National Basketball League (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet
IiNet
iiNet Limited is Australia's second largest internet service provider with over 1.3 million customers as of 15th August 2011. Their focus is primarily on ADSL-based Internet access, using their own ADSL2+ infrastructure, and reselling Telstra ADSL1. iiNet also provides dial-up and voice...

 NBL Championship
for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

 league in Australasia
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...

.

There are currently 9 teams in the league, with teams in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...

, Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...

, Cairns, the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...

, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

, Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....

, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

, Townsville and Wollongong. The 2010–11 season
2010–11 NBL season
The 2010–11 National Basketball League is the thirty-third season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of 9 teams will contest the league. The regular season will be played between October 2010 and April 2011, followed by a post-season involving the top four. The schedule was...

 saw the return of the Sydney Kings
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are a professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. They are the only team to date to win three consecutive championships in the NBL and currently sit third behind the Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne Tigers two away from the record five wins...

. This comes after a turbulent period, when the league lost teams from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane during 2008 and 2009. A second Melbourne club, the South Dragons
South Dragons
The South Dragons is a former team in the Australasian National Basketball League . They made their début in the 2006/07 season and played their final season in 2008/09...

, entered the league in season 2006/07
2006-07 NBL Season
The 2006-07 National Basketball League is the 29th season of professional basketball in Australia. For the first time, a team was established from outside the Australasian area, with the Singapore Slingers taking over the licence of the Hunter Pirates...

, but pulled out after season 2008/09
2008-09 NBL Season
-2008-09 league participants:* On 30 June 2008 the Brisbane Bullets confirmed they would be handing back the team's license to the NBL. The NBL confirmed there will be no Brisbane team participating in the 2008/09 season....

 in which they were premiers. The National Basketball League has also become the first Australasian sporting league to field a team from Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

 with the Singapore Slingers
Singapore Slingers
The Singapore Slingers are an Asian basketball team that formerly competed in the Australian National Basketball League. They were the first - and so far the only - Asia-based club to compete in the NBL when they joined at the start of the 2006/07 season....

 playing in the 2006/07, through to the 2007/08 season. The Gold Coast Blaze
Gold Coast Blaze
The Gold Coast Blaze is an Australian professional basketball team which competes in the National Basketball League . The Blaze competed in their inaugural season in 2007/08. The club is based on the Gold Coast and joins two other NBL clubs competing from Queensland...

 joined the competition in the 2007/08 season.

Most teams have historically featured at least one and usually two American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 imports; teams are limited to having two non-Australasians on the roster at any one time. Some of these players have moved to Australia permanently and become Australian citizens; a few have even played for the Australian national team (under a rule that allowed one naturalised player to compete for a national team).

The league's best years were arguably in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but it has struggled recently and many teams have downsized to smaller venues to cut costs. A number of clubs have folded or ceased to compete in the competition. The previous major sponsor of the NBL was Mitsubishi Motors
Mitsubishi Motors
is a multinational automaker headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. In 2009 it was the fifth-largest Japan-based automaker and the 17th-largest in the world measured by production...

. Mitsubishi, which left its sponsorship when the ABC ceased televising NBL basketball games left the National Basketball League close to folding.

In 2010, the NBL returned to free-to-air
Free-to-air
Free-to-air describes television and radio services broadcast in clear form, allowing any person with the appropriate receiving equipment to receive the signal and view or listen to the content without requiring a subscription or one-off fee...

 television in Australia for the first time in nine years when One HD started broadcasting 2–3 games a week.

History

The league commenced in 1979
1979 NBL Season
Here are results and statistics from the National Basketball League season of 1979.-End of Season Ladder:This is the ladder at the end of season, before the finals. In all, 90 games were played, 18 for each team...

, playing a winter season (April–September) and did so until the completion of the 20th season in 1998. The 1998/99 season, which commenced only months later, was the first season after the shift to the current summer season format (October–April). This shift was an attempt to avoid competing directly against Australia's various football codes
Football in Australia
Football in Australia can refer to several different variations of football as there are regional variations of the use of the word "Football" in Australia....

.

Despite these issues, at the start of the 2004/05
2004-05 NBL Season
Here are the results and statistics from the National Basketball League season of 2004-2005.-End of Season Ladder:This is the ladder at the end of season, before the finals. In all, 176 games were played, 32 for each team...

 season the league struck a new television deal with Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)
Fox Sports is an Australia group of sports channels. They are owned by the Premier Media Group, which is in turn owned by News Corporation, and Consolidated Media Holdings. Its main competitors are ESPN, which has little local content and the free-to-air digital channel One HD...

 in Australia and a multi-year naming-rights sponsorship deal with electronics manufacturer Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....

. In 2007, Philips announced they would not continuing their naming rights sponsorship after the current contract ends in June in response to the National Basketball League wishing to increase the sponsorship deal. On September 18, 2007, the National Basketball League announced Hummer
Hummer
Hummer was a brand of trucks and SUVs, first marketed in 1992 when AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 Humvee. In 1998, General Motors purchased the brand name and marketed three vehicles: the original Hummer H1, based on the Humvee; and the H2 and H3 models that were...

 as their naming rights sponsor for the 2007/08 season.

Current clubs

Club Founded Years Active City Home Venue Capacity Home Jersey Away Jersey
Adelaide 36ers
Adelaide 36ers
The Adelaide 36ers are Adelaide's men's professional basketball team, established as the Adelaide City Eagles when they joined the National Basketball League in 1982. The Adelaide 36ers tally of four championships is equal with the Melbourne Tigers and second behind the Perth Wildcats as the most...

1982 1982– Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...

, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...

Adelaide Arena 8,000
Cairns Taipans
Cairns Taipans
The Cairns Taipans are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. The club is based in the northern Queensland city of Cairns. The Taipans, named after a species of venomous snake native to Australia, entered the NBL in the 1999/2000 season...

1999 1999– Cairns, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...

Cairns Convention Centre
Cairns Convention Centre
Cairns Convention Centre, which opened in 1997, is a multi-purpose arena, located in Cairns, Australia. The capacity is 5,300 people.It is the home arena of the Cairns Taipans basketball team. The record crowd is 5,500 for an NBL Finals game in 2004 between Cairns Taipans and Perth Wildcats...

5,300
Gold Coast Blaze
Gold Coast Blaze
The Gold Coast Blaze is an Australian professional basketball team which competes in the National Basketball League . The Blaze competed in their inaugural season in 2007/08. The club is based on the Gold Coast and joins two other NBL clubs competing from Queensland...

2007 2007– Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...

, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...

Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre located on the Gold Coast Highway in Broadbeach, Gold Coast was opened on 29 June 2004 at a cost of $167 million and is linked by a covered walkway to Conrad Jupiters...


Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
The Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre is Australia’s most awarded venue and has been officially ranked among the world’s top three convention centres on three separate occasions....

