Not a bad signing but didn't play at all at the JJ's last season. Will be interesting to see what he has left and if guys like J. Bairstow and Smith-Milner can still get gigs Majok should be ahead of them.

Good on him, really good at Ballarat this season, can still contribute. Nice signing. SEM looking very lethal this season.

Amazing that Majok was the starting center during the short Dean Demopoulos era but has unfortunately regressed significantly since this time. Looked overweight on the JJ bench last season and barely played for the Wildcats prior. Will provide some cover for Hunter.

Iirc he was United starting c the year they won the first ten games then I think lost to 4th placed nz, in the playoffs, Majok less the league in rebounds.

Someone might have a better recollection

He was nearly out of the league then he played in some f grade boomers team coached by Gleeson and he ended on Perth's roster, played some decent minutes under Gleeson, a ghost since...

Very limited local spots left, let's look at what locals from last season who could return (so not JLA, Travers or Creek) still have no contract to play anywhere
Aron Baynes
DJ Mitchell
Zac Triplett
Cam Gliddon
Mangok Mathiang
Dom Kelman-Poto
Corey Webster
Kyle Zunic
Craig Moller
Lachie Barker

That's my recollection too- led the league in rebounds, played a valuable role in that team who started 9-0 but were a bit one-dimensional in relying on the 3 point shot, and got banished from the playoffs by a tough, veteran NZ side.

That start probably flattered them too, there was a couple of close ones including a controversial one where CG got the better of a decision involving Corey Webster.

Hopefully Majok can contribute meaningful minutes- based on the highlights, unsure if Matt Hurt can play the 5- but if he can (and Lewis is definitely ready) then Majok may not be needed as much with the 5 minutes going to Hunter and Hurt.

I mean Lewis is ready to play the 4.

So they might run a 3 man rotation of Hunter, Hurt and Lewis in 5/4 with Vodanovich and Majok playing minor minutes only, or Wieskamp stepping into the 4 if they decide to play small ball

That season before Covid he was a good 1 2 punch with Plumlee and was tipped to have a good season with Mooney before he did Achilles

I think he still fits SEM. Like above Hurt can swing 5 and everyone can play up. He'll have a presence on a team off and on the court.


Like guys Mangok would be $$ and probably somewhere overseas BOUND
Dj Mitchell Sounds euro bound

Aron Baynes - Retirement likely

Zac Triplett - signed with ilawarra

Cam Gliddon - retirement likely or vet at mu might be a fit


Dom Kelman-Poto - probably injury replacement


Corey Webster - No clue

Kyle Zunic - probably injury replacement


Craig Moller - Still rehabing at SEM it seems and isn't 100%

Lachie Barker - probably injury replacement

Some other FA's that played last season:

Lachlan Anderson, Taipans
Alex Mudronja, Taipans
Gabe Hadley, Bullets
Sam Timmins, Kings
Biwali Bayles, Hawks
Rhys Vague, Phoenix
Anzac Rissetto, Phoenix
Finn Delany, Breakers
Dan Fotu, Breakers

Sam Timmins, Kings ( signed )

Rhys Vague, Phoenix - Japan ( signed )

Finn Delany, Breakers - Japan ( signed )
Dan Fotu, Breakers - Japan ( signed )

Fair exodus to Japan this off-season:

Gary Clark
DJ Hogg
Zylan Cheatham
Finn Delany
Dan Fotu
Rhys Vague
Sam Timmins

Mody Maor too and I suppose you could include Trevor Gleeson as well. Shawn Dennis still coaching over there I think Andrej Lemanis and Paul Henare are as well. Al Westover still over there?

I heard Al Westover's in Victoria involved with SEDA school

a5ian nbl fan- when did Triplett sign with Illawarra!? Or is that an upcoming announcement?

It's all about the wage packet. Vague in b-3, probably slightly more than what he’d get in nbl. Where is Dan Fotu, he hardly played ?

I think he was starting for NZB at one point last season.

Fotu had a stellar season in the NZNBL

Moller must be very close if he's still rehabbing, a few sides would look so much better with him in it. I believe he did the same injury as Martin in the same month. Gliddon would still be a reasonable get.

What team is Dan Fotu playing for in b-league?.

Zac Triplett to hawks via Mick Randall twitter

Fotu Japan https://www.instagram.com/p/C9MPdBZpUnG/

Cheers mate, hope he does well at the Hawks

Corey Webster would be a good addition for United off the bench to provide instant offence, he's 35 though..

