The Illawarra Hawks are sitting atop the NBL ladder after a seriously impressive week, while the South East Melbourne Phoenix are 0-3 and there are calls for some changes to be made. The Adelaide 36ers and Brisbane Bullets are also winless and feeling the pressure. Over in New Zealand, the Breakers are undefeated and may be more open to Tacko Fall than first thought. Olgun Uluc and Peter Hooley break it all down. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Oct 02, 2024•34 min
HoopsFest was a huge success in Perth as NBL25 tipped off across the weekend. Did Adelaide prove they could be in the mix for playoffs? What are the big questions for the Sydney Kings and Brian Goorjian? Is Scott Roth becoming a villain? Are the Brisbane Bullets already showing signs of cracking? Kane Pitman and Olgun Uluc discuss all the key storylines from the weekend while also delivering some breaking news at the back of the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/ad...
Sep 24, 2024•38 min
Welcome from the NBL Blitz! As all teams converge onto Queensland's Gold Coast, ESPN's Olgun Uluc and Pete Hooley take you inside the NBL Blitz 2024 and explain how it feels to be in the hub of NBL! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 10, 2024•1 hr 1 min
The Opals are back on the Olympic podium! In a game that was fitting of the Opals resilient campaign, the team lost the lead early in the fourth quarter before recovering to close out Belgium. Ezi Magbegor was dominant with 30 points, while the key veterans that stood up all tournament came up clutch. Kane and Olgun breakdown the wildly entertaining game and praise a tough group of Opals who worked through adversity to ensure Australia were once again medalists at an Olympic games. Learn more ab...
Aug 12, 2024•37 min
Outside of a short period to end the first quarter, the Opals were comprehensively beaten by Team USA in the Olympic semi final. Kane and Olgun discuss the loss and the challenges now facing the team with a quick turnaround to Sunday’s bronze medal game. Will the loss be difficult to mentally overcome? How does this compare to the semi final loss at the World Cup? Could Australia overcome the potential loss of Steph Talbot? The Lauren Jackson factor? Rotation things to watch? All this and more a...
Aug 10, 2024•21 min
What a difference nine days can make. After starting their campaign with a bad loss to Nigeria, the Opals are now ensured of a place in a medal game at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Australia dominated Serbia from start to finish, behind the dynamic duo of Jade Melbourne and Alanna Smith. Kane and Olgun break down the result, praise the resilience of Melbourne, the physicality of Smith and the squad’s ability to withstand the pressure defence of Serbia. Lauren Jackson, Cayla George and plenty of the ...
Aug 08, 2024•31 min
Leading by 24 points in the first half, the Boomers were unable to sustain the level, falling to Serbia in overtime. Patty Mills and Josh Giddey combined for 51 points on the night, but it wasn’t enough as turnovers and defensive lapses cost the team a place in the semi finals. Kane and Olgun discuss what went wrong after the first 15 minutes, and bounce around a variety of topics on what the result means. Is Patty done? How can Australia find a way to compete against superstar talent? What dire...
Aug 07, 2024•50 min
Tough. Gritty. Courageous. The Opals sent 27,000 French fans home quiet in an iconic Olympic win to punch their place in the Quarter Finals. Kane and Olgun react to the performance, praise Tess Madgen’s leadership, discuss the mental challenges the Opals overcame, Ezi Magbegor steadily improving and plenty more. Australia will now face Serbia on the men’s and women’s side with a win ensuring they will play in a medal game in Paris. How will the Boomers attack Nikola Jokic? Will Matthew Dellavedo...
Aug 05, 2024•37 min
The first half was described as “diabolical” by head coach Brian Goorjian, but a push to reduce the deficit proved pivotal as the Boomers advance to the Quarterfinals after a loss to Greece. Kane and Olgun discuss the rollercoaster game, breakdown a poor first half and identify what changed in the third. How did the Boomers defend Giannis? Why was the offence struggling to function? What is going on with Josh Green? Is Matthew Dellavedova going to be a key rotation player now? Also, what are som...
Aug 02, 2024•48 min
The Opals needed a response desperately and while it wasn’t perfect, they registered their first win at the Olympics. The 70-65 win over Canada keeps their Paris dreams alive and sets up a matchup with host nation France on Monday morning. Kane and Olgun react to the win and particularly the performances of the veteran core. Sami Whitcomb, Cayla Geroge, Marianna Tolo and Steph Talbot all had a big impact on the game, with plenty to discuss when it comes to the rotation. How have the youngsters p...
