Aussie Hoopla NBL & NBA Podcast

Doug Overton, the first player to make the jump from playing in the NBL to the NBA joins the Aussie Hoopla podcast to tell stories from his time playing for the Illawarra Hawks, stories from over a decade of playing in the NBA and what he's doing now as a basketball coach at Lincoln University.

Doug was drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 1991 but wasn't able to make the roster as a rookie when he found himself playing his first professional gig in Australia for the Hawks in 1992.

An All-NBL First teamer that season who went on to sign a deal to play with the NBA's Washington Bullets the next season, the first NBL player to ever make the NBA and then went on to play in 499 NBA games over 11 seasons.

In one season with Illawarra, he averaged 24 points, 5, rebounds and 6 assists per game culminating with the Hawks team MVP.

He played for the Washington Bullets, Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, New Jersey Nets, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets and Los Angeles Clippers.

Topics include...

• The impact Doug Overton made in the NBL and how fondly remembered he is down under (2:00)
• How the Coronavirus has impacted the US (11:00)
• Playing for La Salle University and trying to make the Detroit Pistons championship team (12:00)
• Getting the offer to play in Australia (18:30)
• Taking the court for the Illawarra Hawks in 1992 (25:00)
• Memories of playing in the Snake Pit (28:00)
• Doug's biggest games in the NBL (30:00)
• A semi-final match up against Scott Fisher, Paul Maley and the North Melbourne Giants (33:00)
• Making the NBA.. finally, with the Washington Bullets (35:00)
• The mental toll of being an NBA journeyman (36:30)
• Playing alongside Chris Webber and Juwan Howard in Washington (39:30)
• Dikembe Mutombo, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and Jalen Rose in Denver (40:30)
• Allen Iverson and Mark Bradtke in Philadelphia (46:00)
• Mentoring NBA players and being mentored during his time in the NBA (48:00)
• What lessons from the NBA does he share with the players he coaches today (59:30)
• Who is the GOAT Michael Jordan, Lebron James or Kobe Bryant (108:00)
• Who was the coach Doug learned the most from (108:30)
• Michael Jordan stories (1:13:00)

Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms.

All of this and a whole lot more...

Listen to our previous interviews with the biggest stars in Australian Basketball, head to Aussiehoopla.com. Check out previous podcasts featuring;

Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Brad Newley

Current NBL Stars - Kevin Lisch, AJ Ogilvy, Damian Martin, Daniel Kickert, Thomas Abercrombie, Jason Cadee, Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Mitch McCarron, Cam Gliddon

Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Phil Smyth, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole

NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti, Ryan Broekhoff

The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Mike Mitchell, Darnell Mee, Isaac Burton, Shawn Redhage, Willie Farley, Al Green, Corey "Homicide" Williams, Andre Moore, Steve Woodberry, Mike Mitchell, Dusty Rychart, Ebi Ere, Doug Overton

And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Paul Maley, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chuck Harmison, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner

All that and much more. Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and email at [email protected]

South East Melbourne Phoenix head coach Simon Mitchell joins Dan Boyce on the Aussie Hoopla podcast to provide a recap on the team's first year in the league.

From looking at how the team was put together in the club's first few months to the process the team followed with signing talent and the highs and lows of the 2019-20 season.

Coach Simon Mitchell also provides his in-depth thoughts on what the team did well and what it did poorly at this season and how they will change that for the upcoming season.

Topics include...

• How the Phoenix are dealing with COVID-19 and the mental health space of its players (2:00)
• How did the Phoenix approach its first NBL season ie. recruitment, culture (8:00)
• What went into the team recruiting Mitch Creek as their first player signing (11:30)
• Thoughts on team culture and why they recruited the players they did for the team's inaugural season (15:00)
• Getting the team's debut win against the Melbourne United (18:00)
• How the Phoenix went for run and gun offense in a league full of big men and interior defense (23:00)
• What led to the Phoenix poor end to the season (30:00)
• What changes do the Phoenix need to ensure a strong core for the upcoming season (31:30)
• The ups and downs of NBL Next Star Terry Armstrong this season and NBA Draft chances (35:00)
• The highlights of the season (38:00)
• The biggest mistake's made by the Phoenix this season and what they learned from them (42:30)

Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms.

All of this and a whole lot more...

Listen to our previous interviews with the biggest stars in Australian Basketball, head to Aussiehoopla.com. Check out previous podcasts featuring;

Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Brad Newley

Current NBL Stars - Kevin Lisch, AJ Ogilvy, Damian Martin, Daniel Kickert, Thomas Abercrombie, Jason Cadee, Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Mitch McCarron, Cam Gliddon

Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Phil Smyth, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole

NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti, Ryan Broekhoff

The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Mike Mitchell, Darnell Mee, Isaac Burton, Shawn Redhage, Willie Farley, Al Green, Corey "Homicide" Williams, Andre Moore, Steve Woodberry, Mike Mitchell, Dusty Rychart, Ebi Ere

And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Paul Maley, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chuck Harmison, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner

All that and much more. Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and email at [email protected]

Perth Wildcats head coach Trevor Gleeson joins Dan Boyce to recap the Wildcats 10th NBL championship and discuss the unique events that led to the Perth being crowned champions.

Topics include...

• How has the coronavirus impacted the Perth Wildcats operations (2:00)
• The unusual end to the NBL Grand Final and has Trevor's views that situation now it's all in the rearview mirror (6:00)
• How the Perth Wildcats celebrated their 10th NBL championship under unusual circumstances (8:00)
• How offseason changes did the Wildcats make to the squad to be successful in 2019-20 (12:00)
• Why prompted the Wildcats to bring in NBA big man Miles Plumlee mid-season (15:30)
• The culture built within the Perth Wildcats program... what is it exactly? (21:00)
• How did the Perth Wildcats prepare for the semi-final series (24:00)
• Bryce Cotton's role within the Perth Wildcats (25:00)
• How the Grand Final played out against the Sydney Kings (27:00)
• The growth of Clint Stiendl throughout the playoffs (31:00)
• What Trevor thinks was his biggest blunder this season and what he learned from that (34:00)
• How will the Wildcats adjust their roster for next season (35:00)
• Thoughts on Damian Martin possibly retiring and how the team would replace him if he does (37:00)
• How can the Wildcats continue to grow beyond the success they already have (41:30)

Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms.

All of this and a whole lot more...

Listen to our previous interviews with the biggest stars in Australian Basketball, head to Aussiehoopla.com. Check out previous podcasts featuring;

Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Brad Newley

Current NBL Stars - Kevin Lisch, AJ Ogilvy, Damian Martin, Daniel Kickert, Thomas Abercrombie, Jason Cadee, Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Mitch McCarron, Cam Gliddon

Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Phil Smyth, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole

NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti, Ryan Broekhoff

The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Mike Mitchell, Darnell Mee, Isaac Burton, Shawn Redhage, Willie Farley, Al Green, Corey "Homicide" Williams, Andre Moore, Steve Woodberry, Mike Mitchell, Dusty Rychart, Ebi Ere

And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Paul Maley, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chuck Harmison, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner

All that and much more. Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and email at [email protected]

Melbourne United head coach Dean Vickerman joins Dan Boyce to talk about the Melbourne United this season and their semi-final exit.

A number of topics are covered relating to what impacted the squad during the season ie. losing players, coaches, travel, and injuries. He confirms there were hurdles the team faced with getting players to play with each other, what he learned from the season as a whole and what he thinks needs to change in order for them to be successful next season.

Topics include...

• How Melbourne United are staying strong during the Coronavirus (2:00)
• How the team went about constructing the team after losing the 2019 NBL Grand Final (7:00)
• Rebuilding the team and why they decided to go with Melo Trimble, Shawn Long and Casey Prather as the team's import trio (10:00)
• What impact did losing assistant coaches Mike Kelly and Simon Mitchell on the team (12:30)
• NBLxNBA - does playing NBA squads help or hurt an NBL teams Grand Final chances (18:00)
• A six-game winning streak in November, what was different (25:00)
• Reflections on the team's choke in Semi-Final Game 1 to the Sydney Kings (29:00)
• United bounce back in Game 2, which changed (31:00)
• What mistakes did United make this season and what needs to change to make next season a success (34:00)
• How will United and the NBL be impacted financially next season (42:00)

Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms.

