Ant Man
Years ago
Tasmania Jack Jumpers 2021 Team Discussion
Well Coach Roth has arrived this week and he's come out in the press chasing Delladova. Realistic? I don't know but anything is possible I guess. I was mildly amused read that he would have 3 FULL TIME Asst coaches. I guess Perth taught him that!
Paywall article from The Mercury.
JackJumpers new coach hopes to bring in NBA star as team's first marquee player
The Tasmanian JackJumpers are still very much in their infancy, but the NBL’s 10th club has already set its sights on one of Australian basketball’s favourites sons.
Tasmania’s return to the NBL will begin on opening night of the 2021-22 season — if the DEC upgrade is completed on time
Inaugural Tasmania JackJumpers coach sets lofty ambitions for state’s re-entry into the NBL
NBA veteran and Boomers star Matthew Dellavedova is on the JackJumpers most wanted list and contact has been made.
In his first interview since arriving in Tasmania, inaugural JackJumpers coach Scott Roth said a marquee signing for the state’s NBL team’s debut year was a priority.
Dellavedova has played 434 NBA games for the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers across nine seasons.
He is currently sidelined through injury for the Cavs through concussion but Roth said he was friends with the point guard’s manager.
"His big focus is to get back to the Boomers but his immediate future is to start playing again and get healthy," Roth said.
“But he’s definitely on our list, there are going to be guys that are on the verge of ending their career but have a year or two left a la (Andrew) Bogut and we are going to go after all of them.”
Roth, a former NBA and NBL assistant coach, said he was after a big name such as Dellavedova to excite JackJumpers fans.
“I’d love a marquee player and we are going after them,” he said.
“We have a couple we are starting to go down the track with, at least start talking with.
“We’d love have to an Andrew Bogut-type come back and play for Tasmania, it is just good for the league in general.
“We are going to go after these guys and there is no reason why we can’t.
“We’ve got the budget and we are going to do everything in our power to land a marquee player.”
His first task is to employ his basketball department, made of three full-time assistant coaches, strength and conditioning coach, doctors, trainers and others before starting on the squad.
However, he said when the time came, they would be out there pushing hard for the best players possible - especially with the state’s traditional powerhouse sport, Australian rules, not as healthy as it once was.
Asked if he would be targeting footballers, Roth was unequivocal.
“Without question. Our goal is to be the No.1 sport in the state and it is realistic.
“It is a unique situation. There are no other sports of the professional level that can attract and the way the NBL is growing every year, the sky is the limit.
“We are going to be extremely aggressive, we have a very good budget.
“Larry Kestelman, the owner of our team, is very motivated to make sure this works well with the community and the state and so we are going to be aggressive.
“We are going to go after the best players.”
