NBL CEO Jeremy Loeliger scours United States for ‘Next Stars’

[Nergal]

 

THE Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit are two events in the United States that NBA scouts salivate over.

Over the years, both events — the Classic in New York City; the Hoop Summit in Portland, Oregon — have attracted some of the best junior talent from across the world, but particularly from around the U.S.

That’s why it’s the perfect location for scouts to get a close look at some of the up-and-coming talent, and also why it was the ideal place for Jeremy Loeliger to be.

The NBL’s CEO has been tasked with the recruiting effort for the league’s new ‘Next Stars’ initiative, a program that will see NBA Draft eligible athletes — hand-picked by an NBL-selected panel of ‘experts’ — contracted by the league, before being entered into a pool, and allocated to teams.

For Loeliger, his trips abroad have been to educate the potential players on the initiative, with an eye toward developing enough of a relationship with those athletes to recruit them to Australia’s league.

“They were two very different events,” Loeliger told foxsports.com.au.

“The Hoop Summit was really eye-opening, just in terms of the calibre of talent that’s out there at the moment. Both the U.S. team and the World team were interesting, but for the World team to beat the U.S. team for the first time in a long time was really significant.

“The talent on that roster is really exciting. To see out own Josh Green running around out there, and being a significant contributor to that World team’s victory was really promising.”

A high school player’s decision to attend college has a number of facets to it, all leading toward that teenager ultimately becoming a professional.

For Loeliger, the educational part of his trip was just as important as the recruitment portion, with the NBL’s lead executive learning the ins and outs of high school basketball in the U.S.

“For me, it was getting to understand how that high school system worked a little bit better, and how kids went from AAU, to being college players to being pro’s,” Loeliger said.

“It was about getting to understand the dynamic of the many, many stakeholders who claim to have an interest in these kids; and I say ‘claim’. Some of them have bona fide interest, while some purport to be the gatekeepers.

“Everyone who’s ever met these kids seem to have an interest, and have their hand out once these athletes get to a point where it becomes apparent that they’re going to become a commercial and professional success. That was very interesting; navigating those waters.”

For Loeliger, the key is informing the junior players and their respective families about the ‘Next Stars’ program, and why it’s a viable alternative to NCAA basketball.

Whether the teenager has academic issues that may stop him from playing college basketball, or he simply has the desire to become a professional earlier than is traditionally done, Loeliger has been making the NBL’s case, and is confident there’s significant interest.

“Absolutely there’s an appetite. Absolutely,” Loeliger said.

“I think there are some genuine first round locks who would be interested in coming to the NBL. We’ve had a number of people come to us, of maybe roll-the-dice second round picks.

“You have to work a little bit harder to get the word out to those kids who are definitely going to go first round. Having spread the word, having made some of the right connections, and getting the right people to advocate for us, has gone a long way. Now, we’re having conversations with some really significant talent who will have an impact on the 2019 draft.”

The Sydney Kings’ signing of Andrew Bogut has had an implicit effect on Loeliger’s recruitment effort, with the former NBA big-man adding another air of legitimacy to the NBL.

The prospect of playing in a league that now features an NBA-calibre centre has, according to Loeliger, led to more and more people reach out to him to ask about the initiative.

“I know it has already made a difference,” Loeliger said of Bogut’s arrival to the NBL.

“I’ve been getting messages from the handlers, agents, mentors of these kids, saying congratulations on the Bogut announcement: “hey, we need to have another conversation when you’re ready.”

“It certainly has had an impact already. Terrance’s year here at Adelaide had an incredible impact. And, the quality of the Grand Final series had a strong impact as well, and I was surprised at how many people said to me, while I was there, that they tuned in and watched; particularly coaches and scouts, who have been talking about what a Finals series it was.

“Word is spreading. If we can get a couple of the right athletes in this first ‘Next Stars’ initiative, that’ll really build momentum for futures years.”

High school in the U.S. finishes at the end of May, so Loeliger isn’t expected any players to commit to the program before that time.

June is the most likely to be the ‘active period’, according to Loeliger, so, once most of the potential athletes are in a position to make a decision, we should be set for some announcements in due time.

Until then, Loeliger will continue to advocate for the program, with the hopes it excels and continues the NBL’s meteoric rise up the totem pole of Australian sport.