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Post by Walt Singer on Apr 17, 2019 16:26:19 GMT
Achara and Wells are retiring at the end of this season.
Tuck, Defoe and Thomson are already playing fewer minutes for their teams as age catches up with them and they will surely be retiring fairly soon also.
That's 5 Brits, all Forward/Centres, and all important to their clubs through their play, leadership, and experience, who will exit the BBL. You could possibly add Fluornoy to that list too, he can't go on forever.
How is the BBL and the individual clubs going to adapt to this change? Can we expect any British big men to step up from the EBL? Any candidates who might return from playing abroad? Any young Brits leaving college who could be BBL standard? Or will clubs have to sign more bigs from Europe or the US?
Would like to hear folks' thoughts.
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Post by interestedridersfan on Apr 17, 2019 16:36:18 GMT
Shane Walker will be back at some stage
Some of those names above had/have bags of experience and are streetwise
Riders had a big young Brit at the end of last season. Forget his name now. I heard he had very little basketball IQ though and hence Roders released him. Maybe five years from now he develops into a more valuable big man?
What were Tuck, Thomson and Defoe like when they first started?
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Post by MansfieldMike on Apr 17, 2019 16:42:20 GMT
I think you're referring to Chris Tawiah.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2019 17:50:57 GMT
Mo William's is proving a good British big man for Surrey, I didn't expect him too so that's a good point.
That 7 footer from Ipswich has been stateside for 1 year, thats usually as long as they last coming from Ipswich so maybe hell be back.
Will Harrison Gamble finally step up and be a bigger player minute wise?
Could Jack Crook return?
Theres a Plymouth Lad (Tom Elliot-Smith) finishing his degree in America this summer, a 6'8 small forward, I'd like to see him play.
Lee Hodges (Sorry Hersey) may step up to a BBL club
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Post by saintpat on Apr 17, 2019 21:53:43 GMT
Mo Williams would be a great addition to any BBL team if he was fit enough to last a game. He's got a good skill set but he's overweight.
Depending how Brexit finally finishes, it's possible that there could be some British players finding that the BBL is their best option so that might add to the big man pool.
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Post by sussexbantam on Apr 18, 2019 7:52:10 GMT
I've enjoyed watching Mo Williams for the second half of this season. He isn't fit enough or strong enough in honesty but the Scorchers were so missing a big man in the early part of the year he has certainly made a difference.
I guess it must be about time for Jordan Williams to come home again. Wouldn't be surprised to see him pitch up in London somewhere next year.
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Post by connors on Apr 18, 2019 10:19:49 GMT
With the way basketball is going in general there is a lot less focus on the traditional big man skills in my opinion that will only exacerbate this situation going forward.
At elite level it is pretty clear that traditional 4s and 5s are becoming much thinner on the ground and this is bound to trickle down to the lower echelons of the game.
You can understand if you are a budding young talent in your teens you want a well rounded game. Height wise a big in the BBL could easily be a 2 in the euroleague let alone NBA.
I saw a very good county cup final recently that featured multiple NBL players on both sides but the MVP was the defensive minded, more traditional big on the winning team. His rim protection, rebounding, screen setting and more rudimentary offense was the difference between the 2 teams. There is still room for such players and I hope that the pendulum swings back in that direction a little because I don't want to watch basketball that only has wings running 5 out offenses personally!
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Hector
Bench Player
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Post by Hector on Apr 18, 2019 11:05:39 GMT
Mo William's is proving a good British big man for Surrey, I didn't expect him too so that's a good point. That 7 footer from Ipswich has been stateside for 1 year, thats usually as long as they last coming from Ipswich so maybe hell be back. Will Harrison Gamble finally step up and be a bigger player minute wise? Could Jack Crook return? Theres a Plymouth Lad (Tom Elliot-Smith) finishing his degree in America this summer, a 6'8 small forward, I'd like to see him play. Lee Hodges (Sorry Hersey) may step up to a BBL club
Lee Hodges was quietly impressive when I saw Essex play Solent earlier in the year.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2019 11:44:25 GMT
Mo William's is proving a good British big man for Surrey, I didn't expect him too so that's a good point. That 7 footer from Ipswich has been stateside for 1 year, thats usually as long as they last coming from Ipswich so maybe hell be back. Will Harrison Gamble finally step up and be a bigger player minute wise? Could Jack Crook return? Theres a Plymouth Lad (Tom Elliot-Smith) finishing his degree in America this summer, a 6'8 small forward, I'd like to see him play. Lee Hodges (Sorry Hersey) may step up to a BBL club
Lee Hodges was quietly impressive when I saw Essex play Solent earlier in the year.
. Every time I checked he had a double double, gotta say stat wise it seems like his best season to date |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2019 12:33:17 GMT
Yeah, Lee had a great year. Maybe it was the name change or maybe he had a real coach who can handle big men. But he's 30, he has a job and is at uni. Whether or not he's with us, he has made a decision to concentrate on real life rather the eeking out an existence on a bbl bench.
I guess Zak has come to the same conclusion. As a starter in the greatest Leopards II team of all time, I wish him luck.
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