Anonymous
Years ago
Loeliger: NBA Lottery Picks in Next Stars (?)
As many of you may have seen, NBL CEO Jeremy Loeliger is talking up the chances of us having lottery level prospects in the league next season. Very exciting if true.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/basketball/nbl-ceo-confident-nba-lottery-picks-could-play-in-australia-this-season-20190512-p51mj1.html
It's certainly possible that some already committed guys rescind and take up an NBL offer, but a guy that has recently reclassified and isn't committed to an NCAA team is RJ Hampton.
According to reputable user of the draft board on RealGM, he is considering his overseas options, with China being the leading option right now. Made me think whether the NBL is in the cards for him also?
If the NBL landed RJ it would be a MASSIVE coup. He is a possible top 3 pick - an absolute star. My guess is that he'd have to be on cream of the crop import money to come over.. especially if he's getting offers in China which are likely to offer him more money.
If the NBL were able to land Hampton, LaMelo and even possibly have Bowen return if he does undrafted or draft+stashed, or another combination of legitimate 1st round U.S. prospects, it would add a completely new angle of intrigue to the NBL season and boost the talent/entertainment level to a whole new level.
RJ seems a bit too good to be true, but it's worth following. Are there any other 1st round, if not 'lottery' guys, who you could see coming to the NBL?
Would be awesome to see Josh Green come home for a year but I'm assuming he's happy and locked in to be playing with Mannion for a season in Arizona. Beyond that, it's anyone's guess in my eyes. Hard to imagine any 1st round guys coming over, but it's a bold claim by Leoliger that surely has some substance behind it.
LaMelo would certainly be interesting, and has the unique situation to justify him playing overseas, and obviously good luck to whichever team takes on him and the accompanying baggage, but he has legitimate lottery talent if he puts it together.