AngusH
Years ago

United sign Japanese player Yudai Baba

Interesting.

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Anonymous
Years ago

I like it a lot.

Not a gimmick signing & will be an effective player for United.

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Anonymous
Years ago

Can play! https://youtu.be/SwidtQGBWfs

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Midrange
Years ago

Bench signing id imagine. His G-league stats arent great.

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Anonymous
Years ago

United's guard rotation looking very solid.

PG - McCaron, Ili
SG - Goulding, Yudai

Prather coming back to be their starting 3?

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Zodiac
Years ago

He scored 18 points against Team USA at the WC last year. He's playing as a local player and with Goulding already there is likely the back up to him. Certainly worth a gamble on a benchie.

Do United still have that assistant coach from Asia with them?

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Anonymous
Years ago

And people thought I was an idiot for even mentioning Asian players.
Maybe we see Watanabe?

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Anonymous
Years ago

He counts as a local.

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Anonymous
Years ago

He counts as minimum wage against the cap as well, no matter what he earns. Great for United.

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Scout
Years ago

Smart signing

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Anonymous
Years ago

Sem Watanabe maybe

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Anon
Years ago

What a smart signing by Melbourne United!

Hoped that maybe Cairns would've had a look at him, with a fairly decent Japanese community in the region, and also maybe a decent pick up if they’re willing to let Newbill go and instead sign Machado & Oliver.

Maybe they go after Hiejima? But kudos to United on the saavy signing!

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Anonymous
Years ago

Hiejima ain't in the same ballpark as baba.

Jap n.t standouts are Hachimura, Watanabe and baba. Sometimes togashi.
The rest are a level down but have a few nice kids coming through.

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Anonymous
Years ago

Curiosity how much United are paying him? I'm sure he could demand more lucrative offers elsewhere so good to see her chose Australia.

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Anonymous
Years ago

Every team should have 1 Asian player at minimum to draw eyes on league.

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Anonymous
Years ago

I'd be after ra if I were Perth. Give him his 450,000

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Billy Bob
Years ago

ASEAN league apparently folded this past week. A lot of handy players going to be floating around.

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Anonymous
Years ago

One Asian player and 3 imports might as well not have it as an Aussie nbl any longer

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Anonymous
Years ago

Same timezone as Japan. Will be interesting to see whether NBL.TV or viewership of his games there take off at all.

Agree with Anon, ideally every NBL team would have one Asian player. China, Japan, Lebanon, South Korea all have at least 1-2 players of NBL quality. Would the NBL fund their salaries if the viewership of NBL was guaranteed to go through the roof?

To get the top 10 Asian players (not in the NBA) to the NBL would cost around $4 Million.

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Anonymous
Years ago

When there are more aus nz teams it won't matter if you have 3+1

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Anonymous
Years ago

Big bucks playing in South Korea and div one Japan is very good as well.

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Zodiac
Years ago

Big bucks playing in South Korea

Shawn Long will be playing there this upcoming season too.

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Anonymous
Years ago

Not really, the top earners are higher in nbl,than Korea or Japan. By about 50k.

Reply #812211 | Report this post

Anonymous
Years ago

Who was that spud who signed for Brisbane and didn't play?

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Anonymous
Years ago

^Harry Froling

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Anonymous
Years ago

Heijima

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Anonymous
Years ago

Long would be on minimum 500k US, more in Australia lol.

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Cornholio
Years ago

Might be a silly question but I'm not familiar with the asian player rule, is he part of the 10 man roster or outside the 10 as with Next Star players?

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Anonymous
Years ago

"elsewhere so good to see her chose Australia." United have signed a lady to play? So many responses from so many clueless anonymous'

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Anonymous
Years ago

Long is not on 500k u.s. maybe 420 which some players earn more here.

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LV
Years ago

Good signing!

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LV
Years ago

If you watch this guy's highlights, he's creative, unselfish, throws the odd unorthodox pass, but also strong at navigating traffic and getting to the basket.

A little reminiscent of Manu Ginobili. I like him already!

Looking at his resume, he'll definitely be commanding minutes in the rotation.

If you assume McCarron plays 3 and United signs an import PG like previously, which means Prather would need to have his contract cut:

Brandt*/Lual Acuil
Import/Barlow*/White
McCarron/Kuany
Goulding/Baba
Import/Ili

*Rumoured here but unannounced

That looks a very strong squad in a two import league, assuming two top tier imports which you'd expect from United.

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Anonymous
Years ago

Mccarron is the point...

Melbourne United-Vickerman

Squad
6'3 M.Mccarron/6’0 S.Ili
6’4 C.Goulding/6’4 Y.Baba(A)
(I)/6’7 J.White/6’6 K.Kuany
(I)/6’9 D.Barlow
6’10 A.Brandt/7’0 J.Acuil

DP
6’5 S.Short PG
6’8 M.Peatling PF
6’9 J.Purchase PF

Kuany plays some 2/3 white 3/4

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LV
Years ago

Has anyone heard anything re McCarron? Did Vickerman mention it?

2 years ago McCarron said he signed with the intention of playing point, after his point guard stint in Slovenia, yet here we are 2 years later....

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Anonymous
Years ago

He's playing point

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Perthworld
Years ago

Smart signing to get around the two import quota.

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Perthworld
Years ago

Smart signing to get around the two import quota.

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Anonymous
Years ago

As teams should, I think we'll see a few more Japanese and Koreans in future.

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Anonymous
Years ago

Ra to Perth, hawks, sem hopefully. All need a pf and off the cap, no import.
Who has the 500k to spend though.

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Thunder Jam
Years ago

They have no hope if McCarron is the No1 PG.

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LV
Years ago

It's all about fit and complementary skill sets

Either McCarron or Ili could be "starting point guard", it all depends on the imports

Assuming Brandt rumor is true, starting 5 should be McCarron, Goulding, Brandt and 2 imports with a bench of Ili, Baba, Lual Acuil, White, Kuany... neither of those imports have to be a designated PG like Casper/Trimble. Could have a play making, creating small forward in the mould of a Rashad Tucker for example

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Kas
Years ago

Melb Utd started a lot of their games last season - esp late in the season with McCarron as PG - and it worked really well - he's very good and creative with his passing - and with Shea lli - two very good defensive guards

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Anonymous
Years ago

So McDaniel dropped for kuany, seems odd.

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Anonymous
Years ago

No idea where the Kuany rumour came from but he certainly hasnt signed

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Anonymous
Years ago

Yes very odd since he's never held his spot.

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LV
Years ago

Sorry, I forgot Kuany was only a rumour

Signed: Goulding, McCarron, Ili, Baba, Lual Acuil, White, Short (DP)

Rumoured on Hoops: Brandt, Barlow, Kuany

Is that correct?

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LV
Years ago

Oh and Prather technically contracted but apparently Vickerman implied he wouldn't be retained?

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Kas
Years ago

MU signings:

Goulding
McCarron
Prather
Illi
Lual-Aquil
White
Baba
Peatling (DP)

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Anonymous
Years ago

You need bottom bench players, Kauny seems a quality player for this, McDaniel was not so if you believe the rumour mill.

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Anonymous
Years ago

Looks like this might be come very common.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lEj2PDBSrvs

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Anonymous
Years ago

Basketball isn't big at all in Japan...wonder how much more attention he can bring

still a very good pick up tho, solid player

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Hoops

United sign Japanese player Yudai Baba

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