Advertisement - scroll for more content
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement - scroll for more content
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Olgun Uluc: Also in my story: Basketball Australia is already in early talks on a home exhibition series ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Discussions are in the early stages; Greece, France, Spain, and Germany are among the potential opponents being targeted, sources told ESPN.
Marc Spears: "The Kings actually had zero interest in Ben Simmons in July. What changed things was that Ben went to Australia and went into that mini-camp. All 30 NBA teams had the ability in July to go watch Ben work out and he was inviting teams to work out and nobody would go see him. But then he goes to this mini-camp in Australia, paid his own way to go there and from all accounts he was fantastic and arguably maybe the best player there. It was there that David Patrick, his godfather, Australian assistant coach and the guy that coached Ben at LSU, ended up telling the Kings that he was looking great and that they definitely should check him out."
According to an official NBA announcement on Monday, David Beckham’s health and nutrition company IM8 has agreed a multiyear partnership with the basketball organisation. IM8 will become the NBA’s Official Nutrition Partner across Australia and eight Southeast Asian markets, including Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.
Simmons actually wasn’t high on the Kings’ radar even deep into free agency over the summer. But after the three-time NBA All-Star showed he was healthy at an Australia national team minicamp in Melbourne in early August, interest around the league began to pick up. Patrick told Kings assistant coach Brendan Suhr — who also coached Simmons at LSU — how well the guard had played. After a conversation with Suhr, Kings general manager Scott Perry paid a visit to Miami to watch Simmons work out in late August. “Around the time he was participating with the Australian national team, I got a couple calls from people in Australia mentioning the fact that Ben Simmons is here and he’s playing really, really well, he looks healthy again and a little bit reminiscent of his days in Philadelphia,” Perry told E:60.
"I was told that over the off-season, when the Portland Trail Blazers had a vacant head coach position, they interviewed Josh King," Olgun Uluc said. "Josh King had a 90-minute Zoom interview with Tom Dundon, the new owner of the Portland Trail Blazers. And my understanding was that in that search they cast a wide net. He sat for a very real interview with the owner of the Portland Trail Blazers as a legitimate potential candidate for their head coach position."
Advertisement
During an interview with Wildcats Media, the 34-year-old, who most recently played in Puerto Rico, explained that he comes to the NBL with an open mind, ready to embrace a new challenge. "I'm not resting on what I've done before," Knight said. "This is a new League with new players and different experiences. "I'm thankful for my [time] in the NBA, but this is a completely different League. "There are a lot of great players in the NBL; the level of basketball is really high, and the players compete hard. "I have to come in with the mentality that nobody cares about what I've done before. It's a new season, and it's time to build something new here in Australia."
Joe Ingles on Cole Anthony: "There is no question in my mind Cole is an NBA player. It is a big situational thing in the NBA. Finding the right organization, the right coach, the right GM, all those different things. There is no question in my mind Cole is an NBA player. Whether it is after this year or whatever time frame that is, Cole will be back in the NBA and he will be playing a big role on an NBA team."
Perth Wildcats: NBA veteran Brandon Knight completes Wildcats roster for NBL27 🤝 The Perth Wildcats have put pen to paper with experienced PG Brandon Knight, pending NBL approval. Knight arrives in Perth with ten years of NBA experience under his belt, most recently averaging 18 points and 6.3 assists per game for Mets de Guaynabo in the Puerto Rican BSN.
It is understood the deal will make Creek the highest-paid Australian basketball player outside of the NBA, with the Horsham-born forward set to begin the next chapter of his career in Saudi Arabia. Al-Ula is no stranger to Australian basketball talent, having had former NBA player and South Sudanese-Australian big man Thon Maker on its roster last season. Maker averaged 14.9 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists in the SBL.
Olgun Uluc: One name to keep an eye on in the Perth Wildcats’ search for an import point guard is Brandon Knight, sources told ESPN. The team had talks with the 6’2 guard - who played 9 years in the NBA - at the deadline last season; word is they’ve shown interest in him leading into #NBL27.
Advertisement
Olgun Uluc: Multiple NBA teams have representatives in Bendigo for the 2026 NBL Blitz to watch 2027 draft prospect Dash Daniels. I’m told the OKC Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers, and Houston Rockets are here; the Miami Heat will arrive later in the week.
The NBL wants to trial bold rule changes, including a three-point dunk, in a bid to innovate and attract new eyeballs to the competition. Crosscourt can reveal league powerbrokers have brainstormed a raft of new concepts that they plan to roll out in future games.
NBL officials were on track to unveil the tweaks at this week’s pre-season Blitz in Bendigo but ran out of time to seek approval from the sport’s global body FIBA. Basketball Australia originally endorsed the new rules – which includes player only time-outs and four points from the halfcourt logo – before saying any changes require the green light via FIBA.
Olgun Uluc: Malique Lewis is nearing a deal with the Cairns Taipans, sources told ESPN. Discussions between the Trinidadian forward and Taipans are in the advanced stages; there’s confidence a deal will soon be agreed for #NBL27. Lewis would be an import, and Cairns’ final roster spot.