No, no and no. Im all for equality but if an NBL team played a WNBA team the NBL team would win by a large amount. I dont think its possible at this stage for any female player in the world to play at the NBL level. Dont get me wrong im not sexist or anything but i just dont believe the fitness or speed is there at this stage.

Lack of fitness or speed holding her back??
Paul Rees had a very long career, and he had neither of those attributes!!

Sillier than just silly.

Prepared to bet its a quote out of context.

A WNBL team would scrimage against an U16 boys team (maybe 18s) for practice - a 6'0' boy can dunk etc etc blah blah blah.

Not gunna happen. Jackson or not.

Reesy had strength and loads of knowledge and experience when defending each opponent.

Change the title of this thread to "Lauren Jackson WANTS to play NBL"

Change this thread to:
" NBL seeks to make Sydney Kings Basketball relevant - insert marketing and publicity ploy here "

C'mon guys , pretty obvious they are trying to drum up interest in the league. No-one expects Jackson to play NBL do they ? really ??

One way to find out - LJ V Mark Nash in a beep test and the weights room. If LJ wins she's half a chance.

LJ would play way better than Nash!!!!
Sign her up now...

Doh! she is under 40, don't worry about it.

I'm pretty sure it was Jackson herself that brought the topic up.. I remember watching a WNBL game on ABC at least 3 weeks back where she said she would like to do it if she was given the chance.

a good way to see if she would do ok would be to give her a crack in the fourth quarter of next year's all-star game and see if she can hold her own?

Think about it, though.

As far as whether she's TOUGH enough.

Who's scarier as an opposition player? Lisa Leslie? Or David Cooper?

Don't both need hairpieces? Sorry Coops!

Didn't Penny Taylor scrimmage with the boys a couple of season's ago?

Maybe her dad can enter into a contract binding her to play in an exhibition game, then she can refuse to do it due to injuries. Years later the NBL can take her to court for breach of contract and she can use the defence that her dad is not her agent. Jackson vs Jackson. Yeah.

It is ridiculous to even think about mixing men and women in one team. The NBL states that the rules allow for clubs to recruit female players, but how many females do you see in AFL teams, or any other men's sports played at national level. There is always a separation of male and female teams. Why are we not discussing the possibility of NBL players joining a WNBL team? I'm not sexist, but there is a difference in physicality between men and women.

I don't know if the league is plugging this to get press but it just strikes me as suggesting that a female player could compete in the league -- what are outsiders going to think of a men's league where a female is touted as being a potential competitor? Would the AFL run with news like this?

This is positive for LJ, but negative news for the NBL, IMO.

She's, what, 6'5"? There are players in the NBL who are taller and still would be much faster, not to mention much stronger. If anyone could give it a shot, I'd say Erin Phillips - she could handle the physicality better but would still struggle to defend shooters or get a clean shot off.

If you watch Jackson play she beats smaller players with her size and bigger players with her skill and range. Neither of these will be effective against a 6'5 nbl wing player

I don't think Lauren would even be close to the worst player in the NBL. Maybe in terms of talent, but not in terms of strength, speed, jumping ability etc.

".. AND women play 'smarter' basketball to compensate for less athleticism..I think she would suprise a few guys as would erin, think the guys would be scared they would hurt their ego's though, in the chance that they 'got beaten by a girl'....sorry guys, just my POV "

-- lol. I think if you put Erin Phillips in a game against someone like Darnell Mee or Darryl McDonald she would have about 20 turnovers. These guys are faster than her, have long arms and would bully the hell out of her on the offensive end too.
I dont really care that you say she has played football, quite simple she would get smashed around. Imagine her running full tilt into a screen set by Bobby Brannen ? I can hear the ambulance sirens already.
I am impressed by the evolution of womens basketball skill-wise, but please dont get carried away.

Me being serious now....I agree with Skyhook on skills difference, however there is no mention by Erin of any attempt to play NBL.
LJ should trial and trial soon if she is serious. LJ's peak athletic years are about now. Three years time - further injuries and general wear / tear - no hope. I dare LJ to trial soon, I dont think she is serious.

Well Sween, if you dare her to do it then she doesn't really have much choice does she? Will you be raising the stakes to a double dare if she refuses?