All of this and a whole lot more...

Listen to our previous interviews with the biggest stars in Australian Basketball, head to Aussiehoopla.com. Check out previous podcasts featuring;

Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Brad Newley

Current NBL Stars - Kevin Lisch, AJ Ogilvy, Damian Martin, Daniel Kickert, Thomas Abercrombie, Jason Cadee, Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Mitch McCarron, Cam Gliddon

Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Phil Smyth, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole

NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti, Ryan Broekhoff

The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Mike Mitchell, Darnell Mee, Isaac Burton, Shawn Redhage, Willie Farley, Al Green, Corey "Homicide" Williams, Andre Moore, Steve Woodberry, Mike Mitchell, Dusty Rychart, Ebi Ere

And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Paul Maley, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chuck Harmison, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner

All that and much more. Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and email at [email protected]

Adelaide 36ers General Manager Jeff Van Groningen joins Dan Boyce to talk about the Adelaide 36ers end to the season and the departure of head coach Joey Wright.

The comments made by 36ers co-captain on Twitter and the impact of that, the teams search for a new head coach as well as the crazy finish to the NBL season.

Topics include...

• The craziness of deciding the NBL Grand Final champion (2:00)
• What factors led to the Sydney Kings decision to forfeit the NBL Grand Final and should this have been something that was decided by the NBL (13:00)
• Joey Wright, Kevin White, and the Twitterverse, what happened? (17:30)
• Will players impacted from this ie. Jerome Randle, Ramone Moore, Kevin White, and Harry Froling want to return to the club after something like this? (21:00)
• With everything that's happened, how does the club plan to operate moving forward (24:00)
• Where are the 36ers up to as they search for a new head coach (38:00)

Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms.

All of this and a whole lot more...

Listen to our previous interviews with the biggest stars in Australian Basketball, head to Aussiehoopla.com. Check out previous podcasts featuring;

Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Brad Newley

Current NBL Stars - Kevin Lisch, AJ Ogilvy, Damian Martin, Daniel Kickert, Thomas Abercrombie, Jason Cadee, Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Mitch McCarron, Cam Gliddon

Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Phil Smyth, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole

NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti, Ryan Broekhoff

The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Mike Mitchell, Darnell Mee, Isaac Burton, Shawn Redhage, Willie Farley, Al Green, Corey "Homicide" Williams, Andre Moore, Steve Woodberry, Mike Mitchell, Dusty Rychart, Ebi Ere

And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Paul Maley, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chuck Harmison, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner

All that and much more. Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and email at [email protected]

Cairns Taipans coach Mike Kelly joins Dan Boyce sits down to reflect on the Cairns Taipans season only weeks after falling short in the 2020 NBL semi-finals to the Perth Wildcats.

Topics include...

• Coronavirus and its impact on Australian basketball (2:00)
• Reflection on Mike Kellýs interview on Aussie Hoopla last year and how recruiting players was different in his second season as coach (7:00)
• Nathan Jawai's season and the decision-making factors which led to him re-signing for 2019-20 (15:00)
• The pressure of year two as the Taipans head coach and the need to perform (17:00)
• Nailing your imports, how the Taipans recruited Scott Machado, Cam Oliver and DJ Newbill in the pre-season (20:00)
• Scott Machado's near MVP season and what led to him playing in Cairns (23:00)
• The Taipans slow start to the NBL season and what changed that led them to a 3rd place NBL finish (30:00)
• Falling short against the Perth Wildcats in the semi-finals (31:30)
• Majok Deng did he reach the potential Cairns thought he possessed in his first year with the Taipans (37:00)
• The Taipans plans for next seasons roster (39:30)
• Do the Taipans hope to sign Queensland basketball phenom and NBA prospect Mojave King as a Next Star for next season (41:30)
• Import thoughts for next season (45:00)
• Favorite moment of the season as well as Mike's biggest failure and what he learned from it (47:00)

Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms.

