Tag: NBL

Karim Lopez on NBL: ‘I feel like it’s the best path for me’

The New Zealand Breakers recently signed 17-year-old Mexican forward Karim Lopez as part of the NBL’s Rising Stars program. The 6-foot-7 Lopez, an up-and-coming player from a strong international basketball background, will bring versatility and …

The New Zealand Breakers recently signed 17-year-old Mexican forward Karim Lopez as part of the NBL’s Rising Stars program. The 6-foot-7 Lopez, an up-and-coming player from a strong international basketball background, will bring versatility and size to the Breakers.

As the son of former Mexican basketball player Jesus “Chino” Lopez, Karim Lopez has already made his mark across various leagues. He most recently showcased his skills in Spain’s Liga Endesa, where he gained valuable experience despite limited playing time. This past week, Lopez participated in Under Armour’s Elite 24 camp in Brooklyn, New York, where he stood out among top high school recruits, finishing with 12 points and seven rebounds in the final game.

Lopez has also gained international experience by representing Mexico’s senior National Team and previously contributed to the U22 National Team. At the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he averaged 5.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.

Lopez spoke with HoopsHype after the UA scrimmage to discuss his decision to join the NBL, his playstyle, expectations, background and more.

Report: NBL’s Trentyn Flowers had predraft workout with Thunder

Report: NBL’s Trentyn Flowers had predraft workout with Thunder.

The calendar has flipped to June, which means NBA teams are intensifying their predraft process and hosting players for workouts and visits. The 2024 NBA draft will take place from June 26-27.

The Oklahoma City Thunder enter this year’s class with a sole draft pick of the No. 12 selection. OKC was gifted the free lottery pick via the Houston Rockets.

The Thunder will host several meetings with draft prospects in the coming weeks. This includes players outside the lottery range as OKC will likely seek to add undrafted free agents or even buy back into the second round if it likes someone enough.

One possibility is NBL’s Adelaide 36ers’ Trentyn Flowers. He had a predraft workout with the Thunder on Sunday, per Rookie Wire.

The 19-year-old bypassed the traditional college route and spent last year in Australia with the NBL’s 36ers. He was a five-star recruit out of high school and was previously committed to Louisville.

In 18 games last season, Flowers averaged 5.2 points on 45.8% shooting, 2.9 rebounds and 0.4 assists. He shot 42.1% from 3 on 1.1 attempts. At 6-foot-9, 205 pounds, he has great size for a guard.

Flowers is a potential second-round option for the Thunder. Even though OKC doesn’t own a Day 2 selection, it can easily trade back within range if it likes him enough.

He’s likely a project and would spend much of the season with the G League’s OKC Blue. He’d be a developmental project.

A full list of 2024 NBA draft prospects that have worked out or visited the Thunder in the predraft process can be viewed here.

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A new 2024 NBA Draft poll of scouts revealed an intriguing prospect is the favorite to go No. 1

Who do you have at No. 1 overall?

While there is still plenty of time for this all to shake out, it is never too early to speculate about who will become the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Last year, long before the pick was made at Barclays Center, we knew who would hear his name called with the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft with nearly 100 percent certainty. There was never even a doubt that a team would select Victor Wembanyama at that position.

RELATED: Projecting the first round with Ja’Kobe Walter leading the way

This year, no obvious candidate is waiting in the wings as a “can’t miss” prospect. But there is one player who has potentially separated himself from the pack, at least according to several NBA executives who spoke with draft insider Jeremy Woo (via ESPN):

“The 7-foot-1 French big man is currently sidelined with a hip injury but is presently expected to return before the end of the season. It’s worth noting that several of the Sarr voters expressed their lack of confidence in that outcome, but viewed him as the tentative best bet. […]

Sarr’s youth, versatility as a mobile defender and perimeter-friendly forward — coupled with the league-wide demand for tall, skilled frontcourt players — could give him the broadest degree of appeal amongst the top candidates. Sarr’s NBL role has been modest, but he’s grown into it nicely and demonstrated he can impact winning, which puts him in a good developmental place for a 7-footer who has yet to turn 19 and is still getting his first real taste of high-level basketball.”

The big man currently ranks No. 1 overall on ESPN’s Big Board. He is also projected to hear his name with the first pick in Yahoo’s latest mock draft.

Sarr, who plays for the Perth Wildcats in Australia’s NBL, received 12 votes from Woo’s survey of 20 scouts and executives. G League Ignite forward Ronald Holland received two votes and no other prospect received more than one.

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Reacting to former Boston Celtics big man Aron Baynes putting up a 20-20 game in the NBL

Baynes has reemerged in the basketball spotlight with a spectacular 20-point, 20-rebound game in Australia’s NBL.

Former Boston Celtic big man Aron Baynes, known for his gritty style of play, has reemerged in the basketball spotlight with a spectacular 20-point, 20-rebound game in Australia’s NBL. This comes after a challenging period marked by a devastating injury that left Baynes temporarily unable to walk.

The injury occurred during a crucial match in the Australian Olympic men’s basketball team’s campaign at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Baynes, known for his rugged style of play, left the court for a restroom break during the third and fourth quarters. However, he was later found on the floor and it was revealed to be a spinal injury that temporarily paralyzed him.

Despite the odds, Aron Baynes has made a triumphant return to professional basketball, playing for the Brisbane Bullets in the NBL.

The hosts of the CLNS Media “How Bout Them Celtics!” podcast took a look at his big game down under; check it out above!