5,269
4,000
Melbourne Tigers
Melbourne Tigers
The Melbourne Tigers are Australia's oldest and most respected basketball team, established circa 1931 in a local church hall League. Entering the National Basketball League in 1984, they are now the only Melbourne team, after the South Dragons withdrew from the league.The Melbourne Tigers are the...

1984 1984– Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....

State Netball and Hockey Centre
State Netball and Hockey Centre
State Netball Hockey Centre is a multipurpose sporting facility located in Melbourne, Australia. It is the home arena of the Melbourne Vixens netball team in the ANZ Championship, and the Melbourne Tigers National Basketball League team. The facility is located in Royal Park, Parkville next to...

3,500
New Zealand Breakers
New Zealand Breakers
The New Zealand Breakers are a professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. The Breakers joined the NBL for the 2003/04 season as one of two expansion clubs. The club is based in the city of Auckland, New Zealand and play their home games at the North...

2003 2003– Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...

, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

North Shore Events Centre
North Shore Events Centre
North Shore Events Centre is an indoor arena, located in Auckland, New Zealand. The arena opened in 1992 and has a capacity of 4,500 people.The Centre primarily hosts basketball games and is the home arena of the New Zealand Breakers who play in the Australasian NBL. It also hosts concerts and...


Vector Arena
Vector Arena
Vector Arena is a 12,000-seat arena for sports and entertainment events in Auckland, New Zealand. Named for a sponsor, Vector Limited, the arena is located at Quay Park, Parnell, very close to the former Auckland Railway Station...

4,114
12,000
Perth Wildcats
Perth Wildcats
The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League. The Wildcats are the only team in the league representing the state of Western Australia and are based in the state capital, Perth...

1982 1982– Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....

, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...

Challenge Stadium
Challenge Stadium
Challenge Stadium is a sports complex in the suburb of Mount Claremont, west of Perth, Western Australia, Australia. It was opened in 1986 and is home to the Western Australian Institute of Sport. The main indoor arena holds 4,500 people...

4,500
Sydney Kings
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are a professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. They are the only team to date to win three consecutive championships in the NBL and currently sit third behind the Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne Tigers two away from the record five wins...

1988 1988–2008,
2010–
Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

Sydney Entertainment Centre
Sydney Entertainment Centre
The Sydney Entertainment Centre is a multi-purpose venue, located in Haymarket, Sydney, Australia. It opened in May 1983, to replace Sydney Stadium, which had been demolished to make way for a new railway. The centre is currently owned by the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, which administers...

10,517
Townsville Crocodiles
Townsville Crocodiles
The Townsville Crocodiles are a professional Australian basketball team based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in the National Basketball League...

1993 1993– Townsville, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...

Townsville Entertainment Centre
Townsville Entertainment Centre
Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre is an indoor sports arena, located in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The capacity of the arena is 5,257 and was built in 1993....

5,257
Wollongong Hawks
Wollongong Hawks
The Wollongong Hawks are a team competing in Australia's National Basketball League , based in the New South Wales city of Wollongong. They won the NBL championship in 2001 and finished as runners-up in 2005 and 2010...

1979 1979– Wollongong, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

WIN Entertainment Centre
WIN Entertainment Centre
WIN Entertainment Centre is a multi-purpose indoor arena, located in downtown Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia....

6,000

Former and defunct clubs

  • Brisbane Bullets
    Brisbane Bullets
    The Brisbane Bullets were, until 2008, a professional basketball team competing in Australia's National Basketball League. The Bullets were one of only two teams that survived since the NBL's inception in 1979; the only surviving team is now the Wollongong Hawks. The team played in Midnight Navy...

     (1979–2008)
  • Canberra Cannons
    Canberra Cannons
    The Canberra Cannons were a basketball team competing in the Australian National Basketball League. They went into financial administration in 2003 and were relocated to Newcastle, where they became the Hunter Pirates...

     (1979–2003)
  • Geelong Supercats
    Geelong Supercats
    The Geelong Supercats are an Australian basketball team, based in the Victorian City of Geelong, that currently plays in the Australian Basketball Association and previously played in the National Basketball League.-NBL History:...

     (1982–1996)
  • Glenelg Tigers
    Glenelg Tigers (NBL)
    The Glenelg Tigers were a foundation club in the NBL that formed in 1979. The club was based in South Australia in the Adelaide suburb of Glenelg. The Tigers lasted only one season before folding due to financial difficulties...

     (1979)
  • Gold Coast Rollers
    Gold Coast Rollers
    The Gold Coast Rollers were an Australian basketball team, that played in Gold Coast, Queensland, in the National Basketball League. The team was originally named the Gold Coast Cougars before being renamed the Rollers in 1992. The team was one of only two teams from the state of Queensland when it...

     / Gold Coast Cougars (1990–1996)
  • Hobart Devils
    Hobart Devils
    The Hobart Devils were an Australian basketball team that played in Hobart, Tasmania, in the National Basketball League. The team was the only representative from the state of Tasmania for the majority of its tenure, but was one of three teams that had their NBL licenses revoked by the league...

     (1983–1996)
  • Hunter Pirates
    Hunter Pirates
    The Hunter Pirates were an Australian basketball team, based in the city of Newcastle, that competed in the National Basketball League.-Team history:...

     (2003–2006)
  • Launceston Casino City (1980–1982)
  • Newcastle Falcons
    Newcastle Falcons (Australia)
    Newcastle Falcons were an Australian basketball team, that played in Newcastle, in the National Basketball League. The team played in the NBL's inaugural season in 1979, and left the league in the late 1990s, after new owners based in Albury couldn't resolve the club's ongoing financial...

     (1979–1999)
  • North Melbourne Giants
    North Melbourne Giants
    The North Melbourne Giants were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League.-History :The team was formed in 1980 as the Coburg Giants and were renamed in 1987 as the North Melbourne Giants...

     / Coburg Giants (1987–1998)
  • Singapore Slingers
    Singapore Slingers
    The Singapore Slingers are an Asian basketball team that formerly competed in the Australian National Basketball League. They were the first - and so far the only - Asia-based club to compete in the NBL when they joined at the start of the 2006/07 season....

     (2006–2008)
  • South Dragons
    South Dragons
    The South Dragons is a former team in the Australasian National Basketball League . They made their début in the 2006/07 season and played their final season in 2008/09...

     (2006–2009)
  • South East Melbourne Magic
    South East Melbourne Magic
    The South East Melbourne Magic were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League. The team was the result of a merger of two Melbourne clubs for the 1992 season...

     / St. Kilda Saints / Nunawading Spectres / Eastside Spectres (1992–1998)
  • Victoria Titans
    Victoria Titans
    The Victoria Titans were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League. The team was the result of a merger of two Melbourne clubs for the inaugural NBL summer season of 1998/99...

