Hangtime
Years ago

Biggest disappoinments in the NBL this season

So we are through about a third of the NBL season so far. There have been many players who have developed their games and become better players. Players such as Garlepp, Coenraad, Creek, C Ellis, Stendl, Norton, Blanchfield and Gliddon come to mind. However there have also been a few disappointments. Here is my list.

Gladness - Came to the NBL as the new 'Simon Dwight' but just has not put it together. Showed he can play by winning the pre-season MVP award but has struggled ever since. Just looks like an awkward tall guy that you would see in A grade at your local stadium. Needs to start blocking shots...although the stats guys in Townsville do not seem to know what a block is.

D Daniels - I put him here as he has not been the player everyone thought he would be. Looks skinny and has an average/inconsistent jump shot. It doesn't help that he has replaced James Ennis.

Motum - I really thought he would dominate this league....and he did for the first two games. Ever since has been woeful and does more talking than playing. 36ers yet to win a game with him.

Barlow - Came back from Europe and had previously been a good player. Has struggled to make an impact lately, although that slowly seems to be turning.


Ervin/Hawks - The whole team just do not look right. Need a PF or C who can be a tough inside presence. Have 3 great PGs though but Ervin has struggled. Call it injuries or whatever but he has not been the same player that we have previously seen.

Vukona - OK I am being harsh here but he has had some awful games this season and has been prone to fouls. The refs seem to be targeting him a lot more. His team is winning so I am sure Mika is happy.

Agree/Disagree?

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Mick  
Years ago

Gladness blocks way more shots than the stat counters allocate to him. That, and the fact that NBL referees are pretty bad, and the Crocs team in general being a flop, has put a dampener on his season so far.

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Mystro  
Years ago

Vukona plays within a system and when the system is working their is no need for him to play "star".
His mid range jumper has been money it's just that NZ haven't had to rely on isolating Mika on the block to generate offence this season and there is a lot more internal competition for rebounds especially with Jackson back.
He's still prone to foul trouble but then with Tai Wesley playing well behind him it hasn't been such an issue.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Motum for mine. Currently playing at the level of a below average nbl player at both ends.

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Wildcat Fan  
Years ago

"D Daniels - I put him here as he has not been the player everyone thought he would be. Looks skinny and has an average/inconsistent jump shot. It doesn't help that he has replaced James Ennis."

He has had 2 surgeries, one of which was unexpected. An eye surgery and an elbow surgery. He's only just recovering from these now. Top it off, he's playing out of his natural position as directed by Toronto, plus he's only 22 and this is his first pro outing. I think he's done pretty well, with possibly 2 poor games.

He's no Ennis, but he's not a disappointment either. Watch him warm up now. There is a lot of pressure on him though.

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Mystro  
Years ago

Stephen Dennis hasn't exactly set the league on fire despite all this MVP calibre talk when he first came into the league and has just been under a constant injury cloud ever since.

Daniel Kickert hasn't exactly lit up the league either
Gary Wilkinson=Daniel Kickert except marquee money going Kickerts way.

Add David Barlow and Melbourne have been the biggest disappointment with their highly rated but under performing roster. Everyone had Melbourne & Perth out in front by a mile yet are 6-5, luckily it's enough to have them in 4th.

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D4444  
Years ago

Brandt has been a bit of a disappointment for the Kings but shows occasional glimpses of fulfilling expectations at some stage. Duinker is definitely disappointing, no, disastrous would be more accurate.

The refs continue to lead the league in the disappointment stakes though.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Adelaide.

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Mick  
Years ago

As far as teams go, Melbourne and Townsville have been the two big disappointments for me.

Everyone else is more or less who I thought they were, even if Cairns hot start was unexpected.

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Max Power  
Years ago

Agree with Ervin, I think his game has really fallen off since joining the 36ers. Seems to have lost the quickness and is now an a low % scorer who does not make others around him better.

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sixers45  
Years ago

Biggest disappointment is still waiting for Redhage, Wagstaff and his mates to get called for a flopping technical. Why bring a rule in when you aren't going to use it

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Tim Duncan  
Years ago

Brock Motum and Jahii Carson have longed a lot way from being fringe NBA players. Carson is shooting 3 pointers at 21.6% - yikes.

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GWB  
Years ago

The whole season has been a disappointment. In every element, in every way. A season which should have catapulted the league into the public eye with high calibre imports and returning Australian talent has actually failed to even barely entertain.

When someone like me, a die hard NBL fan, turns the game off just after half time in more than half of the televised games - too bored to even consider bearing it through until completion - you know something is wrong with the league.