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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LOOK: G League Fall Invitational with top prospects Matas Buzelis and Ron Holland

Last week, the G League Ignite hosted its first-ever NBA G League Fall Invitational, playing two games against the NBL’s Perth Wildcats on September 6 and 8. There was a lot of buzz with the new elite prospects of the Ignite of Matas Buzelis and Ron Holland going up against another elite top talent in Alexandre Sarr of the Wildcats.

Check out photos from the two games below.

5-star prospect Trentyn Flowers decommits from Louisville to sign in NBL

Flowers announced on Monday that he has decommitted from Louisville to sign with the Adelaide 36ers in the NBL.

Five-star prospect Trentyn Flowers announced on Monday that he has decommitted from Louisville to sign with the Adelaide 36ers in the National Basketball League.

Flowers originally reclassified to the class of 2023 and committed to Louisville in April from the Combine Academy in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was the No. 23 prospect by 247Sports and had been practicing with the Cardinals this summer.

He led the Combine Academy to the Phenom HoopState Championship, averaging 16 points, six rebounds and 1.2 assists per game as a junior. He produced 15 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two blocks in the title game.

Flowers signed with the 36ers as part of the Next Stars program, a plan introduced by the NBL to give top prospects a way to play professionally. LaMelo Ball, Josh Giddey, Ousmane Dieng and RJ Hampton are among those who also utilized the program.

The league is expected to be heavily scouted with several high-profile names, including AJ Johnson (Illawarra), Bobi Klintman (Cairns), Mantas Rubstavicius (New Zealand) and Alex Sarr (Perth). Flowers is among those players considered potential draft picks.

The 6-foot-8 Flowers will have the chance to develop and improve on the court. The league boasts several former NBA players, which should help prepare him for the next level.

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REPORT: Denzel Valentine signs one-year deal with reigning NBL champions

REPORT: Denzel Valentine signs one-year deal with reigning NBL champions

A Michigan State basketball legend is heading down under. On Saturday, it was reported by Olgun Uluc of ESPN that Denzel Valentine has signed a one-year contract with the Sydney Kings of the NBL, the top men’s professional basketball league in Australia and New Zealand.

The Kings have won the NBL Grand Final the last two seasons and are the reigning NBL champions. Valentine will suit up next to former Michigan Wolverine and reigning Grand Final MVP Derrick Walton.

Valentine bounced around the NBA and G-League the last few seasons after having one breakout year with the Chicago Bulls back in 2017-18, where he averaged 10.2 points per game and started nearly half the season for the Bulls. Unfortunately, Valentine had multiple serious injuries in his left leg and ankle and never quite looked the same as he did for a brief window that season.

The move to the NBL will give Valentine, who is still just 29, a chance at a second career in a very competitive and fun league.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.

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Suns shockingly became the first NBA team to lose a preseason game to a non-NBA team since 2015

What’s going on in Phoenix?!

What is going on in Phoenix?!

Don’t look now, but the Suns are absolutely a mess right now. The last time we saw them on the floor in the playoffs, the organization issued an apology for their performance. After a drama-fueled offseason, Phoenix big Deandre Ayton said that it felt like there was a cloud hanging over the franchise.

These horrible vibes manifested on the court again when the team made its preseason debut, facing off against the Adelaide 36ers from Australia’s NBL on Sunday evening.

Although the 36ers were 28-point underdogs heading into the match against the Suns, who had the best record in the NBA last season, they were actually able to emerge as the improbable victors in this game.

ESPN’s Kevin Pelton noted that this was the first time a non-NBA team defeated an NBA team during a preseason exhibition since Turkey’s Fenerbahce defeated the Nets in 2015.

Adelaide also became the first team from Australia’s NBL to beat a team from the NBA during the preseason. Adelaide’s total payroll is just over $1 million, while Phoenix’s is over $167 million. The 36ers were one of the worst teams in the NBL last season.

Phoenix’s perimeter defense looked particularly poor in this match as the 36ers shot 55.8% on 3-pointers, connecting on 24 shots from beyond the arc.

Craig Randall and Robert Franks combined for 67 points, accounting for 15 of Adelaide’s 3-pointers. Mitch McCarron finished the game with 16 assists, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block.

Randall played in the NBA’s G League for the Long Island Nets last season, while Franks won the G League championship with the Lakeland Magic in 2021.

The Suns will have a chance to get back on track in their next preseason game when they face the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 5 at 10:00 p.m. EST.

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Boston big man alum Aron Baynes highlights with NBL’s Brisbane Bullets

Noticeably more svelte and mobile, Baynes looks like he’s still got it in a clip circulated by the NBL.

Former Boston Celtics big man Aron Baynes has been getting back at it in Australia and New Zealand’s National Basketball League (NBL – not to be confused with the NBA predecessor league). A scary injury in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics left Baynes partially paralyzed, requiring a lengthy rehab he only recently emerged from.

Noticeably more svelte and mobile, Baynes looks like he still has game in a clip circulated by the NBL that shows the former Boston big man during the Brisbane Bullets’ recent tilt against the New Zealand Breakers.

Baynes looked positively ecstatic to be back on the court, battling under the basket throwing up hook shots, and hitting 3-pointers with perhaps even greater fluidity than before his injury.

The onetime Celtics center has an out in his NBL deal to return to the NBA if a team wants to sign him, and it would not surprise us to see him playing ball back in the U.S. this season based on what we’re seeing here.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

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