Whoops, very expected...

Kings then daylight

Marketing? Never remember Basketball being popular in India when i visited...pretty sure that cricket was big thou!

This is a terrible idea just how the SEABL tigers player Liu didn't drag thousands of local Asian students thru the door!

Maybe we should focus on Aus/NZ player and marketing rather than trying to make half hearted attempts in the far flung markets like India!

He's not the first indian to play in the NBL. Emmanuel D'Cress played in the NBL for the Canberra Cannons in the early 2000s

"This is a terrible idea just how the SEABL tigers player Liu didn't drag thousands of local Asian students thru the door!"

Didn't that signing actually fund the team thanks to linked sponsorship?

All of a sudden Maric wasn't that bad was he

Hill has retired. The Kings made him absolutely hate basketball

Yes I read Hill was taking a year off basketball to travel.

Whilst its not out of the ordinary for people to take a sabatical, its much rarer for a professional sportsman with a 10 year pro span.

I think he has a place on an NBL bench to play like the Drew Petrie / Jesse Wagstaff / Alex Loughton type role.

Thankfully for him he has other career opportunities in the Wine industry.

All the best to him and hope he makes a come back on a team needing his skillset.

Sorry folks....I meant Anthony Petrie.

By comparing him to Anthony Petrie you are saying he is a dirty grub with no skill

All the best to him and hope he makes a come back on a team needing his skillset.

Jeromie's going to need a lot more than well wishes to make it back into this league. I felt he needed to be given more opportunity in the Kings last season but it seems basketball isn't his priority.

Michael Oakes managed to come up with several Euro scenarios but he felt BBL or tier 2 comps are not good enough. What interest can you expect to generate when you only averaged 2 ppg and 1 rpg? Unless he starts taking it seriously, I doubt people will treat him seriously either.

Whoops, very expected...

I thought you were being sarcastic. My condolences... you did have ample warning! ;p

Leslie/Cadee, Lisch/Thoseby, Newley/Blanchfield , Ellis/Garleep/Pineau, Humphries/Singh. My understanding is you can only have 11 players on the Roster, so how can we get a 3rd import? Kings have a history of not having the guts to let anyone go, so I hope Singh will be as good as an import centre.

The other teams are absolutely loaded. Why not go for an import centre now? At present our frontcourt is Ellis and Garleep. The other 3 are unproven rookies. That is my concern.

I think absolutely loaded only applies to United. Its funny to see this inferiority complex among some Kings fans. Jumpshot... your team is pretty close to absolutely loaded mate.

Lets see... ex-MVP PG, ex-NBA import SG who scored 20pts twice in SL, NBA-drafted marquee SF, ex-KU star import PF who was Kansas Mr. Basketball, 2nd team All-American scored 19pts in SL, legit 7ft rookie C who attracted some pre-draft interests and knocked back lucrative Euro offers.

All this backed by 3 reserves who could start in other teams, with your 'scrubs' consisting of an ex-BBL star sharpsooter, the Indian national team captain and ex-div1 NCAA starting C. Pretty loaded methinks...

Kings can add a third import during the season, I expect they will depending on where they need help, which you'd imagine will be in the frontcourt.

If you a signing players only becuase of the "money" they bring in does that mean anyone with rich parents can just start sponsoring so there kids get a run?!

Seems damn crazy if thats what the NBL has come to.....good luck to the guy but seriously it actully makes our league a laughing stock...bit like the Sac Kings when they signed Sim Bhullar which made legit players/league participants/supporters cringe.

I have zero idea how good this guy is, but at 26 years old he's hardly a "project". I also think the Kings using the "hey we needed size, now we've got it!" line of marketing for him is not wise. I expect he'll play Bo-like minutes, even if Humphries averages 4 fouls a game.

Kings have a history of not having the guts to let anyone go, so I hope Singh will be as good as an import centre.

Yeah exactly... unless someone gets "injured"...

Kings can add a third import during the season, I expect they will depending on where they need help, which you'd imagine will be in the frontcourt.

