Define young?

You could go McVeigh or Pinder too but keep in mind they'll be 28 and 29 by start of next season

Young was just the thread title

Basically I'm asking which current Aussie NBL player you think could have the best NBL career over the long term (the next 7 years).

Off the top of my head, DJV.

It's an interesting one. I think Alex Toohey would be the best young talent but potentially may have an NBA future so you would lose his services. If you are picking someone likely to play their whole career in the NBL I'd pick Josh Bannan. Looks like someone you can build a team around and will continue improving.

Travers and Galloway fill a number of roles. Bigs like Froling and Rocco are a bit one dimensional - not slagging them off but could be exploited in certain mismatches and bigs tend to get foul trouble.
Small sample size but Toohey and Bannan were very good. And Bannan seems to have that bit of hardness about him.
And WMW despite a disrupted year is best bet at guard. Can get 100s of chuckers like DJ from overseas, was good in his role at Kings, 4th option and if got too shot happy they had enough vets to tell him to pull his head in.

If DJV continues a long a similar route to Goulding, very possible he'll be fine. Do agree with Travers though, will be excellent even though the stats don’t always show it.

I can see Bannan being one of the premier NBL 4s if he doesn't head overseas - with his size and ability to play inside and out though, I think there's a chance he plays overseas for at least part of his career.

Date of births

Armstrong Jan 02
Travers Sep 01
Bannan Feb 01
Froling Feb 00
Magnay June 98
WMW Apr 98
Humphries Jan 98
DJV Apr 97

Travers and Bannan producing the most right now when you factor in age. Likely trajectory see them as the pick of the entire bunch- at NBL level at least. Although Magnay's rim protection and inside work might have genuine NBA potential.

Well, age and experience. Froling doing well too, but unlike Bannan has had many years in the NBL. Travers almost 2 years younger than Froling, so on potential and trajectory he's ahead.

95 Pinder
96 Mcveigh
97 Vasiljevic
98 Magnay over Humphries
99 KGalloway
00 Froling
01 Travers over Bannan
02 JGalloway now Armstrong
03 Olbrich
04 Most people say Toohey, I'm going with Henshall long term.
05 Amir
06 Zikarsky

Pinder turns 29 in May, had a very up and down season, I'm not certain you would sign him up to seven year contract.
Olbrich looks like he’s going to be a great asset though. Armstrong also showed a lot towards seasons end.

Travers or Bannan for me are streets ahead of the rest

Why would any player (especially a young gun) sign a deal with no out clauses?

I'd honestly be wary of any player that did that as they probably arent pushing themselves enough.

AFL can do it because its the undisputed top league in the world for that sport.

Absolutely. None of these guys would sign a deal like that.

It's just a thought experiment for the purpose of thinking through which current young(ish) NBL players have the best future prospects here.

Who's potentially the All-NBL stars of the future, the next generation CG, Sobey and Creek if you like

I would go super young with most upside and sign Benny Henshall. Great kid, easy to coach and has the skills if given the court time.

Travers I always think is older than he is, but he's pretty clearly the best young Aussie in the league right now and if he sticks around he should be an MVP-level player in a few years, although I'm not sure that would happen in the United system.

I'm not sold on Armstrong, maybe it's the fact that he played next to an import PG but I'm still not sure what type of player he is at the NBL level. Olbrich is a hard worker and if his offense comes around he'll be starting before too long.

Henshall is a big question mark - like DJ he will score if given the ball I think, but remains to be seen what else he contributes. Him not hitting the court more is one of the big mysteries of the Wildcats' season for me.

7 years and in this hypothetical question he can't move anywhere, being a bit brave but Roman Siulepa.

7 years and in this hypothetical question he can't move anywhere, being a bit brave but Roman Siulepa.