     / Victoria Giants (1998–2004)
  • West Adelaide Bearcats
    West Adelaide Bearcats
    The West Adelaide Bearcats are a semi-professional basketball team competing in the Australian Basketball Association.-NBL:The West Adelaide Bearcats was a foundation club in the NBL which merged with the Adelaide 36ers in 1985. Founded in 1946, it won the NBL championship 80–74 against the Geelong...

     (1979–1984)
  • Sydney Spirit / West Sydney Razorbacks (1998–2009)

Salary cap

The NBL's salary cap for the 2006–07 season was A$776,000, and increased to $810,000 for the 2007–08 season; the cap rose for two consecutive years due to the continued growth of the league. The salary cap for the 2009–10 season is $1,000,000.

Current Broadcast Detail

The current 2010/11 NBL season will see a minimum of 2 games per week or 3 games in some weeks (because of the involvement of the New Zealand Breakers team on a separate TV deal with Sky TV), are shown on One HD, the high definition sport orientated multichannel of Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...

, which is the first time NBL has been shown only on free to air TV since the end of the basketball boom in early 2001 (although Channel Nine had rights to show one NBL game per week in 2007). The current deal runs up until the end of the 2014/15 season, with 5 games a week to be shown in the last season of the deal.

For the first time since 1997, the Melbourne Tigers/Sydney Kings game was shown nationally on Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...

 on Australia Day.

Some clubs also have live broadcasts on local radio stations, most of which are available to listen to online. http://www.nbl.com.au/index.php?id=752

NBL Broadcast History

  • Māori Television (New Zealand)
    Maori Television
    Māori Television is a New Zealand TV station broadcasting programmes that make a significant contribution to the revitalisation of the Māori language and culture . Funded by the New Zealand Government, the station started broadcasting on 28 March 2004 from a base in Newmarket.Te Reo is the...

    , 2007–2010
  • Sky Sport (New Zealand)
    SKY Sport (New Zealand)
    Sky Sport is a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by New Zealand's satellite pay-TV company, Sky Network Television. Sky Sport 1 was launched in 1990...

    , 2011–Present
  • ABC TV/ABC1
    ABC1
    ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...

    , 1979–1987
  • Seven Network
    Seven Network
    The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...

    , 1988–1991
  • Network Ten
    Network Ten
    Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...

    , 1992–1997
  • Fox Sports
    Fox Sports (Australia)
    Fox Sports is an Australia group of sports channels. They are owned by the Premier Media Group, which is in turn owned by News Corporation, and Consolidated Media Holdings. Its main competitors are ESPN, which has little local content and the free-to-air digital channel One HD...

    , 1995–2010
  • ABC TV/ABC1
    ABC1
    ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...

     late 1998-early 2001
  • Nine Network
    Nine Network
    The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...

    , 2007 (one 'highlighted' game a week)
  • Network Ten
    Network Ten
    Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...

     / ONE HD (2010–present)

List of Champions

Team W SeasonNotes
Perth Wildcats 5 1990, 1991, 1995, 2000, 2010
Adelaide 36ers 4 1986, 1998, 1999, 2002
Melbourne Tigers 4 1993, 1997, 2006, 2008
Canberra Cannons 3 1983, 1984, 1988 Became Hunter Pirates
Hunter Pirates
The Hunter Pirates were an Australian basketball team, based in the city of Newcastle, that competed in the National Basketball League.-Team history:...

 in 2003
Sydney Kings 3 2003, 2004, 2005
Brisbane Bullets 3 1985, 1987, 2007 Team folded in 2008
St Kilda Saints 2 1979, 1980 Became Westside Saints in 1987
North Melbourne Giants 2 1989, 1994 Merged to form Victoria Titans
Victoria Titans
The Victoria Titans were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League. The team was the result of a merger of two Melbourne clubs for the inaugural NBL summer season of 1998/99...

 in 1998
South East Melbourne Magic 2 1992, 1996 Merged to form Victoria Titans
Victoria Titans
The Victoria Titans were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League. The team was the result of a merger of two Melbourne clubs for the inaugural NBL summer season of 1998/99...

 in 1998
Launceston Casino City 1 1981 Team folded in 1983
West Adelaide Bearcats 1 1982 Team left NBL in 1984
Wollongong Hawks 1 2001
South Dragons 1 2009 Team left NBL in 2009
New Zealand Breakers 1 2011


Teams in bold are current members of the NBL.

NBL Finals

Season Champion Result Runners-Up Notes
1979
1979 NBL Season
Here are results and statistics from the National Basketball League season of 1979.-End of Season Ladder:This is the ladder at the end of season, before the finals. In all, 90 games were played, 18 for each team...

 
St Kilda Saints 94 – 93 Canberra Cannons Single game final used. Venue: Albert Park Stadium, Melbourne
1980
1980 NBL Season
Here are the results and statistics from the National Basketball League season of 1980.-End of Season Ladder:This is the ladder at the end of season, before the finals. In all, 132 games were played, 22 for each team.-Finals:...

 
St Kilda Saints 113 – 88 West Adelaide Bearcats Venue: Dowling Street Stadium, Launceston
1981
1981 NBL Season
Here are the results and statistics from the National Basketball League season of 1981.-End of Season Ladder:This is the ladder at the end of season, before the finals. In all, 132 games were played, 22 for each team.-Finals:...

 
Launceston Casino City 75 – 54 Nunawading Spectres Venue: Apollo Stadium
Apollo Stadium
Apollo Stadium was an indoor arena located at 41 Kingston Avenue, Richmond in the Adelaide Metropolitan Area, South Australia...

, Adelaide
1982
1982 NBL Season
The 1982 National Basketball League was the fourth season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of 14 teams contested in the league from 6 states and 1 territory across Australia...

 
West Adelaide Bearcats 80 – 74 Geelong Supercats Venue: Newcastle Basketball Stadium
Broadmeadow Basketball Stadium
The Broadmeadow Basketball Stadium is an indoor basketball stadium located in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia and was the original home of the Newcastle Falcons of the National Basketball League from the origin of the league in 1979 until they moved to the newly built Newcastle Entertainment...

, Newcastle
1983  Canberra Cannons 75 – 73 West Adelaide Bearcats Venue: Kilsyth Stadium, Melbourne
1984  Canberra Cannons 84 – 82 Brisbane Bullets Venue: The Glasshouse, Melbourne
1985  Brisbane Bullets 121 – 95 Adelaide 36ers Venue: Sleeman Sports Centre
Chandler Arena
The Chandler Arena is a Brisbane sport venue, located in the suburb of Chandler. It has seating capacity for 2,700, and hosts netball, basketball, indoor soccer, badminton and volleyball....

, Brisbane
1986  Adelaide 36ers 2 – 1 Brisbane Bullets Best of three games finals series first used.
1987  Brisbane Bullets 2 – 0 Perth Wildcats
1988  Canberra Cannons 2 – 1 North Melbourne Giants
1989  North Melbourne Giants 2 – 1 Canberra Cannons
1990  Perth Wildcats 2 – 1 Brisbane Bullets
1991  Perth Wildcats 2 – 1 Eastside Melbourne Spectres
1992  South East Melbourne Magic 2 – 1 Melbourne Tigers
1993  Melbourne Tigers 2 – 1 Perth Wildcats
1994  North Melbourne Giants 2 – 0 Adelaide 36ers
1995  Perth Wildcats 2 – 1 North Melbourne Giants
1996  South East Melbourne Magic 2 – 1 Melbourne Tigers
1997  Melbourne Tigers 2 – 1 South East Melbourne Magic
1998  Adelaide 36ers 2 – 0 South East Melbourne Magic
1998–99  Adelaide 36ers 2 – 1 Victoria Titans
1999-00  Perth Wildcats 2 – 0 Victoria Titans
2000–01  Wollongong Hawks 2 – 1 Townsville Crocodiles
2001–02
2001-02 NBL Season
Here are the results and statistics from the National Basketball League season of 2000-2001.-End of Season Ladder:This is the ladder at the end of season, before the finals. In all, 154 games were played, 28 for each team. The top 6 teams qualified for the finals series.-First Round:1st played...

 
Adelaide 36ers 2 – 1 West Sydney Razorbacks
2002–03
2002-03 NBL Season
The 2002-03 National Basketball League is the 25th season of professional basketball in Australia....

 
Sydney Kings 2 – 0 Perth Wildcats
2003–04
2003-04 NBL Season
Here are the results and statistics from the National Basketball League season of 2003-2004.-End of Season Ladder:This is the ladder at the end of season, before the finals. In all, 198 games were played, 33 for each team...

 
Sydney Kings 3 – 2 West Sydney Razorbacks Best of five games finals series first used.
2004–05
2004-05 NBL Season
Here are the results and statistics from the National Basketball League season of 2004-2005.-End of Season Ladder:This is the ladder at the end of season, before the finals. In all, 176 games were played, 32 for each team...

 
Sydney Kings 3 – 0 Wollongong Hawks
2005–06
2005-06 NBL Season
Here are the results and statistics from the National Basketball League season of 2005-2006.-End of Season Ladder:This is the ladder at the end of season, before the finals. In all, 176 games were played, 32 for each team. The top 8 teams qualified for the finals series.KeyThe quarter finals were...

 
Melbourne Tigers 3 – 0 Sydney Kings
2006–07
2006-07 NBL Season
The 2006-07 National Basketball League is the 29th season of professional basketball in Australia. For the first time, a team was established from outside the Australasian area, with the Singapore Slingers taking over the licence of the Hunter Pirates...

 
Brisbane Bullets 3 – 1 Melbourne Tigers
2007–08
2007-08 NBL Season
2007-08 is the 30th NBL season.On 21 November 2006, the NBL announced that Gold Coast Blaze will join the league, expanding it to 13 teams.-2007-08 league participants:-Pre-season Transactions:...

 
Melbourne Tigers 3 – 2 Sydney Kings
2008–09
2008-09 NBL Season
-2008-09 league participants:* On 30 June 2008 the Brisbane Bullets confirmed they would be handing back the team's license to the NBL. The NBL confirmed there will be no Brisbane team participating in the 2008/09 season....

 
South Dragons 3 – 2 Melbourne Tigers Game 5 was the last game for South Dragons before they quit the league.
2009–10
2009–10 NBL season
The 2009–10 National Basketball League was the thirty-second season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of 8 teams contested the league. The regular season was played between 24 September 2009 and 14 February 2010, followed by a post-season involving the top four teams...

 
Perth Wildcats 2 – 1 Wollongong Hawks Best of three game series used.
2010–11
2010–11 NBL season
The 2010–11 National Basketball League is the thirty-third season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of 9 teams will contest the league. The regular season will be played between October 2010 and April 2011, followed by a post-season involving the top four. The schedule was...

 
New Zealand Breakers 2 – 1 Cairns Taipans The Breakers are the first New Zealand side to win an Australian sporting competition.

Rivalries

Adelaide 36ers
Adelaide 36ers
The Adelaide 36ers are Adelaide's men's professional basketball team, established as the Adelaide City Eagles when they joined the National Basketball League in 1982. The Adelaide 36ers tally of four championships is equal with the Melbourne Tigers and second behind the Perth Wildcats as the most...

vs Perth Wildcats
Perth Wildcats
The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League. The Wildcats are the only team in the league representing the state of Western Australia and are based in the state capital, Perth...



Both teams were perennial championship contenders in the late 1980s and early 90s and had several marquee players with excellent matchups, the two most notable involving the imports: Al Green (Adelaide) vs Cal Bruton
Cal Bruton
Calvin Bruton is a former player and coach in the Australian National Basketball League. Originally an American import, but later becoming a naturalised Australian, Bruton has been an integral part of the league since its inception...

 (Perth), Mark Davis
Mark Davis (NBL)
Mark Davis is a naturalised Australian former basketball player who played from 1985 to 2001 with the National Basketball League's Adelaide 36ers, gaining the nickname of "Chairman of the Boards" for his record breaking rebounding achievements.-Professional career:Davis was signed by then Adelaide...

 (Adelaide) vs James Crawford
James Crawford (basketball)
James Crawford is a former professional basketball player who played most of his career in the National Basketball League of Australia from 1982 through till the 1998/99 season....

 (Perth). Games during this era were rarely blowouts and helped to fuel the rivalry. Ironically, while the two teams have played numerous semi-finals against each other, with the Wildcats never losing a series, they never played each other in the grand final series. As the mainstay players began to slow with age and retire, the intensity of this rivalry has declined. The two clubs remain the most successful in the NBL with four championships for Adelaide and five for Perth and are first and second on the all-time wins list, and have also matched up on more occasions (100 times total; Perth leading all time between the two 54-46) than any other two teams in the NBL (as of October 28th 2011).

Wollongong Hawks
Wollongong Hawks
The Wollongong Hawks are a team competing in Australia's National Basketball League , based in the New South Wales city of Wollongong. They won the NBL championship in 2001 and finished as runners-up in 2005 and 2010...

vs Sydney Kings
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are a professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. They are the only team to date to win three consecutive championships in the NBL and currently sit third behind the Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne Tigers two away from the record five wins...



Wollongong Hawks fans consider the Sydney Kings to be their most fierce rival. Many Wollongong players have moved to the Kings with two former Rookie of the Year winners and a two time Olympian joining the Kings from Wollongong. In the absence of the Kings, the Sydney Spirit took the role of rival, but this felt fake to some Wollongong faithful. Wollongong took bragging rights after the 2000/2001 season when they became the first team from New South Wales to qualify for the NBL finals, which they won against Townsville. Sydney then took the ascendency when they won three championships in a row, including a clean sweep of the Hawks.

