Any NBA like ready players leave the NBL to play in Euro, 10 - 20 years ago Euro league wasn't as wealthy as it is these days.

The NBA is a lot more athletic than the NBL. When the NBL players start going for more dunks and more athletic plays that's when the NBA will start looking topics up people from our league. For example: Last night in the Townsville vs Adelaide 36ers game Luke Schenscher, who happens to be 7 foot tall, was given a wide open layup and didn't even dunk it. When the NBL becomes more athletic we will se a lot more players drafted to a higher level.

What is worth considering is that nowadays our top talent usually heads to Europe for very good money and in their top leagues rather than direct to the USA. Our top junior talent usually go straight to US College also...with the top-liners the only ones in contention for the NBA (i.e. Mills). Schenscher got his crack at the NBA straight out of college as well as a comparison. Nevill made a run at the NBA via the D-League also as more recent examples. Bose chose to come home to the NBL rather than try the D-League.

The gap between the NBL and Europe is not as big as some people think, especially between the top echelon of players here in OZ and those playing in europe. Look at Penney for example - he is one of the elading scorers in the Spanish ACB - arguably the best European domestic league!

Andersen is a former NBLer who went to Europe and then to the NBA and back.

Jawai I believe was the last NBLer to go straight to NBA?

The athleticism of the player does play a part though - the NBA is far more athletic than the European leagues, and in turn the NBL. that's probably why Jawai got a look in from the NBL in the first instance.

Our best talent in general will head overseas - most to Europe due to the type of game that is played and the money on offer. Our team oriented style of game and the way our players are taught will generally lend itself more to the European styles of play...

Andersen - NBL - Europe - NBA - Europe
Anstey - NBL - Europe - NBA - Europe - NBL
Bogut - College - NBA
Bradtke - NBL - NBA - NBL
Gaze - NBL - College - NBL - Europe - NBL - NBA - NBL (or something like that)
Heal - NBL - NBA (with a few stints in Europe thrown in)
Jawai - NBL - NBA - Europe
Longley - College - NBA
Mills - College - NBA - NBL - China - ???
Schenscher - College - NBA D-League - NBA - NBL

Did I miss anyone??? Did this quickly...

Anstey actually went from the NBL to the NBA, then to Europe, and then finished his career back in the NBL.

Ah, correct Anon - I forgot about that Titans stint.

So Anstey went from the NBL to the NBA, back to the NBL, then to Europe, and THEN finished his career back in the NBL with the Tigers.

I don't like posting stuff from my own website on forums (Kinda like public masturbation) but I wrote up a small blog about NBA to NBL cross over. http://andthefoul.net/archives/2046

It's rare a player will start in the NBL & go straight to the NBA.
Mark Bradtke actually had two Euro stints, one before going to the NBA and one after (1992 & 2002ish or 2005)

The Talent level in the NBL is actually pretty good compared to alot of the Euro leagues and Asian leagues. It's just we don't have the funding to keep players here long term or attract the better NBA drop outs.

Also for the NBL Wiki site coming up, I've added a NBA/NBL list. Here is a screen shot of it

http://andthefoul.net/NBANBL.jpg

That is a list of every player that has played in the NBA & NBL, only included players that played playoff or regular season games for both leagues. That's why players like Tony Bennett aren't included.

Rick Brunson

Rick Brunson went NBL > CBA > NBA

Doug Overton went CBA > NBL > NBA

Based on the comments but not looking at the various links, what stands out for me is that you'll only get to the NBA if you're really tall (PF or C) or a really good shooter (SG). Otherwise, no chance.