There is a unique style. It's a pretty quick game and more free-flowing than Europe, IMO.

I've spoken about it before, but we need to follow the NBA in preventing defenders from holding offensive players with two hands in the backcourt and on the perimeter to encourage the slashing plays at the basket that make basketball so exciting to watch.

I think you exaggerate how much holding goes on Mick. An overreaction to your Crocs capitulating every time they see a bunch of Wildcats perhaps?

Perth have gotten away with contact at home in the past and it does need to be kept in check, but I havent seen much of what you are talking about this season.

Im interested to see the first game at Perth Arena to see how that's called.

Perth would beat Townsville without the holding (obv.), they are too good on the offensive end even if you remove the defensive aspect.

And to be honest I would agree with you that I haven't seen it this season that much at all so far, but at times last season it was pretty ridiculous (especially at Wildcat home games haha). In that Perth / Townsville game on the weekend it didn't happen often at all, although Robbins was out.

I don't want this to be an anti-Perth thing, I think it has just been getting progressively worse over the last couple of seasons in general. It's a tool that the NBA used effectively to increase the offensive freedom and creativity of perimeter players so why not at least consider it?

I don't like the fact that the NBL is staunchly aligning itself with FIBA. We are our own league, why not make our own rules?

Bring back the jump ball, get rid of the stupid possession arrow.

Tinker with the rules to produce the type of game that we want to see in Australia.

We all know by watching the questionable level of officiating and bizarre rulings at recent olympics and world championships that the FIBA game is not what we should be aspiring to.

I agree it has been a problem in recent seasons, probably starting from 2007 with Brisbane until the point where 2/3 of the league was doing it last season, I just think you exaggerate it!

FIBA refs are generally tighter on hand contact than the NBA, so I think their style of strict on hands, lenient on adjacent bodies is the way to go. I think theyve done a good job so far this year and hopefully they dont slip into old habits.

BALLER#3, 11 minute quarters maybe? That'd avoid following the NBA or Europe...

Opening restrictions to Asian players, and making marquee one-import teams possible.

As far as i know no other league does that.

haha, isaac!

Na, I just think the NBL has always been a follower, first the NBA and now its trying to follow the FIBA brand. I would like to see something that flows more with longer quarters.

Possibly cut down the timeouts to 2 full and 3 20s a game, and really be hard on hand checking. This will make the slashers really be able to take over and players like mitch creek make the jump from reasonable to star.

The FIBA style isnt exciting or long enough compared to the NBA and that is why many "Basketball Fans" choose to sit and watch the NBA on tv then the NBL live.

But at the same time i dont want to see the NBL turn into the ISO plagued NBA style either, so i think while they are rebuilding the league the may aswell rebuild the rules over a few years to make it as exciting as possible for the not so basketball crazy viewers.

Opening restrictions to Asian players, and making marquee one-import teams possible.

Unrestricted Asian players was a useless rule last time. Anyone good enough will get more money in China and probably even the Philippines.

Given that some teams are self-electing not to spend the full cap now, how is a marquee player rule going to work at this current time? Without a cap on single player salaries (AFAIK) I don't see what's stopping a team from spending more on one player at the expense of a second import. Many don't because it's not worth it. Look at what Perth have done and see continual success with. Not really any marquee players.

Basically everything should be done to encourage sponsors to be able to pay for marquee players or Asian-born players that are good enough.

There's a very long drop from top tier Asian players 2nd tier Asian players.. Most would not make the NBL and if they could, they'd get more money in the CBA.

In saying that, im all for a team picking up an Asian player, no real secret that Asians support their sporting stars, if there were a couple in the NBL who knows what sort of sponsorship deals could be done..