Prior to last week, Mills.

I think Warren's finishing is OK, but his height works against him. His style at the bucket is not dissimilar to Gary Ervin, it's just that Ervin had a touch more height and a stronger build.

If we can include last year, Penney. Maybe Petrie. Saville? Vukona a bit?

Homicide was far and away the best last year.

Brad Hill may be the best of the Aussies going around IMO. Crosswell is very decent and probably a better penetrator/slasher than Warren despite not being amazingly fast. Other names that spring to mind are Bruce, R.Martin and definitely Joevan Catron. Ubaka has the handle and quickness for it but generally settles for a pull-up or pass rather than getting right to the rim.

Bartlett can get to the rim but rarely tries in the NBL.
Hawks Development player Beagley or something.. I've seen him in the state league, he can create his own shot. Wether Gordie gives him that chance is another thing.

I have not seen all the imports yet, but clearly DeLeon, aka 2Hard2Guard, has got game.

You cannot coach that.

It's simply not taught, or encouraged at a junior level in Australia. Australian PGs are rarely athletic too...

I think plenty of NBL players penetrate, I think it's a very attacking league in that sense. It's not generally classic clear out one-on-one shake and bake stuff, but that is pretty rare in international style basketball.

As for the best, obviously Deleon is something special, Cedric Jackson is pretty hard to guard himself, Glover is lightning quick, Damian Martin and Lisch both get into the lane at will, and Nathan Crosswell has that whole left and lefter thing going. Bruce is very crafty using on-balls.

Redhage is brilliant at it for a 4, Catron has great shakes, Petrie and Vukona both handle it well and get to the whole. For a seven footer Daniel Johnson is pretty impressive at getting to the rack.

For pure speed and bursting by his man I would go with Daniel Dillon or Lisch. For handles Deleon and Jackson. For using the on-ball to get into the lane Bruce and Mills when he was here. For frontcourt guys Redhage with daylight second.

yeah aaron bruce can definately get into the lanes but its a gamble whether he will make something of it or throw it away.

deleons ability to look a guy in the face and blow right by him, and do it consistantly must cause nightmares to opponents.

homicide was always good at getting that step and putting a guy on his hip while he gets to the ring. he used his strength ( which is his size) to his advantage.

its definately got to come down to a lack of elite level coaching from the juniors.

yeah aaron bruce can definately get into the lanes but its a gamble whether he will make something of it or throw it away.

deleons ability to look a guy in the face and blow right by him, and do it consistantly must cause nightmares to opponents.

homicide was always good at getting that step and putting a guy on his hip while he gets to the ring. he used his strength ( which is his size) to his advantage.

its definately got to come down to a lack of elite level coaching from the juniors.

Most Australians don't have the ballhandling ability to keep up with their footspeed, get to the rim and then elevate and finish with contact. Some can, but few.

It's why you see guys dunking in warmups who actually have decent hops but will never dunk in a game once in their career.

I forgot to mention Jamar Wilson, I dont think anyone has kept him out of the lane yet.

This is (was?) Newley's bread and butter. If only he was actually playing NBL (in Sixer blue that is)

also could be a case of the way the game is refereed here, maybe we allow the defender more leeway with what they can get away with to keep a guy from getting through. definately looks much easier in the nba, i swear sometimes it looks like a defender is scared to touch a guy with the ball once he is in motion.

on a side note one thing i cant stand in social bball is that the refs allow pretty much anyone to step into you on your last step on your drive. it happens way too much. i watched some really talented players have to change the way they played because of that. no-one is taught to go straight up or plant their feet they go one step across or forward and up.

Could be more zone d played in aus also, with the lanes being more cramped and emphasis on beating the zone from the perimiter. US point guards also brought up playing street ball ie. man to man and less zone, encouraging breaking your man down one on one.

nothing to do with the talents. Australia's got the talents, development system don't promote it, in fact stopping kids from doing it and that's the problem; I guess they like to teach it netball style.

you have slashers here and there but Aussies can really handle the ball like the imports. BTW been a slasher doesn't mean you can handle the ball, you're just good at straight penetration e.g. Trevor Ariza.

it's interesting to mention ballhandling is one of Patty Mills' major weakness, his shooting ability is at the NBA level but his ballhandling ability is not to par for his position. keep in mind point guard is the most loaded position in basketball this generation.

Most coaches on a junior level punish kids for "slashing". They just want you to give it in to the unco "big", time and again. Guards aren't allowed to shoot layups.

You obviously had different junior coaches to me! Ours were all about getting to the hole and finishing or creating.

Same here paul. Constantly got told to penetrate with the likelihood of drawing a foul if not finishing.