You could say the NBL played a hand in the medal but how big a hand was it? Jock Landale played in the NBL but he also played in Europe. Nick Kay moved on from the NBL and came back a better player. Only guys who you can really attribute to the NBL are Chris Goulding and Nathan Sobey, and respectfully, how much did they really do? Both had their moments but I don't think either's performance was enough to lift a league. They played like bit players. NBL players tend to be bit players at international level.

That's my logical argument anyway. I think the emotional argument would be that a lot of people around Australia will be getting into basketball after this - I saw courts full of players everywhere today. So there will be a flow on effect from this to increased interest in basketball, and then onto the NBL. The less knowledgeable arm chair sports fan may attribute the bronze to the state of the league, but international onlookers and people in the know will probably not take too much out of it.

It will positively effect the league, sure. But depends where you're expecting the legitimacy from, and legitimate to whom?

My view of the NBL has come back down to earth a lot over the past season. It has a lot of good players that wouldn't look out of place on a Euroleague roster or maybe on the end of an NBA bench but at the same time has a lot of absolute scrubs who couldn't get a game anywhere else. I think it was going in the right direction the season before lockdown but losing an import hurt last season. I think the league is on the right track though. But once again, as we expand, there continues to be scrubs I'd rather not even look at rearing their ugly heads. I think a further easing on import restrictions, more next stars, more money in the league to actually keep top flight Aussies, is the way to go forward.

Yeah nah

More imports is the worst idea ever
More young Aussies I say and development
Can the CoE concept. Elit development happens in the NBL clubs
BA still select a list of development players
Have a draft
Each NBL Team must have 2 x development players from the CoE group on their roster each year


Now ya talkin

I don't think current NBL players playing in the Olympics is a worthy measurement of its role.

The NBL played a role in the development of the players on the team, such that
they could 'graduate' to leagues of a higher standard.

As such, a team comprised of players that are 'too good' for the NBL is a team that we need to achieve at a medal standard.

The NBL provides some foundation for identification, development and that important group of players that actually keep the program ticking over when the first team is unavailable. It's an vital cog in the wheel of the Australian basketball environment.

Being a stepping stone in this process is nothing to be ashamed of. Hypothetically, if we ever get to the point where the NBL is at a standard where players can get paid and compete at equivavlent level to the big Euro leagues, maybe the landscape changes a bit.

Disagree about the NBL not being able to claim Kay. He was fantastic for the Wildcats. All NBL first team twice in a row. That's how he got his gig for the Boomers at the WC and contract in Europe. Definitely a product of the NBL.

Guess it depends what you mean by legitimise. The top Olympic and World Cup teams are usually full of current or ex NBA, or current Euroleague players. I don't think any of us would suggest the NBL is anywhere near Euroleague.

The thing that's improving the "legitimacy" of the NBL in the eyes of bball fans worldwide is the increasing number who are going from NBL to NBA.

How many current NBA players have played in the NBL? There are heaps. Much, much more than there were 10 or 15 years ago.

@ME - so what you're saying is how we make the NBL better is by allowing even more American and overseas players into it? Hmm... (thinking more on that, the ability to be able to draw in top level OS talent IS a good marker for a league, but not in respect to National playing local talent)

I agree that the NBL can 100% claim Nick Kay... He got his OS gig based on a stellar play in the NBL and what he did on the International stage is 100% what he does game in and game out.

I don't think that the NBL can sell it as "All these NBL players won a bronze medal!!11!!1!" BUT for those that pay attention to leagues outside of the NBA, knowing that a large portion of this bronze medal winning team have either come via the NBL at some point, or in Patty's case, gone back to play, or in Delly's case (I know, we won with him playing <3mins) now going to play in the NBL, I think it shines a positive light on it...

I'm not sure Patty really counts.

Depends what you mean by legitimise the NBL has never had more players getting signed by NBA teams than right now but at the same time due to the lack of talent at the end of NBL benches the NBL isn't an elite league. Top 10 sure but of course #2 better than EuroLeague is absurd.

I know last season was a down year due to Covid but you can't have Kev White starring in the GF series. I mean Perth haven't even re-signed him yet and no other team has either.

NBL players played a significant role on this bronze medal winning Boomers team though Landale and Kay are both products of the NBL. Landale was coming off of the bench in Lithuania it was his play for United plus opportunity with the Baynes injury that allowed him to shine in Tokyo and get an NBA deal. Kay's stellar play in the NBL got him into the Boomers where he shone at the 2019 WC and again in Tokyo.

I think the answer to the post is not really. I don't think any doubters would be looking at the result and immediately thinking of the NBL. A bigger thing has been draft prospects or other players suiting in the NBL and then making the NBA, IMO.

It certainly raises the profile of Australian basketball another notch.
That probably drags the NBL up a tiny bit.

Nick Kay IS a product of the NBL, so to any extent that his Cinderella story is reported, that again ups the rep of Australia's ability to produce quality players.

Kay looked both more mobile and physically bigger after a season in Spain. If you see him in the team photos he's giving Aron Baynes a run for his money these days.

Strange question as we could be answering it in so many ways ie...

Are we comparing it to other Olympic sports and saying that the Olympics made us want to watch NBL more than say field hockey, soccer or water polo then you'd imagine it won't have done it any harm whatsoever.

Are we saying that the NBL will be able to keep juniors like Luke Jackson, Hugh Greenwood or Austin Bradtke because of the Olympics, you'd crrtainky like to hope it does.

Let's hope that momentum from the Olympics isn't lost by the time the season starts

Another thing that will show that the NBL has been legitimised by the Olympics is in terms of financials such as more wanting to own teams (Romie Chaudari 2.0?) and/or companies wanting to sponsor the league and its clubs instead of say NRL or AFL.

I'd certainly like another Romie to come in with a desire to start a new franchise here in the NBL, whether that be in Australia or New Zealand and expand the league which would be beneficial for so many reasons.

No I feel the NBL was already on notice across the world over the last few years especially in USA due to Next Stars.

Kay, Goulding and Sobey come under NBL as that's where they all have spent most of their careers, and Jock too coming off an NBL season. Jock and Kay would be the only ones the world noticed outside of Mills, Ingles and Thybulle who the world should already know if you follow NBA.

I do think it's a bit of catch 22, as NBL fans we want the best product and that usually means the more imports we have the more exciting and competitive it is, but at the same time we want our homegrown talent to build for the Boomers future! Kind of weird that we pull it very good imports, some of which could cut it in the NBA given the right situation, but our best Aussies don't play in the NBL.