All of this and a whole lot more...

Listen to our previous interviews with the biggest stars in Australian Basketball, head to Aussiehoopla.com. Check out previous podcasts featuring;

Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Brad Newley

Current NBL Stars - Kevin Lisch, AJ Ogilvy, Damian Martin, Daniel Kickert, Thomas Abercrombie, Jason Cadee, Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Mitch McCarron, Cam Gliddon

Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Phil Smyth, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole

NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti, Ryan Broekhoff

The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Mike Mitchell, Darnell Mee, Isaac Burton, Shawn Redhage, Willie Farley, Al Green, Corey "Homicide" Williams, Andre Moore, Steve Woodberry, Mike Mitchell, Dusty Rychart, Ebi Ere

And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Paul Maley, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chuck Harmison, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner

All that and much more. Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and email at [email protected]

We take a look at every Aussie playing in the NBA this season.

• Ben Simmons makes a big mark on the NBA All-Star game
• Dante Exum has his best game of the season
• Joe Ingles continues to deliver up and down production
• Jonah Bolden debuts for the Phoenix Suns
• Ryan Broekhoff deciding between NBA and Europe to finish this season
• The Phoenix Suns need Aron Baynes
• Thon Maker finally makes some noise in Detroit after Andre Drummond is traded

Plus we look at the former NBL imports doing well across the league ie. James Ennis, Torrey Craig, Terence Ferguson and many more

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Listen to our previous interviews with the biggest stars in Australian Basketball, head to Aussiehoopla.com. Check out previous podcasts featuring;

Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Brad Newley

Current NBL Stars - Kevin Lisch, Rotnei Clark, AJ Ogilvy, Damian Martin, Daniel Kickert, Thomas Abercrombie, Jason Cadee, Stephen Holt, Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Mitch McCarron, Cam Gliddon

Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Phil Smyth, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole

NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti

Aussie Basketballers Abroad - Ryan Broekhoff, Brock Motum, Jack White, Ben Madgen, Clint Stiendl, Ater Majok, Rhys Carter, Clint Stiendl

The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Mike Mitchell, Terry Dozier, Isaac Burton, Shawn Redhage, Willie Farley, Al Green, Corey "Homicide" Williams, Andre Moore, Ebi Ere

And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chuck Harmison, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner

All that and much more. Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and email at [email protected]

Aussie Hoopla's Dan Boyce appears on Inside Story via Al Jazeera English to discuss the impact Kobe Bryant had in Australia and Asia on the day of his death.

Programme summary;

One of basketball's biggest ever stars is killed in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles. Kobe Bryant took basketball to new heights, and helped give the game international prominence. The world is now mourning his death at the age of 41.

His teenage daughter and seven other people also died in the crash. Fans, sporting personalities and celebrities have been paying tribute to a legend on and off the court. Bryant burst onto the scene in 1996 as a talented teenager with ambitions to become the best.

By the time he retired 20 years later, he'd won the NBA championship five times with the Los Angeles Lakers, and was an inspiration for a generation of young players. And in 2018 he won an Oscar as writer-producer of a short animated film based on his love of the sport.

Presenter: Nic Clark

Guests: Michael Carlson, American sports journalist who commentated on basketball during 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

Asma ElBadawi, a player who lobbied the basketball's governing body to remove a ban on hijabs.

Dan Boyce, host of the Aussie Hoopla Podcast.

Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or email us via [email protected]

Dan Boyce sits down with Ebi Ere who played 176 NBL games with Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide.

He averaged 19 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists over his five-year NBL career. He also represented Nigeria in the 2006 FIBA World Championships and the 2016 Olympic games.

Topics include...

