The NBL's Top 20: Part 2

By Pete Hooley for NBL Media

Saturday, October 1. Mark it in your calendar. The Hungry Jack's NBL is back!

It's been a long time coming, but this year's competition promises to bring more excitement than ever before.

The results from last year don't matter anymore. Every team has transformed in different ways, and when round one kicks off, every team will consider themselves well and truly in the mix for the championship. 

A new year brings new superstars, and none are bigger in stature and in status, than Aron Baynes. That begs the question ... just how much of an impact will the big man have in NBL23? Does he have a claim as the NBL's top player?

And where do players like Rayjon Tucker, who had 28 points and 8 rebounds in pre-season action, or Craig Randall, who knocked down 29 on Sunday, stand among the league's best?

We threw the challenge to commentator and Melbourne United championship player Pete Hooley to pick his NBL Top 20. 

Every day this week we'll be releasing another five players in the list, all the way down to number one, then providing fans the chance to have their say in the Fans' Top 20. 

So here we go on day two, as Pete Hooley names the players ranked 15 to 11. 

View the players ranked 10-6 on Wednesday.

PREVIOUS RANKINGS: 20-16

It’s all eyes forward for the Wildcats, who have retooled and regrouped ahead of NBL23. One of the fresh faces out west is the young import out of North Carolina, Brady Manek. Manek had an exceptional college tenure, and his decision to begin his professional career under John Rillie in Perth, could prove to the perfect fit. Manek’s game relies heavily on his ability to space the floor and knock down shots at a high rate, and that’s just the piece that Perth will need.

Whilst Manek may not be of the most athletic or physical bigs across the league, his unique game style is one that should have no issues in translating to the NBL style of play. Manek’s college days highlighted both his very high basketball IQ, but also his relentless hard work on both ends of the floor. What makes Manek a tough cover is not only how efficiently he shoots the rock, but just how quickly he can get his shot off. The Wildcats have needed to bolster their front court and they may have found a young star in the making, who could thrive in this environment.

What the numbers say
During his senior season, Manek put up over 15 points and six rebounds, to cap off a deep run through March Madness for the Tar Heels. The most impressive stat that can’t be overlooked is Manek shot just over 40 per cent from deep, on over six attempts per game. At just 24-years-old, Manek should really enjoy playing under Rillie and the new system he is implementing out west.

We saw glimpses of what Manek could do during the Wildcats second pre-season game. He scored 15 points to go along with five rebounds, after he missed their opening match due to an ankle injury. Manek could quickly become a fan favourite for the Red Army, with his hustle and effort being so evident in how he plays. With a lot of NBL teams having the option to play small ball, Manek could easily slide down to the five and really give Perth elite shooting options all over the court.

PREVIOUS RANKINGS: 20-16

There is no hiding that there was a lot of disappointment at Adelaide last season. Their captain, Mitch McCarron took a brunt of that responsibility, but has vowed to bounce back in NBL23. A consistent and burning question that lingered last season was that McCarron was nowhere near as aggressive as he needed to be on the offensive end. He scored in double-figures only six times, but only took double digit field goal attempts in four games. Expect to see him get back on the front foot this season.

After being appointed captain for the Boomers during their campaign over the offseason, we have already seen signs of the McCarron we can expect at Adelaide this season. With the added star power that the 36ers have placed around him, it should take off any pressure to score in huge numbers, but rather control the game to help lead to wins. If there’s one man who enters NBL23 with a chip on their shoulder, it’s Mitch McCarron. The most impressive thing for me is that he never shied away from the disappointment of last season and instead took the responsibility and vowed to be better. That’s a leader.

What the numbers say
As noted above, McCarron averaged just 7.6 points per game last season, which isn’t necessarily the big concern. He’s never been a huge scoring output, but it’s the 26 per cent from three and 35 per cent from the field that he’ll be looking to improve on most. However, when you look at every other stat of his from last season, he was one of the more consistent performers across the league. He averaged just under five assists, 6.7 rebounds and led the league in steals with two per game

With the new additions to the 36ers' outfit, there will be less pressure for McCarron overall. However, that doesn’t mean he won’t have the pressure on himself to show why he’s one of the best local products we have in the NBL. His performances for the Boomers will only have helped his confidence and fast tracked him back to reaching the form that won him a championship in NBL21 and All-NBL 2^nd team.

PREVIOUS RANKINGS: 20-16

The Hawks by far had the most activity in the offseason, in terms of vital pieces departing. Losing four of their top five scorers from last season means they needed to make some impactful moves. They may have nailed one of those with the signing of Justin Robinson. An elite true PG, Robinson will slot alongside fellow lefty import Tyler Harvey and carry a heavy load of their offensive output in NBL23.