Yeah, but this has been my key ranting point all along... It's clear now that this will no doubt be the case, and they should do it NOW... the impact of team chemistry, import calibre down the track compared to now and that import being able to adjust to the different style of play and refereeing (event he best take a couple of games). Surely these negatives, combined with the hole that will be dug when the Kings lose a couple of close ones that could have been one if the roster was better, in this super tight league (how many times has Gazey said that "one more win and we'd have been in the playoffs!"??) would outweigh trying to go cheap now?

Steve, you make some solid points, but are taking some creative exaggeration... There's no doubting that we have an impressive core back court with Lisch, Cadee, Newls and Blanchfield (even though the latter I hope picks up his form from early international games where effort and results have been sketchy), but calling Leslie an ex-NBA player attributes a label to him that might be more impressive than actuality... He played something like 45mins over 10 games six years ago and has a somewhat sketchy playing history since...

I know that's 45mins more than pretty much the rest of the league combined, but it's all about perspective (and balance). You make the "scrubs" sound great, but realistically, Garlepp is in the tail end of his career and has never been a solid reounder and looked to not be wanted back after how his minutes were unbalanced last season, Thoseby can shoot, but not much else, which has been evident in the few pre-season games so far against college teams... Singh has a skillset that I think could be very valuable if he can keep up with the league, but that's questionable (there were comments doubting that he could keep up with the invitational tournament play which was well below NBL standard, yes?). National team captain is always a great personal accomplishment, but as far as it being India, are they even in the top 50 rankings? Who are they behind in the Asia rankings?

I've been vocal abotu Ellis and how he might contribute in the NBL, but am happy to defer to people more knowledgable and hold off on the criticism, and it's no secret that I'm stoked that the Young Hobbit Hope has been signed, but it's a LOT of pressure to put on someone so young, even if he DOES have big shoulders... If what you say is true about his Euro offers (not doubting of course, you seem likea pretty honest individual :D ), how will a poor season effect future seasons? I know we won't be able to hold onto him for long (would have hopedto get him for at least a 2yr deal initially) but it's a case of him getting pissed off with being overrun by more experienced bigs and takes off, but can't get as good a deal as his numbers don't stack up well, or putting him intot he best position to succeed and maybe proving to him that sticking around another season at least will help strengthen his stock even more to get a better gig overseas... If we can build him up over 2-3 seasons, he's still going to be early 20s when he gets over there, with more experience and a better chance to be even better...

Wookie with the early morning negative essay, must have been up all night thinking about and writing that one. Maybe instead of being negative you start to support your team and show some confidence. This season's prospects look brighter than previous years for the Kings

SteveK2,

I agree for once in many years, our backcourt looks great.

However, I'm talking about the frontcourt: Ellis yes excellent pick up. Garlepp has been struggling past 2 seasons. Humphries mediocre against college teams, missing easy 8ft jumpshots. Pineau = couple of lay-ups and air balls. Singh looks slow for the NBL.

"Yeah, but this has been my key ranting point all along... It's clear now that this will no doubt be the case, and they should do it NOW"

Not necessarily. If waiting means you get someone who is a better fit for your team it could be the right approach. Seasons are funny things, it's hard to know how they'll play out.

Also the purse strings might've been tightened, signing an import during the season is cheaper.

Quite possibly, Zodiac, but it would have to be a considerable saving to offset potential losses and yet another post-season missed... I can't do the maths as to what it would be worth them to finally get back to the playoffs, but it's worth at least a decent import along the lines of a Mickel Gladness...

@paul - very true and that's what the pre-season is for, and the longer they have in the pre-season (and more games against NBL-level talent, unlike last season where they played a lot of lesser teams like over in China) the clearer the picture will be... Which goes back to another point of mine and how long it takes them to get their imports in town... Leslie only just getting in and Ellis getting in on the weekend... Another late/poor start to the pre-season and that will show...

@Anon#2 who can actually spell - close but no cigar... Ever since moving to Sydney in late 90s I've been a Kings fan... but yes, long suffering, especially recently, except for a very sweet spot which makes it all worth it...

@Anon#1 who can't spell... If you want to be a mindless sheep supporter following blindly without an independent thought and drinking the purple Kool-Aid, go for it... But I want the best for my team, so I won't settle for what I see as a half-arsed effort... From players, or management, OR fans... I'll show confidence in them when they prove that they deserve it... I'll happily eat crow if the team clicks and leaves it all out on the floor with all the respective cliches, but I won't just follow blindly, as last season the prospects looked better than ever and look what happened...

Wookie the season hasn't even started yet nor has the team had any meaningful time together. Your negative commentary based on the unknowns really show your level "support" for your team. Why don't you hold off on all the disgust towards their recruiting until it comes together on the floor? Going back to ageing known quantities ie Gladness isn't necessarily going to turn your fortunes. Perry Eliss' ability is far superior to his.

If you want to get all judgey on other people for being critical, Anon, go for it... You're completely wrong, of course, but I'm sure you're used to that...

Not sure where you got disgust from... Just because someone doesn't have sunshine and rainbows shooting out of unicorn horns over something doesn't mean that they are disgusted with something... I'm critical, that's all, and while I don't have to justify my level of support to some internet random, that doesn't have any reflection on my level of support for the team, it just means that I have my own brain and I don't think that people deserve a participation trophy for just turning up...

As for unknown quantities, I'm making assessments on possible outcomes based on facts provided so far... The Kings front court is INCREDIBLY inexperienced at the professional level (and at the collegiate level in IH case as well if you want to get fussy). Compare our front court to the frontcourts of other teams... Teams that feature the likes of DJ, AJ, Kay, Pledger, Jervis, Hodgson (who will be on a high riding some serious AsiaPac confidence), Knight, Brandt, Kickert, Andersen, Majok plus a bunch of other new imports...

Ellis is superior to Gladness, sure, but I wasn't saying choose Gladness over him, I was saying Gladness over Singh... When talking first-tier imports (of which Ellis needs to be), I would compare Ellis to preferring Childress... of which he'd very likely lose out over...

@gooderer spelling Anon - another swing and a miss... I never jumped ship to the Spirit... Considered it, but as is what seems to be my MO, was too critical of the management to sign up... But I turned up to most games to give my support to Bevo and the boys, especially since they were only getting the gate takings near the end...

lol all good Nice Anon, I didn't take it in a negative way and you get bonus points for actually puttnig the EE at the end!) :)

It's only one anon that's being cranky (other piss-taking I usually deserve for all my waffle) and if he thinks that those are essays, he's probably a two finger typer like my old man... Maybe I should type the bigger words out fon-et-ick-alley for him? :)

Not being crankee just a realist ;)

Also the purse strings might've been tightened, signing an import during the season is cheaper.

Outside of an injury waiver scenario, if the purse strings are indeed tightened, there is zero prospect of a third import being signed mid season. The moment they intend to sign one, they will have to waive someone and eat the remaining contract value. They will also lose 2nd marquee eligibility, meaning anything over $200,000 of either Lisch's or Newley's will count towards the cap.

Anything they save by not signing the 3rd import for the full season is likely to be less than what they are going to incur. I don't think it has anything to do with lack of money. The Kings are gambling to see if they can reach the promised land with less money, i.e. tightarse.

but are taking some creative exaggeration...

I object y'onor! These claims are true, un-exaggerated facts! Interpretations may vary between readers though...

In all seriousness, yes the worry/despair over the unproven frontcourt may be warranted but you also have to acknowledge that there are so much unknown factors about these newcomers that there may also be positive developments. Team chemistry is a funny thing, sometimes a player that looked crappy in one team can transform into an important cog in another team.

The Hobbit might have had difficulty playing with those NBA lottery picks and they didn't care much for what he could've brought to that team. That may not be the case here. Singh might have looked a lot worse in those FIBA matches going up against guys like Haddadi, Blatche, YiJianLian or Zhou Qi, but then quite a few of our NBL starting Cs might have had a similar hard time going against those guys. With better teammates than what he had, Singh might turn out to be more serviceable.

Anyways, what's done is done. Lets just see what happens in a few weeks.

Ah yes... I had completely forgotten about that whole marquee player thing... That would certainly factor into the equation for sure...

Agree Steve, the die is cast and it's time to just suck it and see, I guess...

Nice anon... I think I actually was in that one... Was that the one they took to the SEC (or was that actually a dying Kings era?) Boy, that was a ghost town, could have all fit in the one section...

So is that two different dickhead anons with no clue, or the same one? I've never posted as anon before, let alone to agree with myself and I think most of my posts would back that up... I would have invented someone to agree with me long before now...

So quit whining about how underwhelming you believe your back court is, you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about..

No disagreement on the lack of value for money last season, part of why Kings fans are still concerned this season, but the fact that this is the most stupid statement out of everything just makes you look ridonkulous... if you could actually read, it's an underwhelming FRONT court... And not once has the $ value of the players signed compared to other teams been an issue for me... If anything, some of my suggestions have actually been cheaper and I've been conscious of trying not to overspend again... knob...

blah blah... I comment and refute, "oh he bit, I win!", I ignore and it's "oh, he's not commenting, I win!" so congrats, no more biting on fuckwit comments then...

That SEC game was so bad... I think at the time they couldn't have filled a local stadium, let alone a whole section...

So it looks like the first look we will get to see the full team will be the pre-season game against the Hawks on the 16th... That will be two full weeks with the full team (Perry gets in tomorrow?) as Kev should be at full strength training by now based on what he said at one of the last college games?

Ellis will arrive Sunday morning, he'll have a week to get ready for Traralgon. Can't recall off the top of my head but the pre-seasons left are 3 games in Blitz, that 16th vs Illawarra (will be livestreamed pretty sure), 2 games vs Cats the week after that, then its off to Utah and back 1 day before opener.

Some interesting reads this morning, Cats will hold off on 3rd import until just before season start so most likely only Cotton and Cooke jr in that 2 pre-seasons. Liam Santamaria mentioned that Kings were looking at Ray Willis (Gladstone's import) as possible 3rd import... as if they need another guard o.O ...

You'd love his game Wookiee, exceptional facilitator and rebounder but not what they truly need. Kinda explained that odd statement by JVG about not wanting to disrupt the flow of those returning Boomers, something that a certain Kings fan on this forum picked up and went berko at JVG on facebook, pointing out that those Boomers are not frontcourt players.

Oh yeah, I keep forgetting the Blitz is on early this year... Probably part of that is low interest in not being able to see it streamed...

Whereabouts are those reads? I'm a bit behind on the twitterer but couldn't see anything...

Was that 3rd import as in still considering? Oy vey! I remember saying something similar on the facebook, but am sure it wasn't at berko level or directed at JvG, was this a recent rant? It really is a mess and I'd hate to see players unduly criticised for doing their best but not having the right complimentary players around them in the right spots... Lisch will be healthy, so no excuses... Cadee will have had a lot of pre-season experience running the point, so no excuses... We should have plenty of outside shooting options now to not have the shuffle screw us over again, so no excuses...

Wildcats import wait:
https://thewest.com.au/sport/perth-wildcats-wait-to-sign-final-piece-of-puzzle-for-2016-17-nbl-season-ng-b88585519z

Psst someone tell the journo his calendar year is kinda off...

As for Liam's article, it should be RTed on his twitter and on NBL website but link is here:

http://www.nbl.com.au/featured-news/kings-cash-combine/

The person I'm referring to isn't you Wookiee, he knows who he is and up to him if he wants to bring it up here. I was just surprised and somewhat impressed at JVG's fan engagement exercise on FB.

As for what I know?

I tried to give the Spirit a fair shot, but the one game I attended was the most depressing professional sporting experience I've ever had, and completely killed my enthusiasm for the NBL until the Kings returned.

