Darnel Mee

Mark Davis, Leroy Loggins, Cal Bruton

How bout that Supercats dude that got dunked on by Andrew Gaze...

What's his name again....

hahahhahahah TR :P

I think that was ***** ****. sorry cant risk naming him - Isaac's lawyers are still on holidays

From your original post :
Copes, Crawford and Grace, Butch, KB, Williams, Balls, Timmons and Tez are head and shoulders above the rest ...

Trimmingham spectacular, athletic, but only here for a short time, and never won anything ... same for talford and reggie smith

Yes, Ebi and Dusty should have been on the list!! How about Isaac Burton and an old 6er- Rick Brunson (who i recall seeing on NBA LIVE 2005!!!), further Cecil Exums, Mike Mitchell and Billy McCaffery!!!

melvin thomas- did he naturalise though? steve carfino, rodney monroe, scott fisher (before naturalising), todd lichti, and how could we forget HOMICIDE WILLIAMS (in fairness- time will tell, not too great tonight, when the team is down he seems to be down as well, unlike the GRZA who is always on his game!)

Redhage, Lampley

Muursepp (hahahaa.. jkz)

was Dmac an import when he first played in Aus?

Scrub Lichti and Monroe ... as for Grizzard - pfft, he's a second rate import on a second rate club, doing second rate things ... i wouldnt even make a fart noise that sounds like his name, while discussing the great players above ...

Wells and Jent definitely- i think a bit harsh there on the GRZA i like his game and think he is doing a mighty fine job!!! Mark Leader and Jason Rees- but then we're talking old school ball like early 90's!!!! Anyone remember Rimas Kurtinitis? (townsville suns)-

Here's a few others- in no chronological order
Andre Moore
Dave Colbert
Bennet Davison- had some huge springs
Rob Feaster
Clayton Ritter
Terry Dozier
Derek Rucker? aussie?

I've got a heap more-

Everett Stephens
Wayne McDaniel
Ricky Jones
Paul Maley
Adonis Jordan
Andre La Fluer
Fred Copfield
Al Green
Mark Davis
Bruce Bolden

All with stats to prove their value!!!!

Stephen Jackson...

Short-lived in the NBL with the Sydney Kings but has gone on to be a major player in the NBA and is now a co-captain of Golden State.

umm what about Herb !!!

dwayne nelson

tiny pinder hehe

What about Dean Uthoff

Bennett Davison ?! The "Jumpin' Jackass" ?! The only thing of value he ever did was splitting Ronaldson's head open with his knee ...

Everett Stephens .. memories .. still remember "the worm" during the All-Star weekend ..

Now your talking Fez.

What about Brian Goorjian?

Wasn't Stephens the first NBL import to play NBA after playing in the NBL?

There was a guy playing state league in WA that went from there to the NBA but i reckon that Stephens was the first then Brunson.

Always a fan of Jayson Wells...

Heres some classics not to be forgotten
some who have won the league MVP

Robert Rose (Magic,36ers,Crocs)
Leroy Loggins (Bullets)
Willy Farley (36ers,Razors)
Doug Overton (Hawks)
Steve Carfino (Kings)
Randy Rutterford (bullets)
Brian Wethers (Pirates,Breakers)
Dave Thomas (Cannons,Tigers)
Larry Abney (Crocs,Taipans)
. Bailey (Perth)
Ray Owes (Geelong)
Bobby Locke (Geelong)
Herb Machean (Cannons)

a-hem a-hem...

farley maybe?

Does anyone remember Winston Crite?

Played half a season with the Bullets in the late 80's & scored 43 points in the All Star game.

One of the most athetic players to ever come out here.
Pity he didn't stay longer.

Anyone know where he played after that?

Also Paul Stanley... no not from KISS!

Used to score 40 a game as an import alongside Brian Goorjian for the Tigers.

Also:
Reg Biddings
Rocky Smith
Benny Lewis
David Winslow

surpised powell only got one mention.. considering hes probably gonnna get a look in on the nba quite soon!!!

Rimas Kurtanitas
Mike Kelly

Wasn't Stephens the first NBL import to play NBA after playing in the NBL?

and Donald Whiteside played a couple of years with Hobart and then went on to play in the NBA with Toronto and Atlanta.

Rutherford definitely- carried the Bullets in certain games- ie- svcoring 36 against the Tigers and leading them to that win!! Clarence Tyson was awesome in his day!!!! How about Kev Freeman- there certainly have been some greats!

The Journo's All-NBL Import Team
(Playing in their prime)

Starters

Point Guard - Daryl McDonald
Shooting Guard - Robert Rose
Small Forward - Kevin Brooks
Power Forward - Mark Davis
Centre - James Crawford

Bench

Ricky Grace
Darnell Mee
Chris Williams
Scott Fisher
Reggie Smith

Journo, that's a great team but you cannot possibly leave out Leroy Loggins!
Surely he'd be one of the first 2 or 3 to be picked... an oversight I'm sure.

