach Shawn Dennis in Townsville.

The first round of the season closes out on Sunday afternoon with a huge match-up between the Sydney Kings and their capital city rivals the Melbourne Tigers.

This game will celebrate the Kings' 25th season in the league, with past legends tipped to make an appearance at the game that will also signal the return of Mark Worthington to Melbourne and the debut of AJ Ogilvy in the gold and purple.

Round three will see the 2013 Grand Final re-match at what will be a packed North Shore Events Centre when New Zealand play host to Perth on Thursday 24 October.

In a tough road double, the Wildcats will then have to fly to Sydney to play the Kings on Sunday, which will also mark their 1000th game in the NBL since being established in 1982.
The 2014 NBL Finals Series will once again see the top four teams face off in a best-of-three series commencing on Friday 28 March, with the best-of-three Grand Final Series expected to conclude in mid-April.

Games will once again be broadcast on both free-to-air television as well as live and on demand on PC, iPhone or iPad via NBL.TV (TV games and tip-off times will be announced shortly).

Click here to see the full list of fixtures for the 2013/14 season.

1984 NBA Draft - Some things you may not have known

Everybody knows that the 1984 NBA Draft class is considered one of the best ever featuring such names as Jordan, Hakeem, Barkley and Stockton.

But did you know, back in '84 the draft had not two but TEN rounds of picks?!

With the 131st pick in the sixth round, the New Jersey Nets selected Brazilian and Olympic legend Oscar Schmidt.  However, Schmidt turned down the offers to play in the NBA and stayed to play in Italy and later in Brazil. He played in five Olympics and was the top scorer in three of them. He finished his career with 49,703 points with various clubs and the Brazilian national team, more than the NBA's career scoring leader, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who scored 38,387 points in his NBA career.

BUT ... the funniest fact that I think I knew but forgot, was ... with the 208th pick in the tenth round, the Chicago Bulls select ... University of Houston track and field athlete Carl Lewis! Despite never having played college basketball the Chicago Bulls picked the soon to be Olympic legend. Not surprisingly, Lewis stayed with his athletics career and went on to win nine Olympic gold medals and eight World Championship gold medals.

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf - best games

Some more of one of my all-time favourite NBA players, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. After watching the video I posted the other day, YouTube recommended I watch another series featuring him. If you're a fan of Mahmoud, or for the kids out there who don't really know is ... these are 3 of his most memorable performances and well worth watching (despite the non HD vision).

Watch, appreciate and enjoy Mahmoud in action ...

Steve Carfino - Hobart Tassie Devils

Today's feature Hobart Devil legend is Steve Carfino.

Long before he was the face and voice of the NBL, Steve Carfino started his playing career in the NBL with the Hobart Devils. He put up ridiculous numbers in his debut season averaging 32.7 points, 7 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 3.4 steals, shot 49% from the field and hit 2.4 triples per game. He was runner up in the MVP voting that year and named to the All-NBL first team in ’86 and ’87 before leaving for the Sydney Kings.

Here's the link to our Steve Carfino t-shirt:
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/steve-carfino-ball-A12695833/customize/color/36

I couldn't find any pics of Steve from his time in Hobart but here's some footage of him in action

Derek Rucker - Brisbane Bullets

Today our feature Brisbane Bullets Legends player is Derek Rucker.

“D-Ruck” was one of the most dynamic and exciting players in the history of the NBL and won the MVP award in his debut season in 1990 with the Brisbane Bullets. Derek Rucker scored 33ppg, 6.7apg and 3.6rpg, scoring 40 or more points 10 times in that season.

Derek left the Brisbane Bullets team after the ’91 season but returned to Brisbane in 2004 for the final three seasons of his career.

Click here to check out our favourite Derek Rucker t-shirt is:
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/derek-rucker-classic-A12268486/customize/color/4

Sam Mackinnon - West Sydney Razorbacks

Today's feature West Sydney Razorbacks legend is Slammin' Sam Mackinnon.

