Basketball On The Internet.

DON'T let my annual NBL Season Preview for News Corporation fool you.

Yes, the team facts and details are as accurate as I could get them and I stand by my predictions.

BUT!

There are a few caveats I don't get to go into in those brief summaries.

Such as how the vagaries of the draw and how playing Wednesday-to-Sunday might impact teams with older legs.

How good might the chemistry be when a team starts losing?

Winning hides a few flaws.

So here's a few additional thoughts you won't find after following the link at the end of this preview.

ADELAIDE 

Can Ebi Ere recapture who he was when he compiled a four-year NBL record of two championships, three grand final series and a trip to the playoffs?

It's an imposing record as the 36ers work to run teams off the floor. It will work too, with extra athleticism coming into the team in the form of Lucas Walker and Nathan Sobey.

This has to be a stand-out year for Mitch Creek too and he's shown he knows it.

Kenyon McNeaill proved his value in NBL company at the Blitz, the 36ers' core is solid, while Matt Hodