Clearing the Bench

Watching the drama of the WNBA draft unfold, I was once again reminded how the recruiting period can be one of the most exciting and at the same time, frustrating times as a fan.

It's the feeling, kinda like what I imagine winning the lottery would feel like, when the team that you support announces a signing of some major talent. And when they sign a player that is exactly what the team needs, that's like the feeling you get when you find a pair of basketball shoes in your size. On sale.

But by the same token, sometimes you have to call shenanigans on the decisions your team makes. That is, if you're not already busy banging your head on the nearest solid object.

The Atlanta Dream somehow managed to select an ineligible player with one of their draft picks. With so many people involved in making that decision, if I were a Dream fan, I’d be left wondering how a matter like eligibility escaped their consideration.

Here at home, we don't have a draft. But when free agent season rolls around, eyes immediately start browsing for players to move from the wish list to the shopping cart.

In the WNBL, most players need to hold down a full time job in addition to training and games. In my opinion, it's no small decision for players to make when they sign with a team. So you might hope that clubs would adopt good faith bargaining in their contract negotiations with players.

Because worse than seeing your team miss out on signing good players, is watching your team lose great players. Hard-working players who have sweated, ached and bruised for the team; passionate players who hustled during every possession, every game; loyal players who would not have considered signing anywhere else.

Of course it's nice to chase a major drawcard, someone who can be the face of the team. I just wish clubs would realise that it's just as important to hang onto players who are the heart and soul of the team too.

I imagine it must be disillusioning for players, it's sure as heck frustrating to see as a fan. Because even worse than watching your team lose great players, is seeing these players get shafted by your team.

Player Scout: Kristy Wallace

Although I’ve only had the opportunity to see Kristy Wallace in action a couple of times, she is such an impressive young gun that she had to be the focus of this scout anyway.

Wallace is a talented guard from South Queensland. She has played for Southern Districts Spartans in recent State Championships, and has been instrumental in the success of her team. She has consistently been selected to represent Queensland South in successive Australian Junior Championships. In 2011 she was the second leading scorer of the championships, averaging 19 points per game, as well as 5 rebounds and 3 assists.

This season she is playing with Brisbane Spartans in the South East Australian Basketball League. In their last game she scored 10 points and 5 rebounds in 34 minutes on the court. The Spartans missed her in their opening game of the season in Canberra, as she was down the road at the AIS in camp with the Australian U17 squad in preparation for the FIBA U17 World Championships later this year.

Next week she will be busy with representative commitments once again, controlling the back court for Queensland South at the Australian U18 Championships in Perth. With her emergent leadership skills, her natural decision-making ability, and her solid on-ball defense, she will undoubtedly be one to watch throughout the championships.

If you happen to be in Perth for the U18s, please do me a favour and go check it out. I bet that you will find plenty of material to help me fill this scout. If you can’t make it to Perth this time, don’t worry – you have more opportunity to see her in action. Wallace has a bright future, and she will continue to appear on grander stages, with even more performances well worth scouting.

Into the Game

Every basketball fan enjoys watching elite players perform at the pinnacle of competition. However, I would speculate, not all of those fans would take as much interest in players still in their development stage.  Granted, the spectacular moves may occur a little less often, and the skills may require a little more work, but I still find the game awe-inspiring.

It takes special people to coach at the developmental level; the most remarkable of those can maintain their composure on the bench, to deliver their message clearly, while behaving impeccably towards officials regardless of the score line. After all, the coaches are developing more than just the players’ games, but perhaps shaping their attitudes too.

Few exemplify this more so than Australian U17 Women’s Head Coach Marissa Fillipou. She, along with her team of support staff are working with a fresh young group in preparation for the FIBA U17 World Championships in the Netherlands, in August this year.

It’s an exciting group under her tutelage. There are a number of guards for her selection, each capable of controlling the tempo on the court, and excellent on-ball defenders. She also has good options inside, with height and athleticism in the post, this looks to be a strong pool of candidates.

Beyond the natural talent of these young women, it’s also inspiring to see the way they take to coaching. Coach Fillipou has engineered a well-oiled machine.  The team is dynamic in attack, but still know when to pull out and run their offense. They are solid individual defenders, while their full court press is one of the most cohesive you’ll see.

This team is one illustration of why I find it inspiring to see coaches working with younger players, and helping them grow and develop into the superstars we all love to watch.

If you haven’t yet taken the opportunity to check out developing talent, I strongly suggest that you do, because it’s a game worth getting into.

Player Scout: Natalie Porter

Nat Porter has had an illustrious career in basketball, representing Victoria at National Championships, playing for a number of teams in the WNBL, as well as Italian team Lavezzini Parma, and winning the silver medal at the 2004 Olympics with the Opals. She won the Robyn Maher Defensive Player award for 2002-03, she was named in the WNBL All-Star Five in 2003-04 and 2006-07, and she was named WNBL MVP for 2007-08, when she dominated the league in all statistical categories.

While I admire her achievements, Porter has long been one of my favourite players for more reason than where she’s played.

Porter in action is like poetry in motion. Or like going to a highly anticipated blockbuster, where you expect to be impressed, but are still left speechless so when you turn to your neighbours excitedly to ask whether they saw that too, all you can manage are gulping noises.

Her post moves leave her opponents for dead and her jumpers are silk. And as much as she makes it look effortless with the ball in her hands, away from the ball she is one of the hardest workers you’ll ever see. Flashing, cutting, sealing and resealing, setting screens; always working.

The way she conducts herself on the court is just as flawless. She never gives up on a play, much less a game. She bounces back from injury, because she’s tough as nails. You won’t see her arguing with the referees, and sure as heck not swearing at them. She will not be the player who throws an elbow in anger or frustration. She plays with the spirit of a champion, because that's exactly what she is.

Now she devotes her time off the court to building futures. She coaches young players, and she leads these kids by her example. Not only is she helping them to build their futures, she’s also building the future of Australian basketball. And I couldn’t think of anyone better to do it.

www.npire.com.au

Pick-And-Role Models

There ends another season of the WNBL. You may have noticed all the publicity surrounding women’s basketball. No? Me either. And the little media attention there was, was focused on all the wrong elements. So welcome to my blog, my attempt to draw attention to points in women’s basketball that, in my opinion, deserve to be noticed.

Women’s basketball in Australia is still in rudimentary stages in terms of their fan base, media coverage and general recognition, and advocates are working hard to promote the sport. I applaud them for their efforts. But Basketball Australia in conjunction with the WNBL, are choosing to draw people to the game by marketing marquee players. A different strategy to that which you might find in the States, but all too familiar across any sport in Australia.

Not to say that it hasn’t been successful. When the world’s best player returned to the League, she drew record crowds to both Home and Away games, and signed autographs for hours after each game. For her part, she acted commendably throughout her time in the League.

But we should not base the success of the sport on the popularity of its players. The teams, League, Organisation and the media are bound to find their drawcards in marketable players. This does not necessarily mean they are players who should be touted as the faces of the game.

There are so many admirable qualities of the WNBL. You would rarely find the inebriated, offensive yahoos who get kicked out of footy games; children are encouraged towards a healthy lifestyle by being involved in sport; and teams are continually giving back to the community by raising money at games for charities. Why not promote these aspects, rather than trying to sell tickets on the back of one player who scores 20-plus points per game, but swears at the referees each time a call goes against her?

The future of Australian women’s basketball needs, not marquee players, but Role Models. Players who conduct themselves like champions both on and off the court. Leaders who will shape the culture of the in the game. Women who the world can look up to. These players are my inspiration.