A Victory Years in the Making

Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Did we see it coming? Did we really?

We know the standard of play in the NBL has improved dramatically in the past six to eight years. We know Australian basketball has grown to the point where our Boomers finally broke through to get on the podium at the Tokyo Olympics. And the calibre of import we’re getting in the NBL these days is far superior to what we saw just ten years ago.

But did we think an NBL team could really get over the line?

When the Adelaide 36ers defeated the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night (Monday Australian time), it ended an 0-16 mark for NBL teams against NBA teams that dates back to 1995, when the Perth Wildcats competed in the McDonald’s Championships in London against the Houston Rockets. 15 of those losses came more recently when the NBLxNBA concept commenced back in 2017, with only three teams losing by a single digit margin, while all others had a much tougher time of it against their opponents.

In fact, the average losing margin across the 15 previous NBLxNBA games was 23 points, before Adelaide strolled into Phoenix for a 134-124 win.

And so, history was made by the 36ers and we won’t soon forget it. This means a lot. It means a lot for those running the NBL. It means a lot to the players involved. It means something to those who tried before and it’s particularly important for Australian basketball fans who can be proud of what the NBL has become.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">YES. THIS IS REAL LIFE.<br><br>And yes, this is preseason, but the <a href="https://twitter.com/Adelaide36ers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Adelaide36ers</a> just did the NBL and Australian basketball proud and made history in the process with the first-ever <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBLxNBA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBLxNBA</a> win for the good guys.<br><br>Take a bow, 36ers ? <a href="https://t.co/MEnTDuiDUT">pic.twitter.com/MEnTDuiDUT</a></p>— The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1576792003064762368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

When NBL Commissioner Jeremy Loeliger and Executive Chairman Larry Kestelman first began the process of trying to get NBL teams to be able to play in NBA pre-season games, there were a number of considerations, both from a commercial and a basketball perspective. It made sense for the NBL, but how could they get NBA teams to see value in it?

“From a commercial perspective, it was hoping that someone would want to play against us,” Loeliger said jokingly when speaking to NBL Media on Tuesday.

“And [also] that they could see value in it. We could see it, but at the time we were still in our infancy in terms of turning around the competition and giving it legitimacy on the world scale.”

The first team that showed genuine interest was the Utah Jazz. Leveraging Joe Ingles and his connection to Australian basketball and the NBL, Loeliger and Kestelman were able to get the GM of the Jazz to sit down with them and discuss how they could help each other.

Once they spoke and were able to lock in a date for a pre-season game, others started to fall into place. Three games were eventually scheduled for October 2017.

“Then, from a basketball point-of-view, it became a question of whether or not we were going to be competitive and could put on a good show,” Loeliger explained.

There were questions around the logistics of it all including traveling to the other side of the world with only a few days to acclimatise once there. Then, playing against some of the best teams in the world on their home court, which is a bigger floor. The NBA teams would have expanded pre-season rosters with up to 15 players in a longer 48-minute game, which could mean tired legs.

“We started to ask ourselves questions about the logistics concerned … and whether or not all those things could count against us to the point where we could potentially be embarrassed,” Loeliger conceded.

Despite those considerations, he said the league never questioned whether it was a sensible thing to do.

“It was first and foremost about having the NBL brand mentioned in the same sentence as the NBA brand in as meaningful a way as possible that was basketball-related and not just industry-related.”

With the 36ers proving that the NBL has nothing to be embarrassed about, the NBLxNBA concept has ticked a lot of boxes in terms of what the original intent and vision was. A lot of the benefits have been realised.

Loeliger says a commercial return is a target for the future, but for now, couldn't be more pleased with how things were tracking.

“Ultimately it was never really about making money, it was about spreading our brand and creating further international awareness around how far we’ve come,” he said.

“But, probably more than anything, it was about giving Australians a reason to be proud of the NBL and the fact that in a population of 27 million and a salary cap about one per cent of an NBA salary cap, we could travel over there and compete against the best in the world.

“To take on a global sport and be second best or thereabouts is something we should be really proud of. And that’s how I feel sitting here today, is that we’ve genuinely proven that we’re the equal second-best league in the world after the NBA, and now we’ve got the runs on the board to prove it.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">"I have never seen anything like this, NBA included."<br><br>He said what he said.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBLxNBA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBLxNBA</a> <a href="https://t.co/qQxbaRAZ2I">pic.twitter.com/qQxbaRAZ2I</a></p>— The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1576790518662516738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Loeliger was especially proud of the first win coming against a strong NBA franchise. Phoenix were the number one seeded team at the end of the last regular seasonx. They also had a fully fit roster who played legitimate minutes against Adelaide and were genuinely trying to win. And the 36ers got it done.