Ray Willis looks OK, but we need another swingman like we need a kick in the teeth.

I liked the more NSW-branded colour scheme, but that logo though... yeesh! worst one in sports history EVER... EVVVVVVVVVVVERRRRRRRRR!!!!11!!!

Thanks for the link Steve... IF that is your real name! lol... So many bonus points for the Sgt Shultz reference... That was an all-time fave growing up...

I had seen that combine video before, but not the article... I think they mentioned Willis more in the context of the combine, not really as an option now, which is a relief... If the unforeseeable happens and we lose our top 3 guards, it's good to know that there is talent around still... If we lose even one of our main bigs though... BUH BOW...

I must have missed the interaction with JvG then... I usually stay away from Facebook comment threads... the majority of the time, it's either bogans or people just tagging other people, both equally frustrating...

Is it just me or do the Kings seem to be a club that wants to play small ball?

I can't imagine Blanchfield moving to Sydney to play 10 minutes/game and never be on the court at the same time as Newley.

Thoseby can shoot but will he even get on the court?

I think their starting 5 will be

Lisch, Leslie, Newley, Blanchfield, Ellis

I know it's quite small but Todd has shown he can take 10 rebounds in an NBL game and if you give him that kind of responsibility then that may be what he requires to excel again.

Having Humphries coming off the bench could help him initially too and I'm sure Garlepp will help him by being on the court with him. But I don't see Singh, Thoseby, Pineau getting much court time as all.

Finally someone with a bit of sense about the kings. That 5 will be good with what is coming off the bench. Wookiee read above about optimism and stop being the Sydney Dazz

Haha. Blanchfield as a foward ???? I can see him posting up - NOT.

Starting 5 will be Leslie, Lisch, Newley, Ellis, Humphries.

Good post anon#452. Certainly its a lineup that may come up in certain situations but unlikely to be the starting makeup. Its a zone-breaker lineup and Thoseby may get his time in that configuration if the backcourt is in foul trouble.

They'll start by pounding it inside to Ellis/Humphries or attack with Leslie/Newley until teams break out the zone before they bring that small lineup and bomb away. Lets see how predictable they are...

Yes Wookiee its my real name just like yours ;p. The interview by Liam is a recent one.

We invited him to our Rookie Camp to have a look at him as a potential third import now or at a later stage

So they went with Thoseby instead. Just disturbing with that "later stage" part I thought.

Wait, who says I came first?!? That's an unfounded rumour that I'm sure, well, it was a long day and I was tired, and... wait... nevermind...

@proud - both Gaze and JvG have mentioned in interviews about going small ball and how it isn't a huge big lumbering bigs game anymore, so they've definitely recruited that way... Disagree that Ellis can play the 5, as per the following anon, he just seems that straight 4... If anything, Garlepp will probably spend minutes at the 5 as per previous seasons if but mostly likely WHEN, Isaac gets in foul trouble, especially early on...

And as per the common sense anon said, there are plenty of proper bigs in this league that will run over them a lot of the times... They're going to need to be on target with their shooting if they want to keep up a fast transition team...

As for Vinnie at the 4, he's capable, but unless there's serious foul trouble, there's more chance of him splitting time at the 3 if Newls shifts to the 2, as that guard rotation is pretty potent... Offensively it could be good, but there's a lot of big guys that he'd have to match up on defensively at the other end that would mow him down... If Cadee can keep up his solid PG duties from AsiaPac that will hopefully free up Lisch to a more natural position (even though according to some he's been wanting the proper PG duties?) so it will all depend on how they click... If TB gets his eye in, Lisch, Cadee, Newls and him will be a big headache at both ends of teams... (how's that for optimism, fuckwit anon?)

@Steve - lol, yeah, try having Wookiee on your resume, i don't know what my parents were thinking... Apparently it's from some pew pew science movie about space bears? *shrugs*

Agree that the "later stage" thing was concerning, but I've honestly given up now and just going to have to see how it goes and pull out a stack of "I told you thusly"s when the time comes...