“He has a basketball background” is a phase constantly used by AFL commentators. Conversely, multiple Aussie basketball stars played Australian rules football in their junior days.
The two sports have an indirect link, but could we see a more intimate relationship between the codes in the near future?
Melbourne United coach Dean Vickerman would like to see it, as speculation increases over potential NBL expansion, which could happen as early as next season. League boss Larry Kestelman told The West Australian last week that he wants to see the competition introduce four new teams within a few years, with the push for a second Melbourne club a priority.
Collingwood, Fremantle and Richmond have been mentioned as possible clubs looking to invest in a basketball team. The Pies, along with Greater Western Sydney and the NRL’s Melbourne Storm, have clubs in the Super Netball league.
However, SEN understands the NBL doesn’t want to put any timeframe on potential expansion, as strong on and off court foundations need to be laid before a new team is established.
The NBL has had a history of defunct teams, with eight clubs departing the competition since 2000. This includes the South Dragons folding after winning the 2009 championship, due to dissatisfaction with NBL management. Former Dragons co-owner Mark Cowan has previously stated he didn’t think the NBL’s old structure offered a positive financial return for clubs.
Vickerman would love to see 12 teams back in the league, and believes having access to the world-class AFL facilities would be an advantage previously unforeseen to NBL clubs.
“The league is at a point where it is so solid with the eight teams that we have right now, I think it will be good to look at an expansion of the league,” he told SEN’s The Run Home.
“Obviously there has been different models of ownership come about with private owners, and to have the backing of an AFL club with the resources they have and to be able to share resources, I couldn’t see a better model.”
At his weekly media conference yesterday, Vickerman also mentioned European soccer giants Barcelona as a framework for how a new NBL team could operate.
"I had the opportunity to visit FC Barcelona and I didn't understand what that meant until you go there and see the basketball team, the football team, the handball team, just the whole group…I thought it was outstanding,” he said.
NBL CEO Jeremy Loeliger told SEN that the existing elements of other professional sporting organisations would accelerate the process of instituting a new franchise.
“There’s no doubt if it started from scratch and to build something organically would be a tougher exercise,” he said.
“But if you’ve got an existing social media and marketing team, doctors and physiotherapists and the like, all you’ve got to do is put together a playing list.
“Commercially, it’s much simpler.”
United big man Craig Moller played one game for the Dockers in 2013, before swapping the footy boots for basketball sneakers. Retired Sydney and Collingwood forward Jesse White was also training with Melbourne prior to the season.
Dean Brogan is the only athlete to win an AFL and NBL premiership, tasting success with Port Adelaide in 2004 and the Adelaide 36ers in 1998. He has warned Australia’s premier basketball league about partnering with football clubs, forecasting it could lead to the sports stealing each other’s talent.
"I'd be worried if I was the NBL because the AFL have been known to poach a lot of basketballers and turn them into footy players," Brogan told AAP.
"You'd be pretty nervous about have 12 six-foot-10 athletes running around with the AFL coaches watching pretty closely.
"The big kids who don't get games, I know what they'll be doing. They'd be training them up to be ruckmen, I can guarantee you that.
"It's good from a commercial point of view but I don't want all their big six-foot-10 players playing ruck for Collingwood on a Friday night."