Isaac
Years ago

Commish wants more non-US imports

This news is about a week old now, but NBL Commissioner Rick Burton thinks there should be more variety in the NBL's imports - players from South America, Europe, that sort of thing. I also think there should be a nice girl in a bikini assisting me in the office, but it's not going to happen.

A couple of examples he raises are Dave Thomas (Canada) and Ebi Ere (Nigeria).

It's one of those things that's easy to pitch, but not all that realistic. As everyone has tended to agree in the past, US imports suit our league because there is not really a well-paying second-tier league in the US - the same cannot be said of Europe and probably not of China, the Philippines and South America - and we share a language (in most cases!) and a number of other things in common with US players.

Burton correctly identifies that the US hardly "has a monopoly on the best talent in the world", but neglects to state that we're hardly in a position to offer competitive salaries and/or keep our teams better than treading water on the ledger.

When a Michael Kingma-level player is in Europe courtesy of a passport and NBA scouts are probably more likely to watch their competition than ours, what hope is there of attracting Europeans to our league?

Major concessions would have to be made to get it done - a cap-exempt position, one per club, for a European player?

Maybe the odd press release with the word "global" helps with sponsorship, but I reckon keeping the Hawks in the competition might help with sponsorship too.

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EC  
Years ago

A cap exempt position for each club would mean the European import would have to be mighty good to throw that sort of money at him. The clubs might do better in an American import who is willing to play for less. I don't think any of the NBL clubs can afford to pay an unlimited amount for any player. They still have to try and make money for the club and realistically, only an average of 4,000 attend games. Having to throw that sort of money at a European player would make it less attractive to recruit him.

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Johnny Sack  
Years ago

All you have to do is look at Rimas Kurtinaitas... Played (maybe) 1/2 a season - ripped it up and left for the REAL money that he could get in Europe... Noble idea but in reality it just won't work... Or you will get guys like Yorke and Cocu (in the A-Leauge) coming here to die as players... But you will need to still pay them significantly more than what most top-line US imports would be getting...

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Sturty6ers  
Years ago

I heard that is why you had to move offices, Isaac. The queues for job seekers as 'office workers in bikinis' went all the way to the end of The Parade, and the other business owners were getting jealous.

Then there were the girls.......

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Another example the Commish forgot:

Cheikh Ya Ya Dia

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lockstock  
Years ago

Did Derek Rucker count as a non-American import because he is from the same inter-gallactic planet as Sam Cassell and Popeye Jones?

If so, throw him on the list under Cheikh too

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Kwest  
Years ago

Isaac, you dont have a bikini assistant?? Youre falling behind the times my friend. They are a worthwhile investment.

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twenty four  
Years ago

Burton is a tool. How can he use Ebe Ere as an example? The guy was BORN AND RAISED in the States, and Dave Thomas played NCAA ball, which I'd assume is how he got recognized in the first place.

I know that he says that stuff to make the league look better and what not, but still.....

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Isaac  
Years ago

I'm with you Twenty.

Teams ignoring the cap. Points cap growing instead of shrinking. Clubs in trouble. Commish talking about the wrong problems. The Commish's priority appears to be to collect license fees rather than look after the rest of the league.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

"Did Derek Rucker count as a non-American import because he is from the same inter-gallactic planet as Sam Cassell and Popeye Jones?

If so, throw him on the list under Cheikh too"


dunno who Popeye Jones is but Rucker and Sam Cassell from the same inter-gallactic planet.. LOL!

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