Is there any evidence of this at all? A good number of SA players have even skipped college and made the NBL or gone further in recent years, including Newley, Ingles, Holmes, Forman, Hill, Ng.

A quick look around suggests these as a few SA players who are at college or have been recently, and there might be more: Ben Madgen. Josh Wood. Emma Langford. Jess McPhail. Nicole Romeo. Max Papendieck. Lauren Mansfield. Tara Robinson. Trent Fildes.

And what's stopping others from going? You say it's coaches, but could it not be simply personal choice?

Ten years ago, you say there were more - such as?

please do not say there is a sufficient amount of players from SA going to college. you mension a few names, however go to another state and see how many players thay have going to college. there are even div 2 and div 3 players from other states who are going to lower division colleges. Also as someone who was involved in SA junior basketball the college option is hardly even mentioned to juniors these days, you also say that many SA juniors have achieved a lot by not goin to college such as NBL, well NBL isnt a very high level compared to good colleges and the players such as newley etc. that you have mentioned how do you know they might have not achieved better if they went to college?????????

SA comprises about 7-8% of the population of Australia. There might be around 160 Australian players in US colleges. Given that, you might expect 12 SA players in colleges. I've listed 9 above and there might be more names that I don't recognise on the lists, plus guys like Paget who I think had something lined up, and McMath/Molitor/Clausen/etc who might've been or are going in the near future.

Ultimately, surely it comes down to the players. If they make the decision not to go, that's their choice. Someone like Dodman could've got a spot you'd guess, but didn't last at the AIS and has moved on from the sport - likely as much a personal decision or work ethic as anything else as coaches gave him chances to prove himself at higher levels.

Who cares whether they might've achieved more from the college path? That's their decision. A few years back, my brother chose the NBL over a college offer and I don't imagine he's dissatisfied with his decision.

i dare you to go around and survey an amount of u/18 players in SA and see how many of them think college is an option??? then ask that if it was would they work towards going over there, then see the results.

junior i take it that you believe that the ultimate goal of coaching should be development of the player? if so should a coach at an average club encourage their players to move to a better club or better coach if that was in their best interest?

Junior, mate!! Come on.. How is it the coaches faults? Its a players decision. you also have to be good enough my friend.

And if you are comparing SA to a state like Victoria then no wonder you are so up tight about it.. The facts are Vic Metro's best 25 players would all make SA Country's state teams. Same with vic Country's best 15-20.. This would also be the same with the SA Metro sides. That is why a larger amount of Vic players head over due to a bigger talent pool.

Also, US Colleges dont just wanna bring over international Guards for no reason. There are plenty of talented 5'10" guards all across Australia, but there are millions in the states. So you need to bring something very special to the team if they are gunna put in extra effort and pick you over a local they can just go and scout at High School. (im not saying you as in junior)

You can check this website to see who is playing ball in the states: http://linky.com.au/h8py8

Umm yea great way to see the world, get a free education, play olympics, play for millions in Europe. Umm play footy good one.

ok so anon's comment about footy might have merit - there are hundreds of medicore footballers in the AFL - its much easier to make the grade as a "professional" sporsperson in the afl than in RL, RU, Football or NBL. Now netball - the cash is poor, the travel opportunities poor, the profile for all but very few very limited. Got a talented female athlete - choose basketball if its team sport you are into.