Many Hawks fans were happy when Sydney was kicked out of the NBL, but in truth have missed the biggest rivalry.

Cairns Taipans
Cairns Taipans
The Cairns Taipans are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. The club is based in the northern Queensland city of Cairns. The Taipans, named after a species of venomous snake native to Australia, entered the NBL in the 1999/2000 season...

vs Townsville Crocodiles
Townsville Crocodiles
The Townsville Crocodiles are a professional Australian basketball team based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in the National Basketball League...



A local derby-style rivalry nicknamed "Reptile Rumble" has developed to determine which is the dominant North Queensland team. The Cairns-Townsville basketball rivalry would have to be one of the longest and most passionate in the NBL. Both teams generally attract a close to capacity crowd anywhere from 4000+ at their home games. Each team and their supporters and mascots generally boo and taunt their visiting rivals with all sorts of crazy on field entertainment antics.
The rivalry has been in existent for over 10 years and almost came to a near end when the Cairns Taipans were on the verge of extinction due to financial issues.

Adelaide 36ers
Adelaide 36ers
The Adelaide 36ers are Adelaide's men's professional basketball team, established as the Adelaide City Eagles when they joined the National Basketball League in 1982. The Adelaide 36ers tally of four championships is equal with the Melbourne Tigers and second behind the Perth Wildcats as the most...

vs. Melbourne Tigers
Melbourne Tigers
The Melbourne Tigers are Australia's oldest and most respected basketball team, established circa 1931 in a local church hall League. Entering the National Basketball League in 1984, they are now the only Melbourne team, after the South Dragons withdrew from the league.The Melbourne Tigers are the...



Apart from the normal Victorian and South Australian rivalry, a new rivalry has emerged with Julius Hodge
Julius Hodge
Julius Melvin Hodge is an American professional basketball player.Hodge was selected 20th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. He played four years at North Carolina State University...

, a former 36er, returning to the NBL in November 2009, signing with the Melbourne Tigers. Hodge was a star in Adelaide when he joined the 36ers mid-season the previous two years, however issues relating to alleged missed payments caused him to walk out on the club in early January 2009 on bad terms.http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/basketball/no-show-hodge-quits-36ers/story-e6frfgbf-1111118512303

Hodge returned to his old home court for the first time on 5 December 2009 in a Tigers overtime victory. After being heckled and taunted all night in a quiet game by his standards, Hodge caused more controversy when he stamped and spat on the Brett Maher
Brett Maher
Brett Steven Maher is a retired Australian basketball player who played for the Adelaide 36ers in the NBL for his entire career, from 1992-2009.-Professional career:...

 signature on the centre of the Brett Maher Court following his new club's win.He was booed off aggressively and loudly by the Adelaide fans and needed security to escort him out of the stadium for security reasons.http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/06/2763282.htm

Road trips

Doomsday Double

The Doomsday Double, involving a journey out west to play the Adelaide 36ers
Adelaide 36ers
The Adelaide 36ers are Adelaide's men's professional basketball team, established as the Adelaide City Eagles when they joined the National Basketball League in 1982. The Adelaide 36ers tally of four championships is equal with the Melbourne Tigers and second behind the Perth Wildcats as the most...

 and Perth Wildcats
Perth Wildcats
The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League. The Wildcats are the only team in the league representing the state of Western Australia and are based in the state capital, Perth...

 during the same round, has occurred 141 times as at the end of the 2010–11 NBL season
2010–11 NBL season
The 2010–11 National Basketball League is the thirty-third season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of 9 teams will contest the league. The regular season will be played between October 2010 and April 2011, followed by a post-season involving the top four. The schedule was...

. Unbelievably just four teams have won both legs of the trip on consecutive nights.

Sunshine Swing

Similar to the Doomsday Double, the Sunshine Swing pits teams against an away double or even triple game schedule against opponents from the state of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...

, in the same round. The most frequent combinations have featured the Brisbane Bullets
Brisbane Bullets
The Brisbane Bullets were, until 2008, a professional basketball team competing in Australia's National Basketball League. The Bullets were one of only two teams that survived since the NBL's inception in 1979; the only surviving team is now the Wollongong Hawks. The team played in Midnight Navy...

/Gold Coast Rollers
Gold Coast Rollers
The Gold Coast Rollers were an Australian basketball team, that played in Gold Coast, Queensland, in the National Basketball League. The team was originally named the Gold Coast Cougars before being renamed the Rollers in 1992. The team was one of only two teams from the state of Queensland when it...

 or Cairns Taipans
Cairns Taipans
The Cairns Taipans are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. The club is based in the northern Queensland city of Cairns. The Taipans, named after a species of venomous snake native to Australia, entered the NBL in the 1999/2000 season...

/Townsville Crocodiles
Townsville Crocodiles
The Townsville Crocodiles are a professional Australian basketball team based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in the National Basketball League...

 double. Other variants include Brisbane Bullets
Brisbane Bullets
The Brisbane Bullets were, until 2008, a professional basketball team competing in Australia's National Basketball League. The Bullets were one of only two teams that survived since the NBL's inception in 1979; the only surviving team is now the Wollongong Hawks. The team played in Midnight Navy...

/Townsville Crocodiles
Townsville Crocodiles
The Townsville Crocodiles are a professional Australian basketball team based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in the National Basketball League...

 and the gruelling Brisbane Bullets
Brisbane Bullets
The Brisbane Bullets were, until 2008, a professional basketball team competing in Australia's National Basketball League. The Bullets were one of only two teams that survived since the NBL's inception in 1979; the only surviving team is now the Wollongong Hawks. The team played in Midnight Navy...

/Cairns Taipans
Cairns Taipans
The Cairns Taipans are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. The club is based in the northern Queensland city of Cairns. The Taipans, named after a species of venomous snake native to Australia, entered the NBL in the 1999/2000 season...

/Townsville Crocodiles
Townsville Crocodiles
The Townsville Crocodiles are a professional Australian basketball team based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in the National Basketball League...

 triple.