No way does United want Webster

He's a lesser version of Ian Clark, and not as high quality character

Flynn Cameron needs more opportunities too.

United needs a 3/4 for extra insurance in those positions, we've only got White, Bowen and Krebs there (and CG starts 3 in the small ball line-ups but he's not really a 3), we need extra genuine 3/4

Essentially United last spot is replacing Newley who provided insurance at 3/4

With SEM, an entire new starting 5 makes it intriguing.

But on paper, it's a strong roster with a little bit of everything and the pieces look like they'll complement each other.

Their history has been a tortured one, so I'd like to see few injuries, everything clicking and SEM in the semi finals.

It certainly looks a lot better, while Creek is an excellent player his time at SEM didn't produce the results, yes injuries certainly didn’t help. The point guard spot was never great either where now they have a gun.

Wieskamp and Hurt are highly rated imports and wouldn't have come cheap.

For both of them, they're 24 and it's their first gig outside NCAA/NBA/G League.

You never know how they'll go, but on paper, with their histories and their game styles I think they'll both translate alright into NBL.

Malique Lewis is definitely ready to contribute.

It's a strong roster. No excuses for Kelly. Just hope they stay healthy (unlike last year). If so, genuine chance of contending for a title.

Wieskamp and Hurt have both come form the G-League which pays peanuts so doubt they're expensive. Walton is the one that wouldn't have come cheap given he was playing in China last season and a proven big game performer in the NBL.

Replacing Creek with Majok Majok has reduced expectations for SEM for me drastically. Now they're going to be relying on Sobey heavily, not a great position to be in. Plus they've got a mediocre coach who will probably get fired for Tommy's mate Mackinnon at some point during the season.

Not sure what Hunter & Glover were thinking going to that club.

They haven't replaced Creek with Majok, they've replaced Creek with Hurt. If they still had Sobey and Creek, they would've stuck with 2 imports to keep the two Aussie salaries as marquee

Not sure where you got the idea G League imports are cheap. Players play G League to stay connected within the NBA system. It's a trade off- less money but potentially more NBA opportunity. Many of those G League guys refuse better Euro/Asian $ every year to stay in the NBA ecosystem. Hurt and Wieskamp would've been fielding offers globally and chose SEM and wouldn't have been cheap at all.

See Hurt signed 29 July

https://www.semphoenix.com.au/news/final-import-matthew-hurt-bringing-offensive-power-in-nbl25

He'll be starting PF, replacing Creek

Majok would appear to be one of the weaker back up Cs, making Hunter's health crucial. But every team has players who are especially critical within their structure. For whom an injury could be catastrophic to the teams chances.

LV, G-League imports are the new NCAA imports, for the most part cheapies. The Sixers recently admitted they cheaped out on Davis because they were trying to land a big fish at PF, Martin.

They are not cheap, there is a whole world out there looking for these players, they wanted Cheatham but could not match b- league dollars. Majok replacing Creek, I'm still laughing, he’s the eleventh man, Hurt will get more minutes at the five than him.

Obviously a guy with Euroleague experience like Martin would be in the most expensive tier of imports. But it's not true that G League imports are always cheap. Rayjon Tucker wouldn't have been cheap for United for example.

Hurt put up 20ppg last year. He's consistently shot 40% from 3 throughout the last 4 years at Duke and G League. He wouldn't be "cheap" and neither would Wieskamp. Both had decorated college careers and put up good numbers in G League.

I didn't say they were always cheap LV but for the most part they are. The G-League pays peanuts it's beer money, the players have to board together. It's an exposure league to play in front of NBA teams and once they realise they're probably not going to get another call up they then have to branch out into the real basketball world to start earning money.

Often first port of call is the NBL which is not a high paying league and these days an exposure league of sorts too given all the NBA scouts watching the Next Stars. If no NBA call up and they perform well here they go off to better paying leagues overseas. When imports flop overseas like Jaylen Adams, Martin, Walton etc they take a hit financially and come back to the NBL to pump prime their stock in the hope of getting better paying gigs overseas again.

If there were much interest in Weiskamp or Hurt from Europe/China etc they wouldn't be coming here for their first port of call.

Again, you're making generalisations

Guys who do well in G League, like Rayjon Tucker, or a guy like Hurt who averaged 15.3ppg and 20.5ppg the last 2 years shooting >50% from the field and 40% from 3, aren't cheap.

