Dez wrote:Carlton Blue wrote:Dupp wrote:Id imagine basketball is more the 5th-7th most popular sports in aus. AFL, Rugby League, Netball and Cricket id say definitely ahead. Then probably soccer as well and possible rugby union but not sure on that one.
Incorrect. Basketball has one of the highest participation rates here in Australia.
It has the second highest participation rate in team sports here with just over 1,000,000 active players at present but increasing in the last few years.
Participation rate doesn't mean much, there's bugger all in terms of proper basketball programs that utilize the large participation basketball has.
The AIS is one of the best basketball programs in the world for developing elite basketballers. The reason we don't see talent translate into basketball is 1 very good reason. Australian Rules Football. (AFL) If there was no Australian Rules Football competiton then Australia would be easily the 2nd best basketball nation in the world behind the US.
The requirements for playing AFL which is athleticism, hand eye co-ordination with a ball, sharp 360 movement and agility... means athletes that excel at basketball also excel at AFL... and in Australia most kids grow up playing AFL... and when they have to make a choice choose the AFL over basketball.
Case in point.. Jack Watts... #1 draft pick in the AFL was an elite junior basketballer... one of the best in Australia but chose the AFL. Scott Pendelbury #5 AFL draft pick was an elite basketballer and was offered an AIS scholarship as one of the top basketball talents in Australia... but chose the AFL (And his place in the scholarship ended up going to a guy by the name of Patty Mills instead)
What seperates Australia from the US are pure athletes (like Ben Simmons)... because most of our pure athletes are poached by the AFL. Simmons only chose basketball because his dad played it and he grew up around it otherwise he was a fairly good footballer as well.
The other thing are our elite athletic black athletes all play AFL... guys like Nic Naitanui, Ashley Sampi, Liam Jurrah were all very good basketballers growing up but chose football. We don't see Australian basketballers generally with this athleticism because they get poached by the AFL. It would be like the US team being made up of only whites.
Remember most of these guys are jumping over 6ft 6 guys off grass... and it's not just jumping ability but athleticism and hand eye coordination which is perfect for basketball.
73-9 - GTOAT.
