Isaac
Years ago

Vote: Top five players in NBL's 40 year history

To celebrate 40 seasons of the NBL, we ask fans to pick their top five players from the last 40 years

Holy crap. Too difficult to choose!

Topic #42536 | Report this topic


LoveBroker  
Years ago

Why is David Stiff in this list?

For me
Maher
Gaze
Rose
Mark Davis
Bradtke

Reply #666972 | Report this post


Udog  
Years ago

Rob Rose could certainly put a team on his back. I rewatched some old footage recently and was blown away.

Reply #666974 | Report this post


Hogwash  
Years ago

My 5 players were ones from the past.
Current players with outstanding talent generally move on to NBA or Europe and don't stay in NBL for too long.
Gaze
Grace
Fisher
Loggins
Mark Davis.

Reply #666975 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Corey Williams - 'I just selected my top five NBL players from the last 40 seasons. Who have you got?'

1. Corey Williams
2. Corey Williams
3. Corey Williams
4. Corey Williams
5. Corey Williams

Reply #666976 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Grace
Gaze
Bradtke
Fisher
Rose

Reply #666977 | Report this post


Luuuc  
Years ago

I went
1. Grace
2. Gaze
3. Rose (only because Rachad Tucker wasn't available :p )
4. Crawford
5. Bradtke

Reply #666979 | Report this post


Andrew Knell  
Years ago

I went
1. Andrew Gaze
2. Rob Rose
3. Leroy Loggins
4. Darryl McDonald
5. James Crawford

Reply #666982 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Andrew Gaze
Jason Smith- most underrated player ever, played both ends.
Ricky Grace
Matt Neilson
CJ Bruton

Reply #666984 | Report this post


Hogwash  
Years ago

The best part about the voting is you don't need specific positions so if you wanted 5 guards you could vote that way.

Reply #666985 | Report this post


Manu Fieldel  
Years ago

Andrew Gaze
Ricky Grace
Russell Hinder
Robert Rose
Drew Williamson

Reply #666986 | Report this post


SVD  
Years ago

Gaze
Maher
Loggins
Rose
Anstey

Reply #666988 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Hinder? WTF!?!

Reply #666989 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Bruton
DMac
Fisher
Rose
Loggins

Reply #666990 | Report this post


SVD  
Years ago

Where is Mark Worthington?

Reply #666991 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Where is Matt Shanahan? #ringz

Reply #666993 | Report this post


AngusH  
Years ago

Patrick Mills
Al Harrington
Hakim Warrick
Steve Blake
Stephen Jackson

Reply #666994 | Report this post


Yinka Dare  
Years ago

Gaze
Grace
Crawford
Fisher
Loggins

James ennis best recent player

Reply #666996 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Jeremy Tyler
Jason Cadee (pre-accident)
Garrett Jackson
Julian Khazzouh
Bo Lu

Reply #667002 | Report this post


Hogwash  
Years ago

^ Great to see primary school kids having a go like the anon above.
Don't forget to ask your parents permission first.

Reply #667008 | Report this post


Old time NBL  
Years ago

Grace
Gaze
Loggins
Crawford
Davis

Reply #667009 | Report this post


JM  
Years ago

I went with

Gaze
Grace
Crawford
Mcdonald
Loggins

Reply #667013 | Report this post


john  
Years ago

-Gaze
-Smythe
-Bradke
-Davis
-Loggins

Reply #667017 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Who was better? Maher or Smythe?

Reply #667018 | Report this post


Manu Fieldel  
Years ago

In all seriousness, where does Martin Catalini rank here? You can say he is the best ever Taipan (because he did it over a number of seasons), in front of Wilbekin (who would probably have taken top spot if he played a couple more years) and Chris Burgess.

I feel like The Cat is in the conversation as one of the best scorers we've ever seen in the league

Reply #667019 | Report this post


McBlurter  
Years ago

Gaze
McClain
Rose
Davis
Bradtke

Reply #667024 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I know only one season probably rules him out but should James Ennis get a mention? He was a stud and he surely is the only guy to get a multi year NBA deal after a stint in the NBL.

Reply #667026 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

If you only play 1 season here and you don't even win MVP that season then I don't think you're worthy.

Reply #667028 | Report this post


Hendo8888  
Years ago

Gaze
Grace
Davis
Bradtke
Rose

Reply #667029 | Report this post


Bol  
Years ago

Grace
Gaze
Rose
Loggins
Crawford

Reply #667031 | Report this post


Rat10  
Years ago

Holy crap indeed Isaac - this is hard to choose. I wish they had a top 10 instead! We're all going to be influenced by who we support and who we saw play the most often.

