With the NBA still no closer to a resolution over the lockout, many players are upping their interest in playing overseas.  First off, it was the fringe players who sought out deals, realizing that their playing career in the NBA would be most hurt  by the stoppage.

Noting this, recently re-signed Portland Trailblazers guard Patty Mills rejected overtures from Europe to come back to his hometown of Melbourne, Australia to sign with the Melbourne Tigers. Patty Mills could have accepted more money elsewhere, but the idea of playing in his hometown won him over.

Australia’s NBL isn’t a particularly strong league, with crowds ranging between 2,000-5,000, and sometimes more for blockbusters. With the addition of Patty Mills, a growth in crowd numbers of around 20% per game would not be out of the question, which would result in a win for the league.

The ‘Crown Jewel’ of Australian Basketball is by far Andrew Bogut. The former No. 1 overall pick has flourished in Milwaukee, and his success has led to increased coverage in his home country. Whilst Andrew would love to play in the NBL during the lockout, there is one major hurdle – his insurance.

With Andrew due to make around $40 million over the next three seasons, he wants to make sure his insured in the case that he goes down due to injury. The insurance figure alone is $500,000.  This has scared off many teams, leaving primarily the Sydney Kings doing the most wooing.

I don’t think think the salary paid to Bogut during his NBL stint is the major factor, but more-so the clubs facilities and ambitions. With the Sydney Kings operating in the biggest market in Australia, this could be the deciding point.

The interest in playing in Asutralia’s national league doesn’t just stop at the two Australians. Patty Mills’ Portland teammate Wesley Matthews recently had a twitter exchange with Patty about whether there’s room down there for him. However, with only two teams holding spots for imports on their rosters, the move seems unlikely.

Now, a new player has emerged – Bogut’s Milwaukee teammate Brandon Jennings. Jennings recently tweeted the following:

“Seriously thinking about going to Australia to play with @AndrewMBogut………..”

“I’ll come to Australia if @AndrewMBogut let me borrow couple cars while i’m out there….”

While you can’t read too much into the tweets, it certainly opens up the possibility, especially with Andrew Bogut driving the move. However, a club would have to move its current import for him if it were interested.

The NBA lockout certainly has afforded opportunities to many overseas leagues and fans to see the best talent in basketball, and it appears Australia is one of many who will be in luck.

With Patty Mills Signed, Will Andrew Bogut Follow To The NBL? from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

For those players who make the cut and are offered a job in the CBA or NBL (one level lower than the CBA), they can look forward to lavish lifestyles of $20,000+ per month, living expenses paid for, and a league looking for guys who can bang it down low and take control of the block.  The NBA has taken notice of the extreme growth of basketball in China and has begun to establish a stronger presence in the country.  Kobe Bryant’s jersey sells like hot cakes there.  But just maybe, not everything is peaches and cream for Americans who decide to cross the Pacific to get paid.

According to Dan Levin of the New York Times,

American players and agents describe broken contracts, unpaid wages, suspicions of game-fixing and rising resentment toward foreign players. Several players have left China after failing to receive paychecks. Last month, the league announced that it lost $17 million last season, which ended in May.

In the article, Levin also discusses the possibility of games being fixed in the CBA.  As an agent, I hate to hear that there would be any fixing or bribery occurring, but would have even more concern about the possibility of my players not being paid on their contracts.  It is a lot harder to litigate against a CBA team for failing to make good on a contract than an American team in an American court of law.  Just something to consider before you pack your client’s bags on a one-way trip to Beijing.

High Priced China from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Firstly, Patrick Mills. At the time of writing, Patrick Mills is averaging 19.8 points in 31 minutes, not to mention a healthy 2.3 assists per game. The guard currently is a sophomore at St Marys, and to say he is integral in their team is an understatement. However, it was in the Olympics where Pat made a name for himself. Being the only NCAA player in the tournament, he held his own against the more experienced US team, scoring 20 points with 2 steals. So good was Mills, he received glowing reviews from Team USA, with Chris Paul having this to say about him:
“Man, he’s fast. I read something that says he’s faster than me. They’re probably right. He can move.” [Source]
If Patrick Mills keeps up his consistency then there is no reason why he can’t be a solid first round pick. Draft Express currently have him ranked 15th in their mock draft.

Next up is AJ Ogilvy, playing for Vanderbilt. The sophomore is averaging over 15 points and 7 rebounds in 27 minutes. However, it was his rookie season where he really shined, with his outstanding skills making him a potential first round pick. AJ had a stellar Under 19 Championships and this was highlighted by his excellent field goal percentage. He plays with such passion and intensity that when under the ring he truly makes his position known. He is currently ranked 16th in Draft Express’ mock draft.

Fans of NCAA basketball will probably know the previously mentioned players quite well, but there may be a third player still playing in the Australian NBL that might sneak into the second round, and that player is Joe Ingles. The small forward shot into calculations from his rookie season playing for the South Dragons. Although “Jingles” as he is often coined, could have opted to nominate for the last draft, he chose to try and improve his skills in the same league that Nathan Jawai got drafted from. Jingles did not see a lot of game time during the Olympics, but he played well and this could lead to him being a potential pick. He can do everything and has a great basketball mind with the ability to read plays well. He is projected at 24 on Draft Express’ mock draft.

Australian basketball certainly has a bright future. With Andrew Bogut recently signing a lucrative long term deal with Milwaukee and Nathan Jawai about to start with Toronto, hopefully these three will become a welcome addition to an NBA team next season. Whilst the national league is in dire need of an overhaul, there are hundreds of Aussies at colleges all over America. The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) has done a great job in educating and training these players to become professionals and is doing everything to ensure that their full potential is being realized.

NBA = National Basketball…Australia? from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules