Zac is actually a good player. Can he play at the NBL level? Personally, I don't think so.

But locally, he is kind of an icon. So i'm guessing that's why. People love him!

In saying that, this is his last season as a development player. So I doubt he will be re-signed next season.

Alex Beagley will be playing this week in NZ. Not Zac. Alex is the other development player. More a 2 guard in the mold of Tyson Demos but a better athlete.

I was told that Gordy had open trials for local kids with the ones who worked hardest and attended would be rewarded. Zac was the guy who attended every session even though he wasn't the best junior at the time. He was rewarded.

Even now he still works hard for the club so he keeps his spot.

Would he get paid?

The Development Player slot for me is a contentious issue.

It is kinda frustrating when team's have guys that have no upside (ie. they are pretty much as good as they are gonna get) and who obviously don't have a future in pro ball. Especially when some clubs retain them WELL into their twenties. Would rather see younger guys in that DP slot who are rawer but with more upside and potential.

So it's not the DP spot that annoys me as much as how it used.

Zac gets the gig partly because Gordie wants local content in the team and they are short (*cough*) for alternatives at DP level.

He is not an icon. Nat, if you think people love him then you must be talking to some very ignorant basketball fans. His local championship division team is coming third last and was beaten some weeks ago by the last placed team who had only four players.

Gordie said in the paper that some responsibility may fall onto the development players this weekend. As a Hawks fan, I am offended.

If he's not loved then explain why his jersey is the highest selling jersey in Hawks history?

If he's not liked then explain why when he gets on the court the crowd goes nuts? He is the human cigar and people love going for the little guy (no pun).

Is he liked or respected amongst true basketball fans? Unlikely. But you have a large chunk of people that go to Hawks games that aren't hardcore "basketball fans", they go to support their local sporting club and they go because they've been doing it for 10-30 odd years and the Hawks are like a second family to them. You also have a lot of families that attend games because it's a night out with the family.

Ask these people to name 3 Hawks players. I guarantee 90%+ will say Glen Saville and Zac as two of the 3. Ask them to name 1 player from each team of the NBL and you'll find they struggle because they only support THEIR team. They're not hardcore basketball fans. They are the majority at Hawks games (and i dare say other small community teams as well), they are the ones buying jerseys, hats etc because it's their home team. They support their local boys like Zac, Tyson and Jackson. They are the core - I would say 2,500ish that turn up every game no matter what the team record is.

Now.. Then you have the fans of the game. Hardcore fans, like you and I. That visit places like this forum, that talk about basketball, play it, watch it, live it. Most of us can name each team's roster. We know who's good and who's not.. And lets be honest here, teams and players must be good enough to get our attention. So therefor these types of fans scratch their heads and wonder why is a player like Zac on a roster. We don't buy his jersey. But we are the minority at Hawks games.. Unless Wollongong is 12-0 then these fans start coming out to games.


But I got side tracked.

There are a few other Development players as well. Jamison and Sam Findlay who used to run Courtside Bunker.

Jamison is a cocky skinny guy, about 6"5 maybe. But is way too skinny at this stage to make any impact. I've also played against him in local comps many times, you sit him on his arse once and he won't drive again. So still very raw.

Sam is also pretty young. Shorter than me and i'm 6ft. Got decent handles, can shoot and I believe can easy be a defender at the NBL level in 12-24 months time, maybe even now. He works his arse off.

Well said Nat.

Indeed.

He reminds me of Shane Bright who played for the Magic in the 90s. Shane was a bit taller and more talented than Zac, but he was still never going to make it and regardless was adored by the crowd. Back then some people said he was an embarrassment to the league too, but everyone lived on ok!

are the Breakers the only club that develops their d players into NBL players?

Greg Hire and Everard Bartlett in Perth. Todd Blanchfield and Chris Cedar in Townsville. Kerry Williams in Cairns. Kevin White in Sydney. Bennie Lewis in Melbourne and prob Owen Odigie next season.

I think Mystro's point is reasonable, given they have developed their DP's into decent NBL players at a greater rate than the rest of the league combined.

I remember Shane Bright too Paul, and you are right in your recollection of the crowd response.

Don't believe Blanchfield was ever a DP. Could be wrong.

Crocs current DP (Teys) won't ever play pro.

Yeah when you're a development you can switch teams.

I'm struggling to think of a Hawks development player that went on to be a FT player.

Demos went from jnrs to Blaze.
Jackson from AIS to FT with Hawks.

Josh Bloxham for NZ must be nearly at the end of that status? Haven't seen enough on court to warrant a full contract compared to when Webster/Pledger/Anthony/Abercrombie got on and made some impact.
He must be doing something right at training and he gets to go at the best player in the league in his position daily.

Rueben Terangi reminds me of Mitch Creek, but quite possibly a better shooter already and imo, comparable athleticism. Watch out for him to get a full contract soon if he embraces the Breakers Ethos on and of the court. He could quite possibly be another Abercrombie if he shows the dedication in the gym that Tom did as a development player.

Does the Illawara region have any kids currently in college that might be coming back in the near future who could take a development spot.

I hope Zac gets minutes this week.

I can put his opponents in my dream team.

Records will be broken for steals, blocks and 8 second violations this round.

RE: Any Illawarra kids playing o/s. Not to my knowledge.

There was a guy named Sean Mullen who went to play College ball, i'm sure he signed with a D1 NCAA team. But left before the season started, came back to Wollongong and kinda feel off the face of the earth.

I saw him during this off season scrimmage fighting for a spot. He looked fit, he was holding Gruber out of the key despite only being around 6"2ish. But obviously didn't make the team and I don't know what's happened to him since..

Thats disappointing considering the number of kids that we currently have in the American system not to have any in that region.College system is not for everyone but if you can adapt your certainly reap the rewards especially at the top D1 schools.

Sean would be 6'4" at least. Played a three or pinch hit at bigger positions as a junior. Spent at least a season, but didn't play much, at one of the Div 1 Ivy league schools from memory. Dom Cooks also spent some time in two different programs but also didn't get much burn and has failed to rise above ABA level. As far as development players for the Hawks that went on to play NBL with significant minutes you would have to look back a few years, probably before they were officially called dev players, but were young players who trained with the NBL squad. Dene McDonald, Warrick Giddey, Rod Johnson probably the three who played the most. In a relatively small area it will be difficult to find DP's if you only go with local content who will go on to make the grade. Different story with the Breakers who have the whole country to choose from or the capital city teams. This is why I do not agree with this locals only policy unless there happen to be two with NBL potential. If not then have 1 local but the other DP should be the best potential player you can entice to your program who can have a shot at making the grade.

No research here only memory which is fading fast. Newcastle is a similar sized city. How many players do they have in the USA? Not many would be my guess, but I have been out of the loop for a while.

Illawarra does well with their junior teams. Probably as well as any club in NSW but you need a combination genetics and luck to get those few out and out stars who can go on to make it as a pro. The Illawarra region has not had a male (or female)player make a significant contribution to a good US college program for a while. Maybe ever. Ben Dowdell from neighbouring Shoalhaven played in the WCC and started. Chris Harriman who is now an assistant coach a Div 1 program played a leading role, but at Div 2 Augusta state. Neither went on to do anything of note at NBL level.

What I am trying to say here is that it is not that simple to find a local as a DP. The Hawks had cover by having 4 guards and an 11 man squad. They always new that their DP's wouldn't cut it but had as much cover as they could afford. This season and last saw a few injuries at the same time. Not sure if any other teams have had three guys all injured at once.

most Breakers development players are from Auckland and most are from the suburbs that directly surround the franchises headquarters.

Abercrombie, Tai Webster, Cory Webster and Isaac Fotu all went to school on Aucklands North Shore close to the Breakers headquarters and Rueben Te Rangi and BJ Anthony are both also from Auckland.
Alex Pledger and Josh Bloxham are both from Blenheim in the South Island and Dion Prewster is from Wellington.

thats most of the recent guys

Good posts fstos. One local, one project would be good. How hard would it be to attract low/no-pay DPs to your club from out of town though? Maybe if you set up a part-time job or helped with cheap accommodation somehow, but could Wollongong afford it?

How many NBL clubs have DPs from out of town? I've always assumed the majority were local? Andronicos is from NSW and Bruce from Victoria? Bruce gets some minutes though, so might be more of an 11th man?

Wollongong wouldn't be a bad place for someone young to go and train with the team auditioning for a paid role.

Did Sean actually play? Wasn't aware of that.. I know he went over but didn't think he played a minute.

There are also the players that love playing and are really talented but just don't want to play as a development player when they have a FT job or study. There have been a few of those over the past 2-3 years.

http://www.pennathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1700&ATCLID=204794896

Played very little. Just wanted to see how my memory was.
Listed as 6'6" here.

6"6? Far out.. I must be taller than I thought!!

According to these:
http://www.nsusharks.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=1875
http://www.usbasket.com/player.asp?Cntry=USA&PlayerID=112291

He's still playing there

Same place Alex Gynes ended up I think. supposed to have some of the facilities of any college. Not a very strong program AFAIK.

Best facilities.

Lost it ^

I think Cairns attract out of town DPs because they have reopened the Taipans Academy which offers a bit more than just training with the NBL team.