“Very, very proud and feeling like we ticked a lot of boxes,” Loeliger said.

“But also, not unrealistic about the realities of the situation – I’m not expecting the NBL teams to be beating NBA teams every time we suit up from now on. But we said we could do it and we’ve proven to the world that we can do it.”

Of course, while it looked easy at times in their 10-point win, it was anything but for the 36ers. They had to execute on both ends of the floor.

Defensively, they had to contain explosive athletes like Devin Booker and Mikal Bridges, as well as contend with a size disadvantage against DeAndre Ayton, and limit Chris Paul’s effectiveness in pick and roll sets.

Offensively, the 36ers had to stretch the floor and shoot the lights out to have a chance, and that’s exactly what they did. They hit a team-record 24 three pointers, with some being from well beyond the NBA three-point line, which is already a stretch from the FIBA distance we’re familiar with in the NBL.

So, were they just really hot from the perimeter, or did they play a smart, well executed game? In speaking to NBL Analyst and former star player, Shane Heal, someone who has played in both leagues as well as in European leagues, he believes it was a bit of both.

“I mean you can play a smart, well-executed game and not hit shots and not get the same result,” Heal told NBL Media on Tuesday.

“So, I think it’s a combination of both and well done to Adelaide for having the mindset to get that done and coming away with the win that was always getting closer over the last few years.”

The gap between the NBA and the rest of the world has been narrowing and Australian basketball is testament to that. Not only have the Boomers defeated Team USA twice now in exhibition games, but some NBL teams have gotten close previously.

The closest was Melbourne United who went down to the wire against the Oklahoma City Thunder back in 2017 – the second ever NBLxNBA game. On the back of some great play from the likes of Casper Ware, David Andersen, Tai Wesley and Josh Boone, United had a shot to win it at the buzzer, but ultimately fell short by one point.

The following year, also against the Suns, the New Zealand Breakers kept it relatively tight, down by ten points at the half and 15 after three quarters, before coming roaring back in the fourth quarter. They cut the margin to four points twice, before losing by five. Corey Webster had a nice 27-point outing.

And then two days later, the Perth Wildcats, behind a 33-point explosion from none other than Bryce Cotton, kept it close against the Denver Nuggets for a lot of the game, but couldn’t sustain it for 48 minutes. The margin grew to 15 points in the fourth, with Perth going down by eight points in the end.

In 2019, the closest any NBL team got in the five games played was 14 points and there were no NBLxNBA games the last two years due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">If you're having defensive problems we feel bad for you Suns<br><br>You've got 36 problems, and a Mitch is one.<br><br>*YES, we're aware this tweet might not age well but we're willing to live and die by it.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBLxNBA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBLxNBA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Adelaide36ers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Adelaide36ers</a> <a href="https://t.co/Qrg9MlFLkA">pic.twitter.com/Qrg9MlFLkA</a></p>— The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1576781309535395840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

So, for Adelaide to get this win, which is the first time a foreign team has beaten an NBA team since 2016 when Real Madrid defeated the Thunder in Madrid, is pretty special. It’s not something that Heal necessarily saw coming, but he’s also not completely surprised.

“Well, we’ve seen it with European teams and they’ve got far bigger budgets than the Australian teams,” Heal explained.

“But, I think what it shows is that the NBL continues to grow. Adelaide has recruited really well, playing with a lot of confidence; they’re probably further into the pre-season, [so] they’ve had more time than the NBA teams, so there’s a few things in favour of the NBL.

“I think it’s a really good injection of enthusiasm, and to the people who follow the NBA that sort of snuff their noses up at the NBL, you say ‘well have a little bit of a look at that and maybe start following a little more NBL in the meantime’.”

One player whose following has surely grown is Craig Randall II. His 35-point masterclass against Phoenix broke Bryce Cotton’s record for the most points scored by an NBL player against an NBA team. Randall hit nine of 17 threes and 13 of 21 overall.

After having multiple 40-point games in the NBA G-League last season and winning the G-League Most Improved Player award, many have started asking if we’ve seen the last of Randall with Adelaide after that kind of performance. Is it possible an NBA team could come calling or will he stick with Adelaide this season?

“You have to question whether that may not be the case,” Heal said.

“Because with what Randall did, particularly with a whole lot of non-guaranteed contracts through training camp, you’d have to think that a team would look at that and go ‘Wow, how can we not offer him something?’.

“So, I’d be pretty surprised if something doesn’t come calling either now, or at least at the end of the [NBL] season.”

Robert Franks, who has previous NBA experience with the Orlando Magic, also had a big game with 32 points and seven rebounds. He’s already on NBA radars based off of his previous experience and what he did with Brisbane last year, so this type of performance would certainly have raised some eyebrows.

Could Adelaide be at risk of losing him too?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Adelaide 36ers stars Craig Randall and Robert Franks tell TMZ Sports they hope their stellar performances against the Suns eventually lead to NBA jobs. <a href="https://t.co/u5ch6na5ZH">https://t.co/u5ch6na5ZH</a></p>— TMZ (@TMZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TMZ/status/1577058466623021058?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“Probably a little bit harder at that position I would have thought, being a little bit undersized, but at the same time he’s played great basketball and put his best foot forward,” Heal said.

“He can’t do any more than he did against NBA players. And sometimes for executives it’s hard to forecast what does a great performance against NBL players look like, but you’ve actually just seen it against the players they’re evaluating him against.

“So, it’s a massive positive for him and he’s done his best job to throw his hat in the ring.”

It’s also a massive positive for the NBL. It has already established itself as a breeding ground for NBA talent in recent years, both via the Next Stars program and other NBL to NBA success stories, like Jae’Sean Tate and also Torrey Craig and Jock Landale who both played for Phoenix against Adelaide.

This kind of win only strengthens that reputation, but it also helps with some of the doubters or non-believers and that’s where Heal sees a lot of value from Adelaide’s history-making win.

“I think there’s a lot of people in the NBA that already know it’s a legitimate pathway and already have a lot of respect for the NBL, but then there’s still a lot of people that don’t,” he explained.

“And a result like that then gets their attention and says ‘Okay, LaMelo Ball and Josh Giddey and some of these guys, it’s like yep, this league really is legit’. And we already know agents and top players see it as a legitimate pathway to get back to the NBA or to the NBA, and I think them having a win like that only consolidates those thoughts and creates more exposure.

“So, I think it’s a real shot in the arm for the NBL.”

It also does wonders for the ongoing partnership with the NBA, which Loeliger and the NBL Head Office have really grown the past five or six years.

That partnership continues to grow stronger each year and there is regular dialogue between the two leagues, as well as between the NBL and the NBA’s ancillary businesses including the G-League, the WNBA and even the BAL (Basketball Africa League).

“Every limb of that business now, we have some point of contact into and I think bringing these games back post-COVID has just reinforced those relationships which is great,” said Loeliger.

“The number of congratulatory emails we got from people at the NBA today was lovely.”

Of course, one thing Australian-based NBA fans have long craved is to have NBA pre-season games played in Australia. The NBA takes these on the road frequently, as is the case in Japan this year, but they’ve never come to Australia. Does Adelaide’s win help the cause?

Loeliger thinks it helps, but that it’s still a challenge due to some of the commercial realities including the small number of pre-season games that get taken overseas, the size of the Australian market and also the existing strength of the Australian fanbase which actually works against the cause.

It limits the potential commercial upside and incremental audience that the NBA would get from bringing games to Australia.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">HIST?RY ?<br><br>Yesterday was like a movie, so we made a mini-movie to mark the occasion and document the <a href="https://twitter.com/Adelaide36ers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Adelaide36ers</a> historic win over the Phoenix Suns.<br><br>Next up for the 36ers is the OKC Thunder on Friday! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBLxNBA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBLxNBA</a> <a href="https://t.co/kqyEh1WZOX">pic.twitter.com/kqyEh1WZOX</a></p>— The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1577144412974764032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“The reality is that Australians are already such avid supporters of the NBA, that I can understand the NBA Head Office saying ‘Well, they’re already supporting us, why try harder? Why leave hundreds of thousands or millions of potential supporters on the table in India or China or Japan or Mexico or London and come to Australia where we’re already very strong?’.

“I think the message from our side is we probably understand it’s not the obvious opportunity from a commercial point of view, but we are such strong supporters of the NBA, that we think Australian NBA fans deserve to have a game here of some description.”

Whether that becomes a reality in the near-term remains to be seen, however the same would have been said about an NBL victory against an NBA team not too long ago. But not anymore.

The Adelaide 36ers made history on Monday and it won’t soon be forgotten.