I get you don't like Melbourne teams but think before you post, you said Majok was a replacement for Creek and you don't know why Hunter would choose SEM etc

You'll be super salty when United and SEM both finish higher than 36ers, won't you :-)

LV, I said Majok replaced Creek on the roster which he did. Their roster was full Creek left freeing up a spot and they signed Majok.

It's got nothing to do with being salty LV just trying to calm your notorious Melbourne-centric woofing down. If you think Weiskamp and Hurt are expensive imports because they signed with a Melbourne based team good luck to you lol

The 36ers have been the biggest basket case in the NBL over the last few years. It's just a bit rich hearing a 36ers fan criticising players for signing anywhere!

Again you're wrong, Creek left 17 July and Hurt signed 29 July. They lost a marquee and replaced him with an import to start at PF

Majok was signed later, not relevant to Creek's departure

Local roster spot LV Creek wasn't an import. Anyway keep living in your delusional Melbourne is the centre of the universe world where G-League imports that sign with Melb based teams must be expensive and Marcus Lee / Rob Loe is a good replacement centre combo for JLA / Hukporti. Keep those pearlers coming LV!

Walton/Ayre/Foxwell
Sobey/Glover
Wieskamp/Kenyon
Hurt/Lewis/Vodanovich
Hunter/Majok

Is better than

Browne/Ayre/Foxwell
Cummings or Nadar/Te Rangi
Moller/Kenyon
Creek/Vague
Williams/Gak

Without all the injuries. Would have South East Melbourne around 5-6. People are underestimating Sobey he was all second team last season.

Haha, remind me what you were saying at the start of last season again? From memory you were questioning Hukporti and saying United would struggle. Then United Started what, 7-0? With Hukporti playing at All-NBL level

Teams get 4 spots for marquees and imports. That's why United has 2 imports only, and SEM would've if Creek stayed. Again, Majok is irrelevant to Creek's departure. Hurt is a direct replacement for Creek

And, I know you'll hate this Zodiac but Melbourne kind of is the Centre of the Australian basketball universe, with more Boomers greats than anywhere else. And a Melbourne team in the NBL GF 50% of the time over the league's entire history

Sorry to burst your salty bubble :-)

@Basket91 agreed, SEM on paper at least, has all the ingredients for success

Elite talent- Walton, Sobey, possibly Hurt or Wieskamp but see how they go

Complementary skills- Walton and Sobey creators and scorers, Wieskamp and Hurt elite shooters, Hunter rim protection and inside muscle. The starting 5 appears complementary

Depth - Glover, Lewis, Ayre, Kenyon off the bench. That's good depth. Majok a possible weakness based on minimal impact on last couple of NBL teams. But hopefully Hunter stays healthy

Experience- Three Sydney guys who won a title together with Glover playing a starring role off the bench. Lewis the only young guy. Even Wieskamp/Hurt have played 2-3 seasons G League.

One issue is it's difficult to guage overall defensive ability from stats and highlights. You know Wieskamp and Hurt can shoot, but are they good enough at the other end? D is more than steals and blocks. It's playing the percentages, playing to the scout, communicating with team mates. Hard to read that until you see players in the grind of the regular season.

All teams have questions on them. For me, Sydney obvious stand out roster, and Goorj at the helm. Clear favourites. On their own

But after that, there's no clear 2nd in my mind. United is the surest bet because you know what you'll get from them. But pure talent and depth, SEM is right there in that 2nd group imo

Some G league guys come to nbl for good money, yes less tha euros or Asia as they think it's a better way back to nba, I believe Hurt actually said that.

After 11 games SEM were in third spot last season when injuries started to haunt them. Moller got hurt that weekend and Cummings left due to not wanting to come off bench. They should have made top 4 but I do agree this side is far better balanced, certainly if the imports play D. Interesting to see how Sobey goes at both ends.

8-6 they were at the halfway mark

Trevor Gleeson couldn't have done anything with SEM last season given their injuries.

Having said that, it was concerning not just that they were losing, but the monumental nature of some of the losses. Kelly's into 2nd year of a 2-year deal. Pressures on. Miss the play-in (with reasonable injury run) and unlikely he coaches NBL again I reckon.

Agreed, the D of the imports will be crucial.

Sydney is the only team for mine without any serious question marks.

Of course, other teams may answer the questions. We'll find out soon.

Not sure the hype around this Kings roster is any different to before NBL2024. That remains a huge question mark IMO. You can't buy system, chemistry and culture. Bogut and Goorjin both on record with concerns about the JJs who will be an absolute nightmare to score against in NBL 2025. Nothing surer than Cats will be there abouts again. United perhaps not at the same level but still have a very elite core. Hope SEM finally get it all together too. Hawks just had to keep Clarke but certainly not writing them off. Really rate Tatum as a coach.