Aug 02, 2024•32 min
The Boomers fell short against Canada 93-83, with a costly turnover count hurting the green and gold in the second half. Kane and Olgun bring instant reaction, discussing the offensive struggles after the half. Other story lines to surface from the game included Patty Mills being put in the Dorture Chamber, Dante Exum making a positive return, the Dyson Daniels-SGA matchup and rotation patterns from Brian Goorjian. What adjustments could Australia have made? Is there reason for panic ahead of a ...
Jul 31, 2024•35 min
It could hardly have gone any worse. The Opals drop their opener to Nigeria 75-62, committing 26 turnovers and missing 10 free throws in the process. Kane and Olgun try to make sense of the performance, find any positives, and discuss how the team can turn it around and keep their medal hopes alive. Also, the Boomers prepare for Canada as Dante Exum is slated to return in what would be a key boost for the team. How will Exum slot into the rotation? should there be a starting lineup change? How d...
Jul 29, 2024•28 min
Facing demons from the past, the Boomers held of multiple Spain runs to start their Olympic campaign with a 92-80 win. Kane and Olgun break down the huge win, discussing the Josh Giddey and Jock Landale connection, Dyson Daniels and Josh Green on defence and Jack McVeigh’s rollercoaster Olympic debut. They also chat about Brian Goorjian’s motivation tactics, staying cool under pressure and perhaps some points of concern as they now look ahead to Canada. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit po...
Jul 27, 2024•44 min
The Boomers Olympic opener against Spain is just days away with a late injury to Dante Exum producing a potential wrinkle. Kane and Olgun discuss the impact of a potential Exum absence and expanded roles for Matthew Dellavedova, Joe Ingles and Josh Green. Have the Australian coaching staff been adjusting on the fly? Is Dyson Daniels the biggest positive to this point? Josh Giddey and Patty Mills can coexist?! Plus, a lookahead to the matchup with Spain on Saturday night. Learn more about your ad...
Jul 25, 2024•38 min
The 2024 Paris Olympics will feature the most stacked men's basketball tournament in its history, so ESPN's Olgun Uluc and Brian Windhorst run the rule on the big storylines to keep an eye on. The Australian Boomers have a renewed hope despite being in the group of death, Team USA looks unsurprisingly unbeatable, and there are clear medal contenders emerging. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 19, 2024•1 hr 15 min
After a week of questions following squad selection, the Boomers impressed in warm up games against the USA and Serbia. Kane and Olgun break down the big man rotation and address a lack of Duop Reath minutes, praise the emergence of Dyson Daniels and dive into the Patty Mills discussion. Can a lack of volume shooting be overcome? Can the Josh Giddey-Jock Landale pick-and-roll carry the offence? Have we ever followed a story like Jack McVeigh to the NBA? Plenty to discuss on this week’s show. Lea...
Jul 17, 2024•47 min
As Australia announced their squads for the Paris Olympics, the Boomers drew all the headlines with some big names missing out including Matisse Thybulle. Kane and Olgun discuss the final squad after the dust has settled on the initial announcement. Does the makeup make sense? Does the selected team fix problems from the World Cup? Are they able to compete in a loaded Group A with Greece, Canada and Spain? In addition to the questions, the guys praise some of the great stories on the team, inclu...
Jul 08, 2024•44 min
With NBA free agency underway another Australian has been traded, with Josh Green heading to Charlotte. Kane and Olgun break down the news, while also touching on recent transactions involving Dyson Daniels and Josh Giddey. With further cuts looming to the Olympic squad, the guys look at all the big stories from the Boomers camp and what decisions Brian Goorjian is faced with during the Melbourne training camp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 01, 2024•41 min
The road to the Paris Olympics continues to ramp up, with the Boomers dropping their initial 22-man squad. While the entire World Cup squad has been named, who are the players pushing for a spot in the squad? Kane makes a case for Matthew Dellavedova. Olgun makes a case for Jack McVeigh. The young additions to the squad are on the agenda and so is the idea of building a team and rotation that makes sense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 11, 2024•39 min
Island. Defended. In what may have been the greatest NBL Championship series of all time, the Tasmania JackJumpers walked away with the title. From Jack McVeigh's heroics, Scott Roth's sideline genius, Jordan Crawford's scoring outbursts and Will Magnay's toughness, Tasmania got the job done. Kane and Olgun break down everything that went down in the series and discuss the Melbourne perspective after a heartbreaking end to a dominant season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices...