Robinson has shown from his small stints in the NBA, as well as some big G-League contributions prior, that he is more than capable of being handed the keys to a team like Illawarra. New head coach Jacob Jackomas will be leaning on those experiences of Robinson to utilize both his elite court vision and ability to score in bunches when required.

What the numbers say
During his time for the Delaware Blue Coats in the G-League, Robinson showed exactly what the Hawks will be hoping to get from him on a consistent basis this season, averaging over 15 points per game and nearly six assists. Growing the chemistry with Harvey should only help strengthen Robinson’s play as the year goes on.

In the Hawks first pre-season hit out, Robinson put up 20 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals in 30 minutes of action. He followed that up with an even bigger game two, where he played 41 minutes. As previously mentioned, a lot of responsibility this season will fall on the shoulders of Robinson on the offensive end. As he prepares for NBL23 after a short stint with the Detroit Pistons, if he can deliver what he is capable of, the NBL has proven that that more NBA opportunities are never far away.  

PREVIOUS RANKINGS: 20-16

If anyone deserves a clean bill of health for this season, it’s Nathan Sobey. After living out a dream with the Boomers and collecting his rose gold medal, all eyes were on Sobey ahead of last season. His personal story of hard work, perseverance and proving everyone wrong was rewarded with his Olympic call-up after finishing top top three in MVP voting in NBL21. Sobey managed just 12 games last season for the Bullets though, as he dealt with a niggling injury that eventually led to him being shut down.

We haven’t seen him play for some time, and whilst that’s a concern, once he gets his feet back under him, expect Sobey to fire. Whether he needs to be nursed through the season at times, when he gets back to a point where he’s feeling good on the court, he’s still one of the best players in the league. As his game has improved across his journey, so has his leadership that became evident with the Bullets' struggles last season when he wasn’t on the floor. With Baynes' ability to pick and pop, it should really open up the floor for Sobey’s quick first step to get to his spot and make big plays.

What the numbers say
In his 12 games last season, Sobey put up 16 points per game on 38 per cent shooting, which was well below the levels we are used to seeing from him. Combining those injury struggles with the Bullets lack of consistency and it was evident that things just never went smoothly for him in NBL22. It’s only early in the pre-season, but the style of play it seems James Duncan is trying to create for this season, will only benefit Sobey’s game. Less pressure on having to create offense for the team every single night should help him ease back into things and get back to his best.

If there was one real positive to take out of last season’s numbers, it would be that he managed to get to the free throw line five times per game. A career 85 per cent free throw shooter, Sobey has always found a way to put pressure on the rim. Now with Baynes alongside him, creating that space for himself to attack should get a little easier when he’s flat out coming downhill. 

PREVIOUS RANKINGS: 20-16

The NBL23 single game points record-holder re-signed with the Taipans in what is a huge boost for Cairns fans and their team. McCall was one of the more exciting players across the league last season, with his offensive flair and lightning quick signature spin-move. In what was a tough and inconsistent year in Far North Queensland, McCall stood tall throughout, giving everything, he could night in and night out. His final performance of NBL22 left all fans, not just those in Cairns, wanting to see him back in the league ... an incredible 42 points, 10 assists and four steals.

What McCall may have lacked in terms of consistent shooting, he more than makes up for with his contagious energy and athleticism in getting to the hoop. What is sure to help aid his performances for this upcoming season is that Cairns have loaded the roster around him with players who should be knocking down shots. That’s likely to really spread the floor and give McCall room to make plays off the dribble. The Taipans will be one of the least-experienced teams in NBL23, so with McCall returning to the snakes, he will be called upon by Adam Forde to lead the young group forward.

What the numbers say
McCall did extremely well to put up 16 points per game last season, when you consider he shot just 25 per cent from the three and 65 per cent from the free throw line. It’s the one area of his game that has probably held him back from getting a strong look at from NBA teams. What impresses me the most about the way he goes about it, is that he isn’t shy of taking those shots. He puts in the work and trusts that it will come.

McCall entered the NBL with a reputation to stuff the stat sheet and he did that with 5.5 rebounds per game to go along with 5.6 assists and two steals. With the added shooting versatility of players around him, it could be a very big year for McCall up in Cairns. Forde’s high energy style of play on both ends is exactly what suits his game, and now that he’s had a taste of what the league has to offer, he should be primed to strike.

PREVIOUS RANKINGS: 20-16