The NBL in the future

The NBL experienced its golden age in the early to mid-1990s, but its popularity, media attention, attendance and corporate support deteriorated and plateaued in the decade afterward. Australian NBA player Andrew Bogut
Andrew Bogut
Andrew Michael Bogut is an Australian professional basketball player. He plays for the Milwaukee Bucks of the United States' National Basketball Association....

 suggested the NBL try to adopt a model similar to the Australian Football League (AFL) whereby there are the same 10 or 15 teams over a 10 year period http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21882523-10914,00.html. Disgruntled Australian basketball enthusiasts have suggested expansion to 16 teams, most importantly locating a team in the city of Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...

 http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2005/12/01/1520428.htm making the Singapore road-trip less drawn-out, also Darwin currently does not have the support for a national domestic team of any sort. Since the inception of the Singapore Slingers in 2006, both Asia and Oceania are represented in the National Basketball League, however Asian players are not considered local players unless they are from Singapore and play for the Slingers. The Slingers are no longer part of the NBL.
There has been significant support for the NBL to expand into Asia by many NBL players as well as ex-Australian Boomers head coach Brian Goorjian
Brian Goorjian
Brian Goorjian is an American-Australian basketball coach. He is the most successful coach in Australian basketball history...

 http://www.nbl.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=75866 http://blogs.foxsports.com.au/basketball/index.php/foxsports/comments/live_qa_with_andy_vlahov, be it differently to how it was done with the now defunct Singapore Slingers
Singapore Slingers
The Singapore Slingers are an Asian basketball team that formerly competed in the Australian National Basketball League. They were the first - and so far the only - Asia-based club to compete in the NBL when they joined at the start of the 2006/07 season....

 which had a 14 hour round-trip flight to the Australian East Coast http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=605329&rss=yes. The 2009/10 season is earmarked as the season in which the NBL will begin its revamping, much like the old National Soccer League
National Soccer League
The National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...

 which became the eight team A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...

 (later expanding to 10 teams). http://www.a-league.com.au.

The Sydney Kings
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are a professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. They are the only team to date to win three consecutive championships in the NBL and currently sit third behind the Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne Tigers two away from the record five wins...

 name was purchased for the sum of A$20,000 on 31 July 2008 adding hope to the club also making a return to the league http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24111189-23769,00.html. Other possible locations for clubs include Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...

, Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...

 and even an Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...

 team based in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...

 comprising the best Australian players under the age of 22. Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...

 has not had an NBL side since the Canberra Cannons
Canberra Cannons
The Canberra Cannons were a basketball team competing in the Australian National Basketball League. They went into financial administration in 2003 and were relocated to Newcastle, where they became the Hunter Pirates...

 which folded in 2003, the success of the AIS
AIS
-As a word:* Ais people, a Native American tribe living on the Treasure coast of Florida, United States which had completely disappeared by the mid-18th Century.*Plural of:** ai ** AI -Medicine:...

 team in the Australian Women's National Basketball League
Women's National Basketball League
The Women's National Basketball League is the pre-eminent women's professional basketball league in Australia. It currently is composed of ten teams. The league was founded in 1981 and is the women's counterpart to the National Basketball League...

 underlines the likelihood of such a venture working http://www.wnbl.com.au/index.php?id=64. John Brumby
John Brumby
John Mansfield Brumby , is an Australian Labor Party politician who was Premier of Victoria from 2007 to 2010. He became Premier after the resignation of Steve Bracks. He also served as the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. He contested his first election...

 has called for a second Melbourne team to be added to the league.

Brisbane remains the most important team to come back into the league. While Newcastle is rumoured to be returning due to the strong drive from Mining magnate Nathan Tinkler. Both teams are expected to re-enter the league in 2012-13.

A 2nd Melbourne team (as well as the possibility of Wellington, NZ) will most likely be re-entering in 2013-14.

Canberra and Hobart are also rumoured to be interested in returning to the league within the next 5 years.

Hall of Fame

The National Basketball League celebrated 20 seasons of competition in 1998. As part of the celebrations, the NBL initiated the Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...

 to recognise the outstanding players, coaches
Coach (basketball)
Basketball coaching is the act of directing and strategizing the behaviour of a basketball team or individual basketball player. Basketball coaching typically encompasses the improvement of individual and team offensive and defensive skills, as well as overall physical conditioning.Coaching is...

, referees
Official (basketball)
In basketball, an official is a person who has the responsibility to enforce the rules and maintain the order of the game. The title of official also applies to the scorers and timekeepers, as well as other personnel that have an active task in maintaining the game...

 and contributors to the league.

In order to be eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame, candidates must have fulfilled the following criteria:
  • Players must have made an outstanding contribution to the NBL, have been retired for a minimum of four seasons, and have played 100 NBL games or more.
  • Coaches must have made an outstanding contribution to the NBL, have been retired for at least four seasons, and have been an NBL head coach for 10 seasons or more.
  • Referees must have made an outstanding contribution to the league and have been retired for at least four seasons.
  • Contributors must have made an outstanding contribution to the NBL, and may be elected at any time.


In 2010, the Basketball Australia Hall of Fame and National Basketball League Hall of Fame were united under the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame
Australian Basketball Hall of Fame
The Australian Basketball Hall of Fame was instituted by the Australian National Basketball League in 1998 as the NBL Hall of Fame as part of their 20th birthday celebrations...

 to acknowledge the restructure of the NBL and Basketball Australia into a single, united governing body.

Inductees are listed in alphabetical order.
Name Award Inducted
Barry Barnes Coach 1998
Ray Borner
Ray Borner
Ray Helmut Borner AM is a former Australian basketball player who competed in the National Basketball League...

Player 2006
Cal Bruton
Cal Bruton
Calvin Bruton is a former player and coach in the Australian National Basketball League. Originally an American import, but later becoming a naturalised Australian, Bruton has been an integral part of the league since its inception...

Player 1998
Steve Carfino
Steve Carfino
Steve Carfino is a former basketball player, who played for the University of Iowa in college basketball and later in the Australian National Basketball League. After retiring he became a television commentator, focusing on basketball, occasionally covering other sports...

Player 2004
Wayne Carroll Player 1999
Eddie Crouch Referee 2007
Ian Davies Player 2001
Mark Davis
Mark Davis (NBL)
Mark Davis is a naturalised Australian former basketball player who played from 1985 to 2001 with the National Basketball League's Adelaide 36ers, gaining the nickname of "Chairman of the Boards" for his record breaking rebounding achievements.-Professional career:Davis was signed by then Adelaide...

Player 2006
Scott Fisher
Scott Fisher (basketball)
Scott Fisher is a retired American-Australian basketball player and former head coach of the National Basketball League's Perth Wildcats.-Playing career:...

Player 2007
Al Green Player 1999
Michael Johnson Player 2004
Damian Keogh Player 2000
Brian Kerle Coach 2006
Leroy Loggins
Leroy Loggins
Leroy Loggins is a former professional basketball player who played in the Australian National Basketball League from 1981 to the 2000-01 season...

Player 2006
Herb McEachin Player 1998
Danny Morseu
Danny Morseu
Danny Morseu is an Australian basketball player who played on the Australian national basketball team in the 1980 Summer Olympics and 1984 Summer Olympics.-International career:...

Player 2002
Bill Palmer Contributor 1998
Darryl Pearce Player 2002
John Raschke Contributor 1998
Larry Sengstock
Larry Sengstock
Larry Sengstock is a retired Australian basketball player and the current CEO of Basketball Australia and NBL....

Player 2001
Phil Smyth
Phil Smyth
Philip John Smyth AM is an Australian former basketball player and former three time championship winning head coach of the National Basketball League's Adelaide 36ers.-Professional career:...