I would have Ricky Grace starting before Daryl McDonald - but that is just my opinion

IMAGINE these two teams up against each other

first v
ROSE
MEE
POWELL
WILLIAMS
CRAWFORD
vs
second v
RUTHERFORD
GRACE
FISHER
AL GREEN
FREEMAN

or
donald whiteside
butch hays
everett stephens
terry dozier
clarence tyson
vs
melvin thomas
lanard copeland
bennet davison
bruce bolden
dwayne mclain


super teams, of course then you could put in ANY of the other stars we've talked about

how about

Ken Richardson
Cal Bruton

both changed the NBL game
Bruton with his dazzling ball handling skills, incredible scoring and show biz personality

Richardson the prototype power forward/centre, fantastic work ethic, super scoring and boards, a league MVP and then followed on an NBL Championship coach and valuable sixth man

Owen Wells.

Yes, Owen Wells. Great player but unfortunately ended up dying of AIDS.

Issac Burton.

Robert Rose = Quality.

Paul Stanley(Melbourne-Hobart)was an incredible scorer and played alongside Steve Carfino at Hobart. Stanley averaged 32 ppg over a 3.5 season stint. Won the scoring title in 1987. Scored over 50 pts 2 times...

Hard to go past Ken Richardson. Even when he got the perm!!!

TOP 5 mports EVER in this land.....

Darryl McDonald
Bruce Bolden
Scott Fisher
Benny Lewis
Chris Jent


ALL HAD THE STATS to prove....

oh, and whoever would compare Ricky Grace to DMac, u must be outta ur minds....

oh and NEVER forget.....
Adrian Branch!

michael joiner, only lasted 2 games but his 2nd was a cracking 18point game and game mvp.

Jent over Loggins, Rose and Davis? Hmmm.....

You people are all kidding. No one and I mean no one even comes close to Leroy Loggins. To say otherwise is just plain dumb. Only Andrew Gaze had a better NBL career. Leaping Leroy Loggins.

Best 5: Leroy Loggins, Mike Mitchell, Scott Fisher, Dwayne Mclain and Chris Jent. The argument ends here.

Joe Hurst 360 dunkns in the All Star game. Awesome

4 words: willie farley, justin bowen.

While not perhaps not the "greatest" of all time to play in the NBL, The following 5 imports all have had a long and lasting impact on the NBL and the teams they played for. They were also the first 5 imports named in the NBL 25th Anniversary Team.

Leroy Loggins 1981-2001 3 Championships, 3 MVP, 10 NBL first team

James Crawford 1982-1999 3 Championships, 4 NBL First Team

Ricky Grace 1990-2005 4 Championships, 4 NBL First Team

Mark Davis 1985-2001 3 Championships, 1 MVP, 4 NBL First Team

Scott Fisher 1987-2002 3 Championships 2 MVP 4 NBL First Team

At their prime, a very powerful team that would compare very favourably with many others.

Ray Owes?

Greatest imports:

Leroy Loggins
Steve Carfino
Mark Jones
Paul Stanley
Ricky Grace
Daryl Macdonald

Add James Crawford and Robert Rose

LOL at Cortez Groves being on the original list.

Most of the good and great ones covered. A notable that is missing in the thread and is regularly overlooked is Mike Jones. Mike could play all positions and carried under strength Hawks teams in the early 80's. Twice led the NBL in scoring.

Check out Mike Jones' 1983 season stats.

http://www.foxsportspulse.com/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=190395952&client=0-189-12315-125717-369910&ocompID=125724

D-Train was a machine and was one of the best imports to grace Australia

I dont think there is enough love for Melvin Thomas, the guy was a machine for years in the league. Had he been on the tigers or the wild cats and people seen him week in week out i have no doubt he would be higher on most of your lists.
15yrs as a import is just huge in any league -

Melvin Thomas - Hawks Records

235 games (3rd all-time)

4905 points (3rd all-time)

1925 field goals (3rd all-time)

1005 free throws (2nd all-time)

317 blocks (2nd all-time)

332 steals (3rd all-time)

2317 rebounds (2nd all-time)

This doesn't take into account his 2 big years with the Kings were he avg 25 & 11
plus he finished his career in Cairns

Let's start naming athletes at random - Heike Drechsler, isnt that a great sounding name?

i could go on and i will

What about little Gillian Rolton on Peppermint Grove?

Gee wasn't she excited

Champagne comedy

It rose above the usually high level...

If you asked me to list just one NBL great import, I wouldn't. I would list them all. Starting with the letter A

Alphonse Hammond , wasn't he a great player

I will take the letter B. Bruce Bolden

Seeing as the alphabetical order id using first names I will add.

Chris Jent

Darryl macdonald

Ebi Ere

fred herzog

How do you even find a thread from 2007 to reply to?
Once a thread falls off the bottom of the page, isn't it pretty well lost?

Gary Gaspard

Heike Drechsler

Jerry Everett

kendall pinder

Martin Muursepp

Interlude

Great work Muzz Buzz!!

Paul Maley was 201cm (and probably still is)

That's all very nice for Paul Maley. Paul Stanley was not tall, around 6'5" from memory.

He was great for the Tigers in 1986 alongside Gaze and Purchase! They were fun to watch when they ran the ball.

And then he went to Hobart, dammit.

He didn't seem that tall? Maybe it was the platform boots & the makeup?