Cool story - thanks for posting... Might be a good one to re-post 2-3 years from now... I have to say at this early stage Ingles does look the goods... We wait with baited breath... Hopefully Brad Newley might pick up his game as well... with the added pressure of another highly touted young gun in the NBL...

So are most of the 18 and 19 year olds who will be getting drafted in the 2009/10 NBA drafts (last time i checked teenage NBA draftees tend to end up crashing and burning - most not being being born with a silver spoon like Kobe, or being special individuals like KG)... No-one is saying he's ready (i am not anyway) but he certainly is giving us reason to suspect that he may be a special player (if not already - then down the road)...

thanks for posting the link

Anon, care to share any points as to why you don't think Joe will make it?

It's not like people are saying that he will drafted in 07, or maybe even 08, but I don't see why in 2 or 3 years time he won't be good enough to make it.

Top disection of the issues anon. - keep it up... How about sticking to the issue - why isn't he going to be good enough in 2-3 years Nostradamus???

I like how every young bloke that comes flying onto the scene is touted as the NEXT Andrew Gaze or NBA bound, I personally believe NBA is all about oppurtunity and been in the right place at the right time.

There are many players that are good enough to play in the NBA that arnt - Rick Brunson is still getting a gig FFS! :-)

Sure the Newley and Ingles have the potential but they are no shoe in for a contract at any stage in their career no matter how good they are.

I would love nothing more to see more and more Aussies make it in the NBA but lets just wait and see what happens and enjoy watching them play right here right now!

wonder if the Sixers will let Kerstan go else where or maybe they are already in touch with him, i did hear Phil once say Ryan who???? so i wont hold my breath!

If Andrew Gaze couldn't get playing time in the NBA, it makes it very tough to believe Ingles will.
I think he's a shot definitely, but he has a long way to go. My perception is I'm not sure if he is athletic enough for his size, he is certainly not strong enough (although that he can work on - hopefully) and his defence is not going to stop the 12th man on the worst NBA team right now. A few things to work on, but he has time on his hands so if he really wants it he can possibly get close. Developing "NBA" range will be a necessity also.
Good luck to the kid, he seems like he has the right demeanor on court. I hope he does

I'd say a fair few people were on the Ingles 'bandwagon' a few years before you Coopz... He hasn't come down in the last shower, it was always pretty obvious that the kid was going places.

I couldn't disagree more 98876.
He certainly wasn't shooting those threes from 3 and a half feet plus outside downtown in those games.
Zone D has been in the NBA for years now.
The talent levels of NBA players are miles and miles and miles ahead of NBL players. And their athleticism is even further ahead. In his 2 seasons in the NBA Darnell Mee averaged 1.9 points and, 0.9 rebounds and 0.5 assists, and came over here and dominated. Kevin Brooks? In 3 seasons he averaged 3.3 points and 1.1 rebounds per game, and came over here and dominated. Both of them were on teams that struggled to win half of their games, and in fact didn't save KB's last season.
The "team game" is not that far ahead sure (as shown in recent world champs results), but you ain't going to make the NBA because you're a great team player alone.
NBA is about flat out talent, and I'm not saying Jingles can't do it, but he will have to work mighty hard to get the chance.
Just my opinion

Ryan is too young for the current sixers.

The guys at Dime Magazine seem to think Joe Ingles can make the jump to the NBA.

"If you're looking for the next Andrea Bargnani, keep an eye on Andrew Bogut's homeland. In his first NBL (Australia) game, 18-year-old Joe Ingles dropped 29 points. One scouting report we read likened Ingles to Steve Novak. Might wanna keep Joe's name on the radar for the next few years."

Click here for their blog page and scroll down to September 29.

The very best NBL players are better than the worst NBA players.

It boils down to "the window opportunity". He has started well by being coached by famous ex-NBA all-star and if he dosent get side tracked by the hype I belive that he has a great chance of being a first round pick in 2 years.

The big test will be next year; when other teams have worked his game out and force him to play to his weakness. I remember Newley and how he droped significantly after a stellar start and I just hope that he hasen't missed the opportunity.

The very best NBL players are better than the worst NBA players.

thats true. probably by a fair bit as well, i think heights has alot to dow ith iot as well.

I guess that's why CJ Bruton played summer league and didn't get a gig. Also why Matt Nielson tried out for a number of teams and didn't get a shot. And Chris Anstey jumped from team to team until finally no one wanted him (and he's a footer). And Luke Schenscher is fighting for the final roster spot on a mediocre team. And Andrew Gaze sat and watched, and only got in the 12, when someone went on the injury list. And Mark Bradtke played about 3 minutes total.

CJ Bruton was offered a shot at a veterans camp and told he had a solid shot to make it, but he descided to play in the NBL. Neilson tried well before his "prime" if he tried now it would be a different story, euroleague MVP wasnt he? Chris Anstey was told to stay in the US and bulk up and be guaranteed a bulls spot but he chose to play in the olympics, Luke Schenscher will never be a solid NBA player and will probably be very good in europe, and anyone who has ever seen Aus vs USA games would know that Bradtke couldve been a big contributor to that league, both he and gaze are from a time where international players werent recognised or heavily recruited.... i remember Gaze having great games in the NBA when given time and showed he could play there.

CJ didn't decide anything, they decided it for him. He wouldn't have even been playing summer league if he wasn;t trying to get his chance, everyone knows that.
Matt Nielsen tried out straight after a dominating season in the NBL, where he won MVP.
Chris Anstey maybe
You have made my point for me with Luke, and if he came back here he would dominate (I played with him for about 4 years)
And your final point, it didn't matter where you came from, if you could play, you played (examples: Petrovic, Marcielonis, Longley, Kukoc, Divac, Sabonis, too many to think of right now being seedy).
Bradtke was just too small for his size and Gaze didn't have the athleticism.
And to say Gaze had "great games" is a massive overstatement - he scored a total of 43 points in 26 games. If he had a great game he would have done that in 1 or 2 games.

(Bradtke)too small for his size... whoops! for his position, and didn't have the back to the basket game to get it done over there. If he played PF he would have needed a mid range game, which he didn't have at that point. And there's too many toasters in the US for him to handle
Thanks for the debate I'm enjoying this

I think he does potentially have a chance of making the NBA. Remember who his current coach is, NBA All-Star Mark Price.

As someone else mentioned, for your international players it's all about timing and reputation. Imaging if Price walks from the Dragons after the year and returns to the States, you don't think he'll be pissing in the ears of GM's and agents about a potential young stud out of Australia... With someone like Mark Price singing your praises you'll find yourself on the radar very quickly.

I'd be surprised if Joe isn't playing Summer League in the next 2 to 4 years.

The NBA is a different ballgame, but lockstock are you sayingh that you think the NBL is shit? it would have to be one of the worlds best leagues you would think.

Excellent to watch man, good interviews as well! In a few years as someone said that would be perfect to watch!

Hurley, nah I don't think the NBL is shit at all. Damn if I could get there I would love it, and the guys that are there are flat out awesome ballplayers.
Sorry if I seemed too pushy, I was just presenting my opinion, and I think the points that you make a very valid and open to be held also. They are just not held by me.
Once again, thanks for the healthy debate

Do you get the feeling though that had Joe Ingles been playing with us this year, he would have sat the entire saeson on the bench? Somehow I think so.