Gaze eyes Boom time for NBL’s top talent
BOOMERS legend Andrew Gaze says a bumper international fixture over the next 18 months will unearth a wealth of hidden NBL talent.
After falling agonisingly short in Rio, the Boomers travel to Lebanon in August to contest the inaugural FIBA Asia Cup.
The Boomers will return to Australia in November for the first of three 2019 FIBA World Cup qualifiers, which bookend the upcoming NBL season.
Under a revamped FIBA structure, which merges Australia and New Zealand (Oceania) with Asia for international competitions and qualification, the Boomers and Tall Blacks will end up playing more games on home courts.
With Australian NBA exports Matthew Dellavedova, Patty Mills, Ben Simmons and Thon Maker likely to be unavailable for the World Cup qualifiers, Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis must lean on the NBL to plug roster spots.
Gaze yesterday conceded the taxing schedule and reliance on the NBL would benefit the Boomers looking ahead to the FIBA World Cup and Tokyo Olympics.
“One of the great things about (qualifying through Asia and playing more games) is we’ll see players emerge and develop quicker,” Gaze said yesterday at FIBA’s AsiaOceania group launch on the Gold Coast.
“There are many, many players in the NBL who have the capacity to play in the NBA. You develop the pool of talent (and it’s) going to be very competitive for spots because you’ve got more people getting that exposure.”
The Sydney Kings head coach yesterday implored rival coaches to make players available for internationals.