No but talking to Shueller at saturdays game, he said that around 40 had responded to their invites and that the last day to say they were in is july 1, tomorrow.

From what I have been told, the players invited have to pay $300 for the camp itself, and pay for their own airfares, meals, and accomodation.

Good opportunity, but does this seem like a bit of a money making scheme to anyone else?

My guess is that the NBL isnt in a position to pay for it so its the only option at this point.

Hopefully in the future the league could cover some of the costs.

But even more hopefull that than can keep teams in the league

That's 60 kids at $300 each, that's $18000 for 3 days work for Stacker and Co. What costs do they have to cover??? Court Hire, maybe a singlet and shorts for each kid, that's a fair profit!!!

Stacker is providing a service, so like all other services they cost money.

I would think their expenses would be things like

Court hire, Coach payments, Uniforms, stats people, equipment, printing costs etc.

not sure why everyone always expects something for free, as i said above it would be great if the league could cover the cost for these players but dont think its in a position to at this point.

I still think it is a great opportunity for a kid that wants to make it but doesnt get the chance to be seen otherwise.

Insurance as well. May be a payment to the NBL as well in order to use their name? Has to make some money otherwise there's less incentive for those involved to run it.

Quite expensive for out-of-towners. Wonder if they'll get the numbers? If not, wonder how many skipped it because of the cost?

In the future, at best I could see the league covering the camp costs themselves and perhaps some food, but doubt they'll ever really be in a position to fly x0 prospects in for a camp.

meant to put in my other post that im guessing it is based in Melbourne because of the greater number of basketball participants in that state, but something they should look at is shifting the camp to different states each year, so the advantage just isnt always for the victorian kids

Or run 4-5 camps. Might be cheaper to fly the base-crew around than get 60 kids flying to them. $500-1000 all up is a big ask for a prospect.

Given that it costs, I reckon kids would get better results hiring an agent and getting tape out to clubs. If they're good enough, they will have ABL-level tape and stats to show. If they show promise, they will be training bait for their local NBL side. If they're not good enough, they're years off being at the point where an interstate team will pay them enough to make it worth relocating anyway.

Unless there is a two-tier league in the future, I don't think there are anywhere near enough spots to warrant prospects paying for this (or at least not this much).

So are you saying that if you were invited Isaac you would turn it down?

Flip it to something relevant to me. It's a little like being invited to pitch to venture capitalists in a fairly tough web climate. Perhaps before the bubble burst it would've been worth paying for the chance, but spending when there are few opportunities around - I don't think I'd do it.

In the NBL's position, I think it's OK to ask invitees to pay their way over, but then having a cost on top of that, that might be considered a bit steep by many. Who knows - I'm not one of those players - perhaps they and their parents are used to paying for camps and so on over the years.

how many NBL teams still have a spot for an "NBL prospect"? Most rosters would be finalised?

If these "kids" aren't really on the radar (legit division 1 college/NBL) they may be wasting their time. AIS kids won't be there, either.

Supply and Demand is the economics of it The Brad, my friend.

I am sure Stacker has spent years and years working for next to nothing to get to the stage where he has the contacts and credibility to setup such a camp.

We live in a free market and I think this is a great move forward. If you are serious about playing in the NBL who wouldnt jump at the chance to spend 3-4 days of intense training with the best athletes in Australia in a camp run by a former NBL Coach, Australian Medal winning coach and being observed personally by just about every NBL team/Coach in the country.

If you are a 11 yr old kid you can pay $220 to join Maher's camp with as many kids attending as they can jam into wayville and I am pretty sure you will have far less chance of making the big leagues at Maher's camp than at Stackers. Nothing wrong with Mahers camp its a great, fun opportunity for youngsters to learn and meet their heros but I am just trying to do a comparison.

But also a lot of these kids will then go onto probably play Nationals which are in Brisbane in February, so there's about $2k all up, pretty expensive for some families if you add this camp on top of Nationals.

wow, if you were invited it wouldn't be about the money. Its a great opportunity to be seen!

I agree with Isaac and the similar sentiments here. As a father of an invitee, whose choice is to decline the offer, the added expense of travelling and staying at Waverley (VIC) is too much to justify "being exposed". As it is my prospect will head off to his US college and should remain "on the radar" getting better under that regime.

Yes he does want to play NBL one day, but the combination of his youth, the limited opportunities, the uncertainty surrounding the NBL, and the cost means he'll say thanks but no thanks.

BTW, I don't think you'll see to many U18 players as we understand it is only open to players 18 - 24, so the added Nationals costs would only be applicable to the few U20 players.

Wow! You could get 5 days accomodation for $200-$300 bucks. Your travel costs could be $250-$300, then the camp is around $300. I know parents that fork out more for their kids to head over to Eltham every year.

This is a camp with almost every NBL coach there, with the cream of the best young athletes in Australia not playing NBL and its run by one of the most respected coaches of young players in the country.

Not having a go at those that decline, that's a choice alot will make. However, dont blame the lack of value of it. Comapare it to what you spend on "other basktball trips" and the value you got from those.

Wow, I am suprised at the negative reaction that this initiative has caused because of the cost issue.

If I was a player that wasn't currently on the NBL radar, or was choosing to attend a small school in the US, I would jump at this chance. I would even bunk at the local caravan park and eat baked beans for the week if money was tight.

The avenues that a solid performance at a camp like this could lead to far outweigh the financial cost. Maybe a roster spot in the SEABL? Doesn't sound like much, but a semi-pro spot somewhere else in Australia gives you a chance to play in a tougher league, see more of Australia, and gain the attention of more NBL scouts.

I dont think its really about "value".

As Isaac said, getting them to pay for Accomodation, flights, meals is reasonable.

But an extra $300 on top of that is asking too much for a chance to "be seen".

If there was say 5 guaranteed spots availible at the end maybe... but there isnt.

Wow, how many times can Schueller post on this thread under different names and diiferent computers. Well Done!!! Must cost a bit in petrol getting around to all of those internet cafe's ???

This is nothing more than a money making scam. Take a look at the AIS, not every kid from there each year makes the NBL. Schueller is running around inviting players Mapunda etc (nothing against Mapunda...) but he has no hope in hell of making an NBL roster.

Save your money friends or just give Schueller $100.00 to leave Adelaide, would be cheaper and we'd all be better off.

Agree that htis is a money making scam playing on players desire to play NBL.

In 3 years when nobody has made it into the league from this camp it will be finished. By that stage Stacker will be $30K richer and will have moved on to something else.

If you can't make it onto the local clubs roster as a develoipment player, you aren't going to make it onto somebody else's team. And the money that the 10th guy on a roster makes means that only a local living home can afford to play there.

And SEABL players don't make money. So why would making that help.

Great idea. Just not necessary.

The avenues that a solid performance at a camp like this could lead to far outweigh the financial cost. Maybe a roster spot in the SEABL?

Amazing (no I'm not Justine, I didnt even know he was running it, I thought Stacker was). I am just amazed everyone is knocking this concept. AFL has a draft camp, NBA has a draft camp, i am sure soccer federatons have a draft camp. It has to start somewhere and players will probably not get signed to a roster out of the camp I guess but they will get on the the radar for next year or perhaps even be offered a training spot, they will be advised what they need to work on , they will be coached by fulltime coaches working in a professional league. Often these coaches are approached by colleges and scouts to refer on any prospects maybe these coaches will see something in one of these players and refer them on. You just can't get the same opportunity in a 15 minute highlight tape as you would with people actually flying in to visit you go at it against the best athletes around. According to the press release all NBL teams will have representatives there. They have come to see you play and see what you can do which is far better than just having a gametape rockup in their mail.

In the future this may grow for Colleges and perhaps even NBA and Euro teams to visit. This concept is genuinely great for basketball and could become something big for our Australian players.

Thats the problem with basketball in this country as soon as any enterprising opportunity or idea comes up all the knockers and haters come out.

AFL and NBA teams generally have places available for young players. I'm not knocking the idea itself, just the timing and the cost(s) - especially the two combined.

I know in the NBA that prospects generally have to pay to get over there and so on, but to work out in front of teams?

I don't think it even costs to declare for the NBA draft.

Ok but its got to start somewhere though. Its a good concept.

There is a difference between knocking the concept and discussing the potential value to a prospect.

Nothing wrong with discussing whether the outlay has the potential for a good return. I think the top 10 players at the camp will be getting better value on their investment than the bottom 10, who are really there to make up the numbers.

I'm not knocking the idea by the way - anything to give young players a better path to the NBL is great.

A waste of time. If players aren't already "on the radar" from their ABL performances or performances at Nationals, then they'll never be.

But no player that is going to make NBL is going to make it from this camp. They will either be in a program already, or good enough to get interest from their ABA performances.

How can you say that? There has never been a camp like this for basketball is Australia only every other sport has them. I suspect that a number of athletes of athletes will be identified and/or offered development/training spots from this camp.

The closest are OZCamps and they are for younger athletes.

Because by this time of the year, all the rosters are set and development spots are going to be a local player who can train for nothing.