That said I've gone with 5 guards who I saw plenty of!

Gaze
Maher
Grace
Dmac
Rose

Loggins probably deserves a spot but I didn't see him play as much as the others so he misses my list.

Love some of the pics of the players too - especially old school Bradtke!

Reply #667034 | Report this post


NJS  
Years ago

Gaze
Loggins
Grace
Davis
Crawford

Reply #667037 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

gaze
davis
bradtke
loggins
smythe

Reply #667041 | Report this post


Udog  
Years ago

Anyone who watched Mark Davis play his first 10 years in the league would struggle to leave him out. What an awesome player. It was a shame to see him go down with that dislocated shoulder in the 94 semis (and with it went the 94 title too).

Reply #667048 | Report this post


DJ Rod  
Years ago

VERY hard to choose!

I went with Gaze Loggins and Rose as really easy picks then tossed up between Anstey Bradtke Grace Copeland Smyth Heal & Davis... to go with Anstey & Bradtke as my last 2.

Gaze
Loggins
Rose
Anstey
Bradtke

Reply #667051 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

Anstey
Crawford
Loggins
Gaze
Jackson

Reply #667053 | Report this post


DJ Rod  
Years ago

also surprised Stiff was in there over guys like Pat Reidy, Paul Rogers but there is always these kind of discussions surrounding these teams.

Would I be right in saying Corey Williams is the only MVP not in the list from like 1983-2010!? Ironic he didnt make the top 5 list ha

Reply #667054 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Grace>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Smyth.

Reply #667060 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Grace
Gaze
Loggins
Davis
Bradtke

Reply #667061 | Report this post


Vic Wildcat  
Years ago

For me

Grace
Gaze
Crawford
Fisher
Loggins

Reply #667082 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

I favoured players who played a lot in the NBL rather than were excellent for a brief period. This is a team about the 40 years of the league, so I felt like games and bulk stats were reasonable indicators of their ability and contribution.

I put Gaze in straight away. Surely unanimous. Then it was immediately more difficult. Soon added Loggins, then a while after that, Bradtke. After that, there were Davis and Crawford as elite PFs and a bunch of very qualified guards - Grace, Maher, DMac, Smyth, Heal, etc. I saw a lot more of Davis so picked him over Crawford. Then went with a hometown call of Maher. As a 36ers fan in the Maher era, you had pretty extreme confidence in him making the right play at the right time, hitting the big shots, etc. For hundreds of games too.

Reply #667083 | Report this post


Zodiac  
Years ago

Gaze
Rose
Loggins
Davis
Bradtke

Reply #667085 | Report this post


AngusH  
Years ago

Gaze was the only one I found easy. Pains me to include Grace but too hard not to, then Loggins, Heal, and Anstey. I'd probably change 3 of those guys if you asked me again tomorrow, though.

Reply #667086 | Report this post


Jack Toft  
Years ago

Very interesting list, all talented and all worthy of a mention. My Top 5 were:

Gaze - 7 x MVP - auto lockin. He can't coach, but he could play
Davis - He had a presence on court no-one could deny
Rose - 2 x MVP
Grace
Maher

Second 5....
Saville - just for pure persistence and determination - 563 games is a lot of lost Saturday nights. "Hey Glenn, your grandma's turning 100 of Saturday night" "Sorry grandma, playing basketball....."
Bradtke
Vlahov
Cal Bruton
Anstey - another Gaze, he can't coach, but he could play

Reply #667087 | Report this post


TuckerRulz  
Years ago

Complete outrage that Rashad Tucker isn't in this list and Robert Rose is.

Robert Rose had 13 triple doubles in a carerr.

Rashad Tucker had 7 in a season.

Reply #667090 | Report this post


You make a fine point

Reply #667091 | Report this post


Hogwash  
Years ago

D Mac
Maher
Rose
Crawford
Bradtke

They would be my second 5.

Crazy amount of talent back then

Reply #667093 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Tucker's won a few things off the court too.

Reply #667094 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

"Pains me to include Grace"

Seriously??

Reply #667099 | Report this post


SIXERS VOICE  
Years ago

40 years is a long time and a lot of current NBL fans were not around way back then. Sadly I am an NBL tragic and have been there for the full trip. Top 5 is way too hard. I would therefore just provide the following names for consideration (in no particular order):
Rocky Smith - Ken Richardson - Andrew Gaze - Brett Maher - Leroy Loggins - Robbie Cadee - Phil Smyth - Mark Bradtke - Andrew Vlahov - Glenn Saville - Andy Campbell. There are probably another group of players that could be named, but, it will always be a subjective and personal selection.