Apr 02, 2024•52 min
Well, that was emphatic. Melbourne United handed Tasmania it's biggest loss of the season, dominating the JackJumpers to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Kane and Olgun break down what went right for Melbourne, what went wrong for Tasmania and what it means for Game 2 and beyond. Will Magnay's minutes, the influence of officiating, MVP progress and the McVeigh vs. Travers matchup. It's all on the agenda and plenty more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 19, 2024•37 min
It all comes down to 40 minutes. Illawarra upset Melbourne and Tasmania steady to down Perth, forcing a pair of Game 3's on Wednesday night. Kane and Olgun name one thing that has surprised them from the series' so far. What happened to Keanu Pinder? How was Marcus Lee suspended? What has happened to Melbourne's defence? How has Sam Froling formed into a dominant force? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 12, 2024•53 min
The final four is set in the NBL, with the Illawarra Hawks outlasting the New Zealand Breakers on Monday night. How did the Hawks win? Should the Breakers feel unlucky? Was this a coming of age moment for Sam Froling? How will the Hawks handle United? Also, Brian Goorjian looks set to re-join the Sydney Kings, as Kane and Olgun ponder why this job would be attractive for the legendary coach. Will local players flock to the Kings to play under Goorj? Finally, Perth and Tasmania are set to tip on ...
Mar 05, 2024•58 min
After an unfortunate pause for the FIBA break, the NBL postseason is ready to launch. Kane and Olgun preview New Zealand vs. Sydney and Illawarra vs. Tasmania. Key matchups, concerns and important storylines are all on the agenda. Should Justin Tatum have won coach of the year? Has the NBL ruined league momentum with the pause into the postseason? How can it be fixed? Did any of Boomers put their hands up for Paris on the weekend? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoi...
Feb 27, 2024•55 min
Brad Newley -- a two-time Olympian who was among the trailblazers for Australians playing professional basketball in Europe -- has made the decision to retire at the conclusion of the 2023-24 NBL season. He sat down with ESPN's Olgun Uluc to talk about the decision, his career, and what lies ahead! Congratulations Newls! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Feb 14, 2024•24 min
With one round to play, one of the Sydney Kings, New Zealand Breakers, Illawarra Hawks or Brisbane Bullets will miss the Play-In tournament. How did the Kings get here? Why have they been unable to stop the skid despite boasting a star studded roster? Which team is in the greatest danger of missing out? Have the Breakers found an easy fix for losing Anthony Lamb? Who is the coach of the year? How should team success factor in to individual awards? Which games are must watch in the final round? K...
Feb 14, 2024•52 min
With two rounds to play, the race for the NBL Play-In Tournament in delicately poised. Can New Zealand withstand the loss of Anthony Lamb? Will Illawarra navigate a four-game gauntlet to end the regular season? Can Sydney find any semblance of their old selves? Where does Brisbane fit in the mix? Kane and Olgun discuss this, before pouring into an interesting weekend for the Perth Wildcats, a massive week for the Opals and Aussies at the NBA trade deadline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...
Feb 08, 2024•52 min
South East Melbourne stunned the Sydney Kings behind a monster Mitch Creek game, but another postseason without Creek seems on the cards. Have the Phoenix wasted the last few years? Illawarra once again nullified Bryce Cotton, but what did the loss mean for the Perth WIldcats in the big picture? Between Dean Vickerman and John RIllie, press conferences are heating up in the road to the postseason, so what is fair game? Did the NBL disrespect Aron Baynes? Finally, the guys get into a debate over ...
Jan 31, 2024•1 hr
A dominant first quarter from the Perth Wildcats set up a big road win that has them within touching distance of Melbourne United for top spot and home court throughout the playoffs. That road win came against the Sydney Kings, but did the defending champs make progress despite the result? What led to Tasmania's dominant win over Melbourne United and with the re-emergence of Will Magnay and Isaac Humphries, could the Boomers big man race get crowded? Plus, Adam Forde's excellent press conference...
Jan 24, 2024•55 min
Tasmania are really difficult to put away. That's a good thing. But....they keep losing close games so what does it all mean? As for the Sydney Kings, did a blow out win over New Zealand re-ignite the faith in the team? Kane and Olgun also look into bounce back seasons for Nathan Sobey and Isaac Humphries, while also looking ahead to this week and discussing with teams are in focus this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jan 15, 2024•48 min
