Kuol-Galloway-Cooks has the potential to be an elite defensive unit. Ceiling of this squad is probably down to what version of Adams we get this season though.

Does this now project Sydney as title favourites? Media were tipping Sydney to be contenders before Galloway returned.

That's huge.

Bookies (TAB) already had Sydney favourites at $4.00 with United $5.50 and JJs $6.00

I already thought Sydney was good value (better than United or JJ's). Surely now they move down to $3.50 or less.

Been a long time since there's been a pre-season favourite who deserves to be this far ahead of the rest.

I think we'll see Cooks playing some 5 in small ball lineups

Cooks/Galloway/Toohey/Kuol/Adams looks nice.

Lots of upside with Galloway still only 21 and Toohey 20. No other teams has two major rotation players who are 23 or less. Let alone 21 or less.

The funny looks like there a small team but as guess on avg maybe the biggest, some of there guards are big

Clear favourites with McVeigh gone, McVeighs chuck inn in the last seconds against united won that title last season, it was so close. JJs and SEM probably next best. SEM on paper at present till we see how their D stands up. United and hawks look good, cats too, another close season happening here.

Favourites at this stage depending on what Perth and Illawarra do with their 3rd import.

The Sydney improvement is less in their roster and more that the previous coach is gone and in steps some guy called Goorj.

But having Galloway back is good for the NBL.

Easily the best roster. No one will touch them now

SEM still my pick to meet them in the finals

Favorites in August doesn't mean too much. But that roster will be costing them a pretty penny

All of Sydney's main guys, and their coach, are known to the NBL. And both their imports have played 2 years in the NBL.

This makes them different to basically any August favourite of the past.

Still August. Just one SEM injury plagued season from being shit also rans

Goorj with another stable of the best horses.

SEM's overrated like every year, another Tommy G special, a bunch of overpaid NAME players who don’t fit together

Creek was a big out for SEM. If he had stayed they probably deserved favouritism but now big difference with Sobey being the man on the team. I can't see them doing anything other than making up the numbers.

Kings deserve to be favourites but the weak link is Goorj. He often finds ways of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. He shat the bed last time in the NBL when the Hawks blew that SF series against Perth without Cotton.

Tassie will come back to the pack without McVeigh and United should too without JLA and Hukporti. I could see the Sixers making the Top 6 despite all the turmoil Martin is arguably the best big in the NBL, when healthy, he will straighten us right up and take a big load off Humphries. He's likely one of the best import signings the Sixers have made in a long time.

Creek has been at SEM for every season without any real success, if there 3 and 4 imports play D they are looking very decent. Walton junior is by far the best point guard they have had.
Greer has been very average in putting his team together, last season for example, four starters that all needed the ball, but it looks better this season if they play D.

SEM's injuries were just an example about what can happen during a season. They were by no means favorites but any team that loses multiple important pieces comes back to the pack very quickly. That was the point.

Last year SEM and, to a lesser extent NZ ruined by injuries. The year before, United.

But, predictions assume a reasonable injury run. Otherwise there's no point making predictions at all. Tatum and Brown go down tomorrow, Boston's a lottery team. But of course they're deserving favourites for NBL25

So when people say "Sydney is clear favourite" what they mean is "Sydney is comfortably the most likely team to win the title". But of course, injuries can get anyone.

NBA25*

As I said favourites in August really means nothing

It doesn't "mean nothing". History will tell you August favourites do win quite often. Probably about as often as their August odds would suggest they will.

In some ways, any betting is a mug’s game- the December favourites quite often don’t win either!

But of course, there’s any number of factors- new imports, new coaches, injuries etc and indeed, anything can happen.

If the SEM imports are spectacularly good, or if Illawarra or Perth’s final import is All-NBL level, that will change the dials significantly.

You're placing big expectations on SEM's G-League imports, they didn't come from Europe they're hardly proven pro's playing in the mickey mouse G-League. Remember your infamous pre-season prediction that Rayjon Tucker was the favourite for MVP? He was coming off the bench around mid-season. You always get way too carried away with hype especially Melbourne hype.

Tucker predicted himself for MVP! I didn't?

Or maybe I did- but after The Blitz where he was quite good, and fancied by most pundits.

He was actually quite good by the end. Could've made All-NBL 2nd team, possibly unlucky to miss out. Was United's best player over the 2nd half of the season where we went 10-4.

If Wieskamp and Hurt are both as good as Tucker, SEM will be top 4 for sure, probably Grand Finalists. That's not likely they both will be though. We'll see.