Reply #667102 | Report this post


Train  
Years ago

Gaze
Loggins
Vlahov
Martin
Cal Bruton

Reply #667103 | Report this post


AngusH  
Years ago

@ anon; not because of Grace individually, but purely because he was a Wildcat. ;)

Reply #667105 | Report this post


woody  
Years ago

Gaze, Heal, Loggins, Copeland (Just cause he was my hero growing up), Ricky Grace for sure

Reply #667108 | Report this post


woody  
Years ago

How come Jim Havrilla and Wayne Womack were not on the list?

Reply #667109 | Report this post


LoveBroker  
Years ago

"Would I be right in saying Corey Williams is the only MVP not in the list from like 1983-2010!? Ironic he didnt make the top 5 list ha"

I believe Paul Rogers also won an MVP.

Reply #667113 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Rucker
Gaze
Leroy
Crawford
Bradtke

Reply #667116 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Chambers
Ward
Blanchfield
Hinder
Schenscher

Reply #667117 | Report this post


LoveBroker  
Years ago

If Dwayne Mclain is included, given he is a one year star, shouldn't we also include other imports that had significant impacts in their short tenure?

Chris Williams
Rashad Tucker
Scottie Wilbekin
James Ennis

Reply #667118 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

McClain a 1 year star? WTF?

Reply #667120 | Report this post


FSTOS  
Years ago

"I know only one season probably rules him out but should James Ennis get a mention? He was a stud and he surely is the only guy to get a multi year NBA deal after a stint in the NBL."

Doug Overton says Hi...

Reply #667121 | Report this post


FSTOS  
Years ago

Grace
Gaze
Loggins
Davis
Bradke

Great O and great D (except for Gaze but the rest would cover for him)

Rose 6th man to cover 4 of the 5 poistions.

Reply #667123 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

Spatial Jam has McClain down for sub-100 games, so three season?

"I know only one season probably rules him out but should James Ennis get a mention? He was a stud and he surely is the only guy to get a multi year NBA deal after a stint in the NBL."
Stephen Jackson. Rick Brunson?

You could quite comfortably make a list of 20 players who played significant time in the NBL before you rushed to include brief stints like Ennis IMO.

Of the list of 40 they provide, there are only a few with a weak case for top 20. And even they had their impact. Add in the brief stints (Williams, Powell, etc) and it makes for a great 40 years.

Reply #667125 | Report this post


Luuuc  
Years ago

McClain 105 games over 5 seasons - Sydney 91-93, Gold Coast 96 (only 6 games), Brisbane 97

Reply #667126 | Report this post


Luuuc  
Years ago

SpatialJam error has his games split over 2 separate entries - McClain and Mcclain

Reply #667127 | Report this post


LoveBroker  
Years ago

Oops sorry I thought D-Train only played one season.

Reply #667130 | Report this post


Hogwash  
Years ago

Not top 5 but I thought Wayne McDaniel and Michael Johnson would be on list

Reply #667132 | Report this post


Silencer83  
Years ago

I picked:

Grace
Gaze
Loggins
Ronaldson
Crawford

Gaze the only auto include. Ronaldson the controversial one but he is the games record holder and a winner where ever he went.

Reply #667138 | Report this post


Very Old  
Years ago

Herb McEachin

Reply #667158 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Emery Atkinson

Reply #667172 | Report this post


HoldenV8  
Years ago

While my 36ers bias may still be there, being a bit more realistic I would choose:

PG - Phil Smyth
SG - Andrew Gaze
SF - Leroy Loggins
PF - Mark Davis
C - Mark Bradtke

And if there was a coach? Well, again being realistic I couldn't go past Brian Goorjian.

Reply #667249 | Report this post


rjd  
Years ago

I went with:

Grace
Gaze
Rose
Bradtke

I struggled with the 5th pick, finally selecting Anstey. Might be some Tigers bias having witnessed so many of their games, but I feel absolutely comfortable with Bradtke and Gaze in there.

Reply #667268 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Gotta have bj in there, 6 rings says it all

Reply #667747 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

CJ** of the bruton type

Reply #667822 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Rose or Loggins?

CJ Bruton
Gaze
Rose/Loggins
Davis
Bradtke

Reply #667823 | Report this post


D2.0  
Years ago

Some Big names there:

I reckon
Grace
Gaze
Loggins

pick themselves.

So hard to choose the front-court, so many great big men there.

I went with Crawford purely for his longevity, even though he'd struggle in today's league.
And Mark Davis.

Reply #668291 | Report this post




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