My list of disappointments: The ridiculous TV schedule - Perth Wildcats EVERY friday night? I mean .. Come on!? - The NBL games schedule - I feel like we are seeing the same 2 or 3 games being played every week or so. Adelaide and Melbourne again? Cairns and Perth again? Hard to get excited for a game I have seen already 3 or more times. Maybe cut the season shorter if we dont have more teams? - Fraser Neil quitting - I am disappointed because he atleast sounded like he had a radical vision. However the board wouldn't let him pass his measures. I am disappointed at both neil and the board for this. -- The imports. Other than Childress, Beal and Wilbekin, the imports have been lacklustre at best, and have not provided the kind of star quality we were expecting. --- The teams play style - Boring as fryer tuck. --- The fact that very few changes or improvements have ushered in this year. Looks like the 2011 NBL playing style in the 2013 jerseys and stadiums. I think this season so far gets a D -

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Adelaide have been an absolute disgrace.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

GWB Fridays game was only Cairns second tv of the season, plus it was their first game in general against Perth this season. Prob not a good example to use mate haha

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Steve  
Years ago

Perth are on the most because they usually play on Friday nights, they always have 10 thousand plus crowds that looks great on TV, and there are only 8 teams who don't all play on Friday night. I live in Perth but am a crocs fan. Would love to see more of them.

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Vodka63  
Years ago

The main reason Perth is on so often is time zones. Channel 10 won't broadcast in prime time, which rules out live broadcast of east coast Friday night games, but knows that live sport will rate better than delayed broadcasts. Hence a 6.30 game in Perth works for Channel 10.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

biggest disappointment has been Adelaide fans constantly making excuses and winging about the refs

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KingJames  
Years ago

@GWB you say

"When someone like me, a die hard NBL fan,"

Have you actually been to any games this season? I doubt you have.

Did you even attend more than a hand full of games last season? Don't say you are a die hard fan when you don't even support the product this season and last season....

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GWB  
Years ago

Well those are two assumptions King James. And yes, I have been to games in both seasons, so your point is void.

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D4444  
Years ago

I tend to agree with much of what you posted GWB & I find it interesting how often those who criticise anything are accused of not being real fans.

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Isaac  
Years ago

The 36ers have been disappointing since Motum's arrival. Not horrible, but certainly sub-par. Melbourne seemed like they were troubled but aren't doing too badly now.

Wollongong have definitely been disappointing. Breakers doing really well, including four road wins.

As for players, expected more from Barlow, Motum, Dennis and all Hawks bar maybe Coenraad who's rebounding really well.

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KingJames  
Years ago

@GWB of the 20+ home games over the past two seasons how many games have you gone to?

There are people that can't attend games and then there are people like GWB who can attend games but then choose not to and then call themselves die hard NBL Fans.

Games are a lot more interesting if you are actually there compared to watching it on TV.

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paul  
Years ago

"The imports. Other than Childress, Beal and Wilbekin, the imports have been lacklustre at best"

I think this statement shows that GWB hasn't watched too many games this season.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Lets face it every, unless the bottom 4 -5 clubs get some money in like the top 3-4 then they will continue to struggle. It is difficult to match these teams with multiple imports and money for Marquee or Euro player. It is difficult o match the marketing money and the stadiums they have.

IT IS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY AT THE END OF THE DAY !!!

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Bear  
Years ago

Can I say Channel Ten?

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vvb  
Years ago

The NBL, seem to have taken a backward step in promotion, online, TV quality. It's 2014 and it still takes a week to find anything more than basic stats. I'd settle for a stats system like NBA had in 1998.

Wollongong Hawks - the two BIG additions in Nevill and Carson are nothing more than role players. How Carson was a fringe draft prospect has got me confused. I would be very surprised if Hawks on any other NBL team picked him up again next season.

Crocs multiple purpose court.

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Darryl  
Years ago

Tv coverage most disappointing.
Hawks completely of of sync
Adelaide underachieving

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Marcus Camby  
Years ago

For mine...the Sixers presumably spending more money on Motum and have a 0-5 result since then is quite a big disappointment.

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proud  
Years ago

I have to say the most disappointing by far has been poor Steve Markovic's hamstring, I just wanna see him play!

Great to see Mitch Norton getting more minutes and responsibility though.

The Crocs have disappointed me but I think if you looked at a championship team and identified all the pieces required to be that successful team then Townsville have all those pieces and if they make the playoffs then they could be anything from there but Geez they need consistency.

NBL.tv has been disappointing and for a positive Rhys Carter has been brilliant

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