Kings got a very well balanced outfit, Goorj still knows his stuff, they will be well drilled. JJs as well though kings got Cooks back and JJs lost McVeigh. SEM and cats, the rest fighting for miner places imo. Hawks possibly in the top four conversation but Clarke massive loss.

The differences between Kings 24 and Kings 25:

- Goorj, 6 time title winning coach, instead of NBL newbie Abdelfattah

- Cooks is back

- Imports are proven- Oliver has 2 quality seasons of NBL behind him. Unlike Valentine who had only played G League from memory?

- More overall certainty in the roster- last year Bolden was back after 3.5 years away from professional basketball, Valentine was new. This year the entire starting 5 are very familiar to the NBL, as are the main bench guys (LAfa, Noi, Bruce)

- Kuol- I'm very bullish on him. He's a guy I always thought had potential. Toohey a year older too.

McVeigh is a huge out for Tassie. Similar to United losing JLA. Both teams have lost an elite scorer. Both will be defensively strong (adding Sword and White to strong defensive teams) but neither have as much offensive fire-power as Sydney. Questionable whether either have the scoring talent to win a title.

This isn't reverse woofing- I had $$$ on United last year from early in the off-season. Not betting on them this year.

I'll say, the only minor question mark on Sydney is Cooks and Oliver's fit, given neither is a good jump shooter. And Toohey's not a great outside shooter either

But their other guys can shoot so shouldn't be much of an issue

"Imports are proven- Oliver has 2 quality seasons of NBL behind him. Unlike Valentine who had only played G League from memory?"

Valentine was a lottery pick in the NBA, he spent years in the NBA and averaged 10 ppg one year with the Bulls.

I meant G League/NBA. I group them together- same American ecosystem

His trend was down too. Best NBA season was 6 years ago. The trend was concerning and we saw that play out

Perth might be the ones flying under the radar. Semi finalist and bringing back most of the band, with existing signings good (Pepper and Almansa decent replacements for Webster and Sarr), if last import replacement (Usher) is good, should be in the mix

The other semi finalists all should go backwards (unless Hawks find a new Gary Clark- unlikely, or Kell has his best NBL season)

WTF, you say you group the NBA and G-League together? The NBA is light years ahead of the G-League which is a tinpot bush league. That would be like grouping the NBL and social leagues together. That's the difference in scale.

No, Valentine hadn't only played G-League. You would've been closer to the mark if you had said Valentine had only played NBA but you were trying to talk him down by saying he had only played in the G-League at that point so you clearly didn't know he had spent years playing in the NBA.

The trend with Valentine was so bad he's now playing in a better league than the NBL, just stop LV.

Regardless, Valentine was unproven in the NBL and didn't perform at a high level. In terms of Oliver, his first season at Cairns was very, very good, his second the numbers still looked good but he sulked and didn't help the team a lot. Last year he played in lower-level comps. Will be interesting to see which Oliver the Kings get.

point was Valentine was unproven. This year the imports are proven NBL performers.

Of course, just because they're proven NBL performers doesn't mean they'll perform again. Oliver might not be the same player. But it adds a certain level of confidence that didn't exist last year.

I was cautiously optimistic Sydney would fail last year- precisely because of all the issues I mentioned above. That's why I bet on other teams for the title- I didn't think Sydney deserved favouritism (thankfully I hedged on JJs so got my money back). There was value elsewhere exactly because Sydney was overvalued.

This year Sydney absolutely deserves outright favouritism imo.

And Zodiac plenty of NBA guys have failed to perform as expected. Just because someone averaged 10ppg 6 years ago doesn't mean they'll dominate now. Trend is absolutely something I take seriously.

There are plenty of players who rely on athleticism or pure one-on-one talent but become less effective over their careers.

Lastly plenty fail to integrate successfully into leagues that are more systematic than NBA/G League which are similar stylistically and where minimal defense is played.

Dunkman apparently the jack jumpers were looking at moller very closely as McVeigh replacement but he wouldn't be fit to play until the second half of the season that might put a few teams off

Not surprised, JJs are such a smart organisation.

Moller is training at SEM, he's fit if my info is correct, there was a picture of him in the background on one of there sites. Maybe he’s being patient to see what options he gets as season progresses here and OS. I’m hoping he stays as he just makes teams better.