Player 2000
Malcolm Speed
Malcolm Speed
Malcolm Walter Speed is an Australian businessman and the former CEO of the International Cricket Council.Before he entered the world of cricket, he was a barrister in Melbourne. He was originally the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Cricket Board from 1997 until in 2001, he took up the...

Contributor 2000
Bob Turner Coach 2000
Andrew Vlahov
Andrew Vlahov
Andrew Mitchell Vlahov is a retired Australian professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball League of Australia from 1991 through till the 2001/2002 season...

Player 2007

Award winners

  • 25th Anniversary Team
    NBL (Australia) 25th Anniversary Team
    To mark its 25th anniversary during the 2003-2004 season, the National Basketball League announced its 25th Anniversary All-Time team on December 9, 2003...

     (2003)
  • 20th Anniversary Team
    NBL (Australia) 20th Anniversary Team
    In celebration of its twentieth anniversary, a special 20th anniversary team was named by Australia's National Basketball League in 1998.* = active at the time the team was named-See also:* National Basketball League...

     (1998)
  • Most Valuable Player
    NBL (Australia) Most Valuable Player
    At the conclusion of each NBL game, both coaches award votes to the best players from that game. Each coach has 10 votes to allocate, with no more than 5 to be awarded to one player by each coach....

  • Most Valuable Player — Grand Final
    NBL (Australia) Most Valuable Player - Grand Final
    The Larry Sengstock Medal is awarded to the Most Valuable Player of the Grand Final series.* 1979 Larry Sengstock * 1980 Rocky Smith The Larry Sengstock Medal is awarded to the Most Valuable Player of the Grand Final series.* 1979 Larry Sengstock (St. Kilda Saints)* 1980 Rocky Smith The Larry...

  • Coach of the Year
    NBL (Australia) Coach of the Year
    The NBL Coach of the Year award takes into account regular-season performances only, and is voted on by head coaches, assistant coaches and team captains on a 3-2-1 basis.* 1980 Barry Barnes...

  • Rookie of the Year
    NBL (Australia) Rookie of the Year
    * 1983 Jamie Kennedy * 1984 Andrew Gaze * 1985 Mike McKay * 1986 Steve Lunardon * 1987 Greg Hubbard * 1988 Shane Heal...

  • Most Improved Player
    NBL (Australia) Most Improved Player
    * 1988 Darren Lucas * 1989 Mark Bradtke * 1990 Shane Heal * 1991 Andrew Parkinson * 1992 Andrew Svaldenis * 1993 Scott Ninnis...

  • Best Defensive Player
    NBL (Australia) Best Defensive Player
    * 1980 Ray Wood * 1981 Ray Wood * 1982 Phil Smyth * 1983 Phil Smyth * 1984 not awarded* 1985 not awarded* 1986 not awarded* 1987 Leroy Loggins...

  • Best Sixth Man
    NBL (Australia) Best Sixth Man
    * 1996 Mike McKay * 1997 Ben Pepper * 1998 Jason Smith * 1999 Bruce Bolden * 2000 Ben Knight...

  • Good Hands Award
    NBL (Australia) Good Hands Award
    * 1990 Shane Heal * 1991 Andre LaFleur * 1992 Andre LaFleur * 1993 Andre LaFleur * 1994 Darryl McDonald * 1995 Darryl McDonald...

     (defunct)
  • Most Efficient Player
    NBL (Australia) Most Efficient Player
    * 1990 Andrew Gaze * 1991 Andrew Gaze * 1992 Andrew Gaze * 1993 Andrew Gaze * 1994 Andrew Gaze * 1995 Andrew Gaze * 1996 Andrew Gaze...

     (defunct)
  • All NBL teams
    NBL (Australia) All NBL teams
    -NBL First Teams:* 1980 Cal Stamp, Danny Morseu, Brian Banks, Herb McEachin, Ian Davies and Ken Richardson* 1981 Rocky Smith, Danny Morseu, Al Green, David Nelson and Owen Wells* 1982 George Morrow, James Crawford, Leroy Loggins, Phil Smyth and Larry Sengstock...


All-Star game

The All-Star game is an annual event in the NBL. It was once contested between the East and West but was now contested by the locals (Aussie All-Stars) and imports (World All-Star).

All-Star Games by Season

Year Result (Arena), City MVP
1988  North 127, South 122 (The Glass House
Lexus Centre
The Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre is the indoor training and administration centre for the Collingwood Football Club of the AFL and the Victorian Institute of Sport located in Melbourne, Australia....

), Melbourne, VIC
Leroy Loggins
Leroy Loggins
Leroy Loggins is a former professional basketball player who played in the Australian National Basketball League from 1981 to the 2000-01 season...

, Brisbane Bullets
Brisbane Bullets
The Brisbane Bullets were, until 2008, a professional basketball team competing in Australia's National Basketball League. The Bullets were one of only two teams that survived since the NBL's inception in 1979; the only surviving team is now the Wollongong Hawks. The team played in Midnight Navy...

1989  North 141, South 143 (The Glass House
Lexus Centre
The Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre is the indoor training and administration centre for the Collingwood Football Club of the AFL and the Victorian Institute of Sport located in Melbourne, Australia....

), Melbourne, VIC
Andrew Gaze
Andrew Gaze
Andrew Barry Casson Gaze is Australia's best known basketball player, and one of its most successful. He is considered as the greatest player in the history of the NBL....

, Melbourne Tigers
Melbourne Tigers
The Melbourne Tigers are Australia's oldest and most respected basketball team, established circa 1931 in a local church hall League. Entering the National Basketball League in 1984, they are now the only Melbourne team, after the South Dragons withdrew from the league.The Melbourne Tigers are the...

1990  North 139, World 119 (Perth Entertainment Centre
Perth Entertainment Centre
Perth Entertainment Centre is a former indoor arena and cinema complex, located in Wellington Street, in the city centre of Perth, Western Australia.-History:...

), Perth, WA
Derek Rucker
Derek Rucker
Derek Alan Rucker is a retired American professional basketball player who starred in Australia's National Basketball League for 15 years before retiring in 2006.- Playing career :...

, Brisbane Bullets
Brisbane Bullets
The Brisbane Bullets were, until 2008, a professional basketball team competing in Australia's National Basketball League. The Bullets were one of only two teams that survived since the NBL's inception in 1979; the only surviving team is now the Wollongong Hawks. The team played in Midnight Navy...

1991  North 168, South 154 (The Glass House
Lexus Centre
The Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre is the indoor training and administration centre for the Collingwood Football Club of the AFL and the Victorian Institute of Sport located in Melbourne, Australia....

), Melbourne, VIC
Mark Davis
Mark Davis (NBL)
Mark Davis is a naturalised Australian former basketball player who played from 1985 to 2001 with the National Basketball League's Adelaide 36ers, gaining the nickname of "Chairman of the Boards" for his record breaking rebounding achievements.-Professional career:Davis was signed by then Adelaide...

, Adelaide 36ers
Adelaide 36ers
The Adelaide 36ers are Adelaide's men's professional basketball team, established as the Adelaide City Eagles when they joined the National Basketball League in 1982. The Adelaide 36ers tally of four championships is equal with the Melbourne Tigers and second behind the Perth Wildcats as the most...

1992  Australia 149, USA Stars 132 (AIS Arena
AIS Arena
AIS Arena is a multi-purpose arena located in Canberra, Australia. The capacity is 5,200 and was built in 1980. The arena was opened by the Prime Minister of Australia, Malcolm Fraser, on 26 January 1981 and was originally named the National Indoor Sports Centre and was the inaugural home of the...

), Canberra, ACT
Andrew Gaze, Melbourne Tigers
1993  NBL Stars 124, Australia 119 (Flinders Park
Rod Laver Arena
Rod Laver Arena is a tennis stadium that is part of the Melbourne Park complex located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and has been the main venue for the Australian Open in tennis since 1988, replacing the ageing Kooyong Stadium...

), Melbourne, VIC
Terry Dozier, Newcastle Falcons
Newcastle Falcons
The Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in...

1994  NBL Stars 101, Australia 133 (Sydney Entertainment Centre
Sydney Entertainment Centre
The Sydney Entertainment Centre is a multi-purpose venue, located in Haymarket, Sydney, Australia. It opened in May 1983, to replace Sydney Stadium, which had been demolished to make way for a new railway. The centre is currently owned by the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, which administers...

), Sydney, NSW
Tony Ronaldson
Tony Ronaldson
Anthony Dean "Bear" Ronaldson is a former Australian basketball player who last played for the NZL National Basketball League team, Waikato Pistons.-Playing career:...

, South East Melbourne Magic
South East Melbourne Magic
The South East Melbourne Magic were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League. The team was the result of a merger of two Melbourne clubs for the 1992 season...

1995  South Stars 138, North Stars 140 (Clipsal Powerhouse), Adelaide, SA Robert Rose, Adelaide 36ers
1996  South Stars 132, North Stars 146 (Melbourne Park
Melbourne Park
Melbourne Park is a sports venue in the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Precinct in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Since 1988, Melbourne Park has been home of the Australian Open in tennis, which is played annually in January...

), Melbourne, VIC
Darryl McDonald
Darryl McDonald
Darryl McDonald is a retired American-Australian professional basketball player who last played for the Melbourne Tigers in Australia's National Basketball League...

, North Melbourne Giants
North Melbourne Giants
The North Melbourne Giants were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League.-History :The team was formed in 1980 as the Coburg Giants and were renamed in 1987 as the North Melbourne Giants...

1997  North Stars 151, South Stars 142 (Sydney Entertainment Centre
Sydney Entertainment Centre
The Sydney Entertainment Centre is a multi-purpose venue, located in Haymarket, Sydney, Australia. It opened in May 1983, to replace Sydney Stadium, which had been demolished to make way for a new railway. The centre is currently owned by the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, which administers...

), Sydney, NSW
Derek Rucker
Derek Rucker
Derek Alan Rucker is a retired American professional basketball player who starred in Australia's National Basketball League for 15 years before retiring in 2006.- Playing career :...

, Brisbane Bullets
2003/04  West 126, East 129 (State Netball and Hockey Centre
State Netball and Hockey Centre
State Netball Hockey Centre is a multipurpose sporting facility located in Melbourne, Australia. It is the home arena of the Melbourne Vixens netball team in the ANZ Championship, and the Melbourne Tigers National Basketball League team. The facility is located in Royal Park, Parkville next to...

), Melbourne, VIC
Ebi Ere
Ebi Ere
Ebi Ere is a US-born Nigerian professional basketball player. He plays shooting guard for the Obradoiro CAB, in the Spanish Liga ACB. He previously played for the Sydney Kings, also of the NBL. Ere won the grand final 2007 with the Brisbane Bullets...

, Sydney Kings
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are a professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. They are the only team to date to win three consecutive championships in the NBL and currently sit third behind the Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne Tigers two away from the record five wins...

2004/05
2004/05 NBL (Australia) All-Star Game
The 2004/05 NBL All-Star Game was held at the Townsville Entertainment Centre in Townsville, Queensland on 19 January 2005. The attendance for this All-Star game was 5078 spectators....

 
Aussies 156, World 140 (Townsville Entertainment Centre
Townsville Entertainment Centre
Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre is an indoor sports arena, located in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The capacity of the arena is 5,257 and was built in 1993....

), Townsville, QLD
Brad Newley
Brad Newley
Brad Newley is an Australian professional basketball player. He is a 6 ft 7 in tall small forward that can also play at the shooting guard position...

, Townsville Crocodiles
Townsville Crocodiles
The Townsville Crocodiles are a professional Australian basketball team based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in the National Basketball League...

2005/06
2005/06 NBL (Australia) All-Star Game
The 2005/06 NBL All-Star Game was held at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in Sydney, New South Wales on 27 December 2005. The attendance for this All-Star game was 4783 spectators....

 
Aussies 151, World 116 (Sydney Entertainment Centre
Sydney Entertainment Centre
The Sydney Entertainment Centre is a multi-purpose venue, located in Haymarket, Sydney, Australia. It opened in May 1983, to replace Sydney Stadium, which had been demolished to make way for a new railway. The centre is currently owned by the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, which administers...

), Sydney, NSW
Darryl McDonald, Melbourne Tigers
2006/07
2006/07 NBL (Australia) All-Star Game
The 2006/07 NBL All-Star Game was held at the Adelaide Arena in Adelaide, South Australia on November 25, 2006.The World All-Stars held off a determined Aussie All-Stars to win 136-133 with Rashad Tucker of the Melbourne Tigers contributing a near triple-double with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 9...

 
Aussies 133, World 136 (Distinctive Homes Dome
Distinctive Homes Dome
Adelaide Arena is a privately owned multipurpose indoor facility located in Findon, an inner western suburb of Adelaide, South Australia.It is the home stadium for the Adelaide 36ers of the NBL and the Adelaide Lightning of the WNBL...

), Adelaide, SA
Rashad Tucker, Melbourne Tigers
2007/08  Aussies 146, World 141 (State Netball and Hockey Centre
State Netball and Hockey Centre
State Netball Hockey Centre is a multipurpose sporting facility located in Melbourne, Australia. It is the home arena of the Melbourne Vixens netball team in the ANZ Championship, and the Melbourne Tigers National Basketball League team. The facility is located in Royal Park, Parkville next to...

), Melbourne, VIC
Nathan Jawai
Nathan Jawai
Nathan Jawai is an Indigenous Australian professional basketball player. He currently plays for the Russian team UNICS Kazan.-Pro career:...

, Cairns Taipans

See also


External links

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