Bringing up Tucker is one of the more bizarre things I've read today. He was very good for United, particularly in the second half of the season. Despite a slower than expected start he ended up averaging 18ppg on 49% shooting in 28mpg, 6 rebounds and 2.5 assists. He played his role on that team.

Yeah you did I tried to warn you not to to get carried away with pre-season hype, when teams haven't had a chance to scout players properly yet, like Jordan Usher, but you went right off the deep end no doubt because Tucker played for your team.

That's the thing you always put way too much stock in the 'pundits', they're paid to generate hype and pump up unproven guys, Dusty Hannahs the supposed greatest shooter in the world outside the NBA Santa said, couldn't hit a shot and ended up coming off the bench for the Sixers.

Your distaste for anything Melbourne is understandable but still laughable

Tucker was a gun. Struggled for the first 5-10 games but then showed what he's capable of. Based on his last 15-20 games, if he'd returned for another season probably would've been in the MVP conversation.

Since leaving United, last year was leading scorer on the 3rd placed team in Italy

G-League isn't as systematic as NBL, but it's still a high standard league with many talented players

Your point on Hannahs is fair- but same applies to players from Europe. They don't all play to the anticipated level in NBL either. Much depends on specific fit with that coach, those teammates and that system. Just like players who move between NBL teams

Here you go- Tucker finished 2nd in the Italian MVP last year

https://basketballsphere.com/en/marco-belinelli-has-been-named-the-mvp-of-serie-a/#:~:text=Marco%20Belinelli%2C%20the%20experienced%20shooter,players%2C%20media%2C%20and%20fans.

The guys who finished 1st and 3rd- Marco Bellinelli and Tornike Shengelia- are superstars. Great company.

As I said Tucker starred for United too- for the last 2/3rds of the season. If Ili and Hukporti hadn't been injured, United would've been top 4 and Tucker would've had a chance to show his wares in the playoffs

And, I would add, the fact Tucker struggled early isn't necessarily an indictment on him personally or his G-League background

Many imports have struggled early under Vickerman before finishing the season strongly. This includes those with European or NBL pedigree.

Scottie Hopson, Melo Trimble, DJ Kennedy all did the same. All struggled early before making a huge impact down the stretch of the season.

Add Casey Prather to that list too actually

Tucker as you point out above, has been excellent in his various euro clubs, Casper Ware struggled early under Vickerman as well, they come from G league iso basketball, he teaches them very quickly how to play team and all go on to have very good careers.

One word.

Daylight.

Lv I wouldn't be counting my chickens with Sydney just yet , yes they have a strong squad but still some unknowns you don’t know what you’re going to get with oliver can be a beast but not exactly the most consistent player getting around either , adams had a poor season in Europe and another one in nbl last season will we see him back to his best? No certainty and there’s gorj as well I know fiba is completely different to nbl but he made some bizarre coaching decisions in Paris does he still have it ? Be interesting see on paper it looks like a extremely even competition this year I definitely don’t see Sydney as certainties

Biggest question mark might be their 3 point shooting.

Teams like JJ's and United will be strong and smart defensively, and Sydney's offensive spacing might not be ideal with Cooks and Oliver on together.

I thought Adams was strong last year. Maybe he suffered in people's perceptions because he didn't dominate like two years earlier, but he was still a gun.

Lv will definitely be a interesting season Tasmania still dangerous I recon McVeigh is only 50/50 to make it over there I wouldn't rule out seeing him return at some point during the season and there new import Craig sword from what I have seen looks like a absolute beast of a defensive player and can shoot has been brought in as a shutdown player to play on the adams and cottons be interesting how he pans out

Baller, and PJC who the JJs just couldn't guard effectively last year (and Lamb for that matter). JJs think he will even be able to guard up to the 4 and shut down the likes of Cooks. Will take a huge load of Doyle who can concentrate more on the offensive side of his game instead of having to spend so much energy guarding Cotton or Ian Clarke etc. Have read in US media that McVeigh is not viewed as a project player with latent upside. He is seen as a finished product and expected to produce immediately and keep producing to get on a full contract and stay in the NBA beyond this season. That is a very tough gig for him and yes probably 50:50. But early sentiment is cautiously positive about his chances and McVeigh would definitely be backing himself in. Very impressed with his stroke and ability to score in multiple ways. Very tough on him though that his contract reportedly allows the Rockets to cut without payout up until 31 December and being on a pro-rata weekly salary from when the season starts until then.