Sam Mackinnon signed with the West Sydney Razorbacks in 2002 joining Rillie, Rucker, Dwight and Bolden to be the final piece in the puzzle and helped them reach the finals in two of his three seasons with the team. One of his best years was 2003 when he averaged 19 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks.

Click here to check out our favourite Sam Mackinnon t-shirt: http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/sam-mackinnon-ball-A12596019/customize/color/17

Chris Jent - North Melbourne Giants

Our feature North Melbourne Giant today is Chris Jent.

Chris Jent was only in the NBL for one season but is still remembered as one of the top imports to come to this country. Jent averaged 26 points including 3.5 triples, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. One of the highlights of his season was a 46 point outing against the Cannons.

Here's our favourite Chris Jent t-shirt:
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/chris-jent-hashtag-A12378775/customize/color/231

Wayne McDaniel - Hobart Tassie Devils

Our feature Hobart Tassie Devils player today is Wayne McDaniel.

Wayne McDaniel was with the Hobart Devils for six seasons but his best years were when he first arrived. In his second season (1990) he averaged 33.9 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game while shooting almost 56% from the field.

After he retired from the NBL he returned to the US to become an actor and has appeared in a number of films (Superman Returns and The Sapphires are the best known).

http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/wayne-mcdaniel-ball-A12695825/customize/color/36

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf - TV special

Thanks to the crew from And The Foul.net for pointing out this TV special that was done a few years ago with one of my all-time favourite NBA players, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf.



Its an interesting recap on his career and his perspective many years removed from his time in the NBA.

Judging from the stats on the blog, despite the controversies that tainted his career, Mahmoud seems to be quite a popular player as many people find this blog by searching for articles about him.

Leroy Loggins - Brisbane Bullets

Today our feature Brisbane Bullets Legend is none other than Leroy Loggins.

The man, the legend, the (NBL) G.O.A.T.  Leroy Loggins, arguably the greatest player the league has ever seen.  3 titles, 3 MVP's, 21 seasons in the league and almost every Brisbane Bullets individual record.

Click here to grab your very own Leroy Loggins t-shirt:
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/leroy-loggins-classic-A12268542/customize/color/4

Derek Rucker - West Sydney Razorbacks

Today's West Sydney Razorbacks Legend is Derek Rucker.

Derek Rucker may not have put up the numbers in West Sydney like he did in previous years but he had better players around him and he didn’t need to single-handedly take over games.  In 2002 when the Razorbacks reached the finals, Rucker averaged 16.5 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 2.5 triples while shooting 47% from the field.

Our favourite Derek Rucker t-shirt is:
http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/derek-rucker-ball-A12596012/customize/color/17

Paul Rees - North Melbourne Giants

Our feature North Melbourne Giant today is the big man in the middle, Paul Rees.

Despite changing teams five times during his career, Paul Rees’ best years were with North Melbourne. Rees was the MVP of the Grand Final series when the Giants won the NBL title in ’94 and continued that strong play in to the ’95 season when he averaged almost 15 points, 8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.

 

http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/paul-rees-classic-A12385273/customize/color/231
 

This was the first of four championship nets that Rees would cut down in his career

 

 

 

Joe Hurst - Hobart Tassie Devils

Jumpin’ Joe Hurst was brought in by the Hobart Devils to replace Steve Carfino and did so with honours winning the MVP award in his first season. The year was 1988 and he averaged 32 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. He was one of the first “high flyers” in the league and despite only playing three full seasons in the NBL Joe stayed in Australia playing in the SEABL for many years after.

Normally I'd include a photo of Joe for the post ... but since he played in the late 80's and early 90's, there are seemingly no photos of him online. I was going to scour through my basketball magazines but I'm pretty sure the first copy of One on One I bought was around 94/95.

http://classicbasketballtees.spreadshirt.com/joe-hurst-ball-A12695819/customize/color/36