Giddey: NBL's Huge Role in Aussie Rise

Two-time NBL champion Warrick Giddey has praised the strength of Australian basketball, and believes our local talent is finally getting the recognition it deserves.

Giddey spent 14 seasons with the Melbourne Tigers alongside the likes of Andrew Gaze and Lanard Copeland and, in addition to the 1993 and 1997 titles, had his number six jersey retired by the club.

“I talk about the old days and I think Andrew Gaze and Mark Bradke – players of that calibre – should have had 10-year NBA careers,” Giddey told RSN.

<iframe src="https://omny.fm/shows/nbl-podcasts/warrick-giddey-on-rsn-july-6-2023/embed?style=artwork" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write" width="100%" height="180" frameborder="0" title="Warrick Giddey on RSN - July 6, 2023"></iframe>

“The opportunities Aussies have had over the past five to ten years to go there have been great, and it’s just putting us on the map and shows the talent we’ve got out here.

“They recognise our players, we’re a world force in basketball now and I think every country, including America, is taking us seriously.

“It’s great to see all of those young kids get the opportunity in the NBA which, I’ve been saying for years, they’re capable of doing.”

Giddey’s son, Josh, is one of the leading lights representing Australia in the NBA right now, and looks primed to play a key role in Australia’s upcoming FIBA World Cup campaign.

He’s been named alongside a raft of NBA-based talent, including mainstays Patty Mills and Joe Ingles, and upstarts Dyson Daniels and Jack White.

Plenty of NBL23-based talent will be vying for a place on the plane too, with league MVP and current Washington Wizard Xavier Cooks leading the charge, alongside Keanu Pinder, Sam Froling and Will McDowell-White.

“I’ve been through that squad and there’s unbelievable players,” the Tigers legend said. “The job Brian Goorjian has to whittle it down to 12 – I don’t envy that job.

“For the first time ever we could be leaving NBA players out of the Australian team which is a great problem to have.

“There’s no doubt this team can compete for not only bronze, but the gold medal. On the flipside they could completely miss the finals, because basketball is so strong … Canada will be very loaded and people don’t talk about that, you’ve got Luka [Don?i?] and Giannis [Antetokounmpo] going back to lead their countries.

“The job at hand for the Aussies is going to be huge, but if they can make the top four that’ll be massive.

“We’ve set a precedent now. The expectations from the Australian people is medal or nothing – and I’d imagine that’s the same for the team.”

Australia’s FIBA World Cup campaign opens on August 25 at 6pm AEST against Finland.