• Retirement and how things wrapped up for Ebi Ere's career after leaving the Adelaide 36ers in 2016 (2:00)
• Plant-based diets and how it extended Ebi's career (6:00)
• College career with the Oklahoma Sooners (8:00)
• NBA opportunities with Portland, Los Angeles and Memphis (13:00)
• Ebi Ere first year as a pro with the Sydney Kings (21:00)
• Brian Goorjian refuses to play Ebi Ere in crunch time (23:00)
• The Sydney Kings win the 2004 NBL championship (27:00)
• Breaking down the final three games of the Kings Vs Razorbacks Grand Final (31:00)
• Ebi Ere leads Brisbane to the 2007 NBL Championship (41:00)
• Getting the best out of Sam MacKinnon (43:00)
• Why the 2007 Brisbane Bullets weren't able to repeat (47:00)
• Playing in the FIBA World Championship and Olympics with the Nigerian national team (50:00)
• The biggest hurdles and highlights of his career (58:00)

Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms.

All of this and a whole lot more...

Listen to our previous interviews with the biggest stars in Australian Basketball, head to Aussiehoopla.com. Check out previous podcasts featuring;

Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Brad Newley

Current NBL Stars - Kevin Lisch, AJ Ogilvy, Damian Martin, Daniel Kickert, Thomas Abercrombie, Jason Cadee, Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Mitch McCarron, Cam Gliddon

Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Phil Smyth, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole

NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti, Ryan Broekhoff

The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Mike Mitchell, Darnell Mee, Isaac Burton, Shawn Redhage, Willie Farley, Al Green, Corey "Homicide" Williams, Andre Moore, Steve Woodberry, Mike Mitchell, Dusty Rychart

And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Paul Maley, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chuck Harmison, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner

All that and much more. Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and email at [email protected]

Dan Boyce sits down with the final coach of the Townsville Crocodiles, Shawn Dennis.

The former NBL coach of the year provides an update of the growth of basketball in Japan, how it parallels Australia's NBL in some ways and what kind of money players can make playing in Japan's premier basketball competition, the B-League.

Dennis, who played 197 games in the NBL for Newcastle and Hobart before coaching becoming a head coach in the NBL with both the Newcastle Falcons and Townsville talks about the demise of both clubs and the struggle which players, coaches and fans all faced.

The Crocodiles were renowned "giant killers" defeating top tier teams like the Perth Wildcats and Melbourne United during their final years in the league but due to financial support, they weren't able to continue in the competition.

Shawn outlines exactly how the final days of the club went down, what could have been done differently and the great things players like Mitch Norton, Todd Blanchfield, Nick Kay, Harry Froling and Clint Stiendl all achieved in Townsville and how they continue to impact the NBL landscape today.

Topics include...

• The rise of basketball in Japan as the 2020 Olympics approaches (2:00)
• Similarities between the Shiga Lakestars and the Townsville Crocodiles of 2015 (8:30)
• Helping players "learn how to win (12:00)
• The growth of Japan's B-League and how it's growth parallel's the NBL (15:00)
• How money compares in Japan's B-League to what players get in the NBL (21:30)
• How financial difficulties hurt the Townsville Crocodiles recruiting from 2013-2016 (23:00)
• How did Shawn Dennis find out the Crocodiles had folded (27:00)
• Todd Blanchfield's NBA potential in 2014 (31:00)
• Townsville's recruiting strategies during their "cash strapped" final years in the league (39:00)
• Townsville's final season in the NBL, the highs and the lows (44:00)
• Junior development within Townsville and how it generated talent like Mitch Norton, Chris Cedar, Harry Froling and more (53:00)
• The biggest highlights and the toughest moments of the Townsville Crocodiles final years in the NBL (57:00)

Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms.

All of this and a whole lot more...

Listen to our previous interviews with the biggest stars in Australian Basketball, head to Aussiehoopla.com. Check out previous podcasts featuring;

Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Brad Newley

Current NBL Stars - Kevin Lisch, AJ Ogilvy, Damian Martin, Daniel Kickert, Thomas Abercrombie, Jason Cadee, Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Mitch McCarron, Cam Gliddon

Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Phil Smyth, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole

NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti, Ryan Broekhoff

The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Mike Mitchell, Darnell Mee, Isaac Burton, Shawn Redhage, Willie Farley, Al Green, Corey "Homicide" Williams, Andre Moore, Steve Woodberry, Mike Mitchell, Dusty Rychart

And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Paul Maley, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chuck Harmison, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner

All that and much more. Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and email at [email protected]