Happy Friday #AussieHoops! Just wanted to share the news on a brand new feature to our publication: The Pick and Roll now has its very own subscriber chat. This is intended to be a conversation space exclusively for paid subscribers — not quite Twitter (sorry, X), closer to a group chat, or forum. It’s early days, but we’d love for this to become a space… Read more ..read more

Adam is joined by Matt Hickey to run through the best teams and individual performances early on in the NBL1, running through each conference and discussing the fast starts of teams like Albury-Wodonga, Keilor and Joondalup, as well as performances from Lauren Jackson and Kuot Noi. Then, Daniel Herborn stops by to chat about his latest stories on Chloe Bibby and Tom Wilson. Unwrapped is presented by FBL - Fantasy Ballers League; the official apparel sponsor of the podcast. Be bold with gold - head to fblsport.com to check out the whole collection. The Pick and Roll is a reader-su ..read more

Image: Supplied Let’s say you’ve been promoted to the GM of a WNBL franchise. Congratulations! It’s the offseason, and you’re building a roster from scratch. And for the sake of this bizarre exercise, you need to blindly pick a player solely based on statistics: Player A: 31 minutes a night, 13.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.5 apg, shooting 43.2% from the field and 32.0% from three. Player B: 31 minutes a night, 15.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, shooting 41.7% from the field and 27.5% from three. You’ve probably realised one of these players is Issie Bourne. She’s Player A. But you might be surprised to know ..read more

Another school holiday period has passed us, and with it, another Australian National Championship in Queensland this year. The annual Under 18 event may be the most intriguing of all age groups, with 16 and 17 year olds emerging into potential stardom as growth spurts hit and skillsets bourgeon. A true superstar in this 2007 and 2008-born age group hasn’t emerged just yet, but the quality lies in its depth of talent with pro-level potential. Let’s delve into some of those names. basketballaus A post shared by @basketballaus Credit to HoopsDB.net for the fantastic advanced stats cited. Read ..read more

The WNBA is back. Training camps across the league get underway on Monday (AEST) and with every team chasing the back-to-back defending champions in the Las Vegas Aces, squads have taken shape; it’s fair to say the level of competition is at an all-time high. In amongst the thick of the action will be a number of Australians. Some return to their respective teams, while others are getting a fresh start in new cities. With only 144 WNBA roster spots available, some Aussies will have to prove their worth in training camp and preseason games (which tip off in a week!) in order to make a final ros ..read more

Adam is joined by Will Crouch to discuss his story on Nicole Seekamp's decision to retire from basketball in the prime of her career to fulfil other dreams in her life. Ayush Gautam also joins the show to talk through his piece on teenage sensation Rocco Zikarsky, covering his upcoming FIBA season, the second year of his contract with the Brisbane Bullets, and what he will focus on as he looks toward the 2025 NBA Draft. Unwrapped is presented by FBL - Fantasy Ballers League; the official apparel sponsor of the podcast. Be bold with gold - head to fblsport.com to check out the whole ..read more

The 2024 NBL1 South season is well and truly up and running. Already we’ve seen highlight plays, big individual performances, thrilling finishes, and, of course, some incredible Andrew Gaze antics… nbl1 A post shared by @nbl1 As the pecking order in both men’s and women’s divisions begins to establish itself, I’ve taken the chance to fire off some way too early championship and award predictions. Read more ..read more

Living your life in the public domain can be challenging. When you do things well, it’s great to have the recognition and adulation that goes with that. When you don’t though, that level of scrutiny can be instantaneous, overwhelming, and all-consuming. In women’s professional sports, the relentless keyboard jockeys often magnify the pressure those athletes already contend with, purely based on how they perform, unless you have strategies to deal with it. All of that goes to show how important it is to be strong mentally, as well as physically. Anneli Maley, one of the best female basketball p ..read more

After a whirlwind start to this NBL offseason’s free agency, here’s a look into some of the more intriguing signings that were reported in the opening hours, and how they fit into the respective teams. Credit: May Bailey Photography Jonah Bolden, New Zealand Breakers The Sydney Kings came into NBL24 with a significantly retooled roster. While they added plenty of proven star power across the board, Jonah Bolden was something of a mystery. He joined the two-time defending champions after three years away from the game, making his return to the court following his sudden retirement from the N ..read more

In recent years, Australia has seen a flurry of elite guard prospects come through the men’s national team, including Josh Giddey, Dyson Daniels, Josh Green and Danté Exum to name a few. But the nation has been starved of an NBA-level big man prospect, at least at the junior level. When Queenslander Rocco Zikarsky burst onto the scene, there was plenty of hype to suggest that he could be Australia’s greatest centre prospect since Andrew Bogut. Standing at 7’3’’ tall at age 17, Zikarsky was born to play basketball, and his recent feats at the Albert Schweitzer cup add much credence to the hype ..read more