Isaac
Years ago
NBL Prospects Camp, July 21-23
NBL SEARCHES FOR NEXT BIG THING
The next generation of Australian basketball stars is set to be unearthed following the announcement of the inaugural National Basketball League (NBL) Prospects Camp.
The camp, which is being officially endorsed by both the NBL and Basketball Australia, will be run over three days in Melbourne from 21 23 July at the Waverley Basketball Stadium and is aimed at identifying Australian basketballers who might one day play in the NBL.
Coaches and scouts from all NBL teams will be in attendance to run their eyes over the NBL's 'Generation Next' as they are put through their paces by junior World Championship winning coach Ian Stacker.
The top 60 basketballers in Australia aged between 18 and 24 years as identified by Stacker in consultation with Basketball Australia and the ITC State and Territory Coaches will be invited to attend the prestigious three-day camp.
NBL interim Chief Executive Chuck Harmison said the NBL Prospects Camp was something that would become an annual feature on the League's calendar and was aimed at formalising the League's talent identification process.
"This is an exciting initiative and one that all our teams are supporting wholeheartedly," said Harmison. "We have barely scratched the surface of the Australian talent pool as far as basketball goes and we need to continue to provide pathways for our best young players to enter our league, otherwise we will lose them to other sports."
"Our clubs do an excellent job of scouting and developing juniors but this camp will allow all our teams to see the best young players from across the nation in the one venue, playing against each other. It will also provide a series of benchmarks for the players themselves through the physical testing, so they can identify areas of strength and conditioning in which they need to improve. Plus, they will be under the tutelage of a veteran NBL coach in Ian Stacker, so it's a win-win situation for the league and the players."
Basketball Australia Chief executive Scott Derwin said the camp would help underpin the Young Australian Player program that BA and the NBL had instituted last season.
"The YAP initiative fast tracks up-and-coming stars and gives them a chance to experience life as a professional NBL player and this Prospects Camp will provide a clear pathway to that system," said Derwin. "It is a fantastic opportunity for young athletes to showcase their skills in front of world-class coaches who have a keen eye on identifying talent and for athletes to emerge on the national radar."
With only 60 places at the camp available, Stacker said invitations were expected to be highly sought after.
"We already have players falling over themselves to get their hands on an invitation to the camp so they can get a shot at the big league," said Stacker. "It's kind of like the Golden Ticket out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This is the chance of a lifetime for many young kids, to be able to show your stuff in front of scouts and coaches from every team in the NBL."
"I have absolutely no doubt we will see some previously 'unknown' young stars emerge who might not otherwise ever have had the chance to strut their stuff on an NBL stage. I go to junior tournaments all over Australia as part of my scouting business and I know for a fact there are plenty of players who are NBL-ready who just haven't had the chance to prove it to the right people. This camp is their chance and it's exciting to be part of such a landmark event."
Invitations to the event will be sent out to players over the next fortnight, with the final attendee list to be released at a later date.
