Australian basketball great Chris Anstey believes the continued growth of his sport within the country should include a team from Tasmania in the coming years.
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In Devonport next week as the guest speaker at the North-West Thunder's Run as One Ball, the former NBA draftee and two-time NBL most valuable player said the state's ever-growing list of talented junior players would benefit from having a home team they could play for.
Anstey is no stranger to playing in Tasmania, having made the trip south across Bass Strait for three seasons to play against the Hobart Devils while playing for the Melbourne Tigers and South-East Melbourne Magic in his early days.
"Both in Australia and globally, the sport is going through a fantastic phase of growth at present," Anstey said.
"Without knowing anything about the economics, that's outside of my realm, I would love to see a Tasmania side back in the league - it used to be one of my favourite trips.
"Tassie has produced some great talent for the NBL over the years, and I've had my finger on the pulse more recently with some of the juniors players in Tasmania at underage championship level.
Tassie has produced some great talent for the NBL over the years, and I've had my finger on the pulse more recently with some of the juniors players in Tasmania at underage championship level.
- Chris Anstey
"I'd love to see them get the opportunity to play NBL in their own state."
Fueling the growth of the game in Australia has been a vibrant national competition, which is set to introduce a new team (South East Melbourne Phoenix) next season.
Tasmania is already dipping its toe in the water through its inclusion into the New Zealand NBL this season with the Southern Huskies.
Anstey said while the resources tipped into the NBL have been great, being able to sustain them in the long-term will be the key ingredient.
"I don't think the growth of the league is too quick - you can never have a quick enough rise in attendance and viewership - but most people will tell you that the last piece they need to get right is sustainability," he said.
"Larry Kestelman (NBL executive director) has been fantastic and has invested a lot of money but people who own the clubs, while seemingly being well off, don't make money by losing money.
There needs to be a sustainable model in place that encourages the owners and players to stay and not come and go.
- Chris Anstey
"There needs to be a sustainable model in place that encourages the owners and players to stay and not come and go.
"My hope in Tasmania is that they have the right people with the right intent driving it, but I've known Anthony Stewart for a long time and know he could be successful at NBL level and I've had a bit to do with Steve Old on the steering committee and know he can do great things as well."
After retiring from the game in 2010, Anstey turned his hand to coaching and was in charge at Melbourne for two full seasons before stepping down just one game into the 2014-15 campaign.
He is now involved in coaching at Caulfield Grammar and with the Australian under 19 men's team, along with helping out in a development role at NBL1 club Dandenong, where his daughter Isobel plays.
Anstey said the new NBL1 competition has become an important stepping stone for emerging players.
"The WNBL season is short and the NBL1 competition gives the girls in particular an opportunity to play a lot more basketball and for the young up and coming players to be seen," Anstey said.
"It's the same with the men's competition - they are getting exposure in a high-level competition and it keeps them in the country.
"It also gives our local coaches a chance to develop - we're often looking overseas and the opportunity for our coaches to develop here and push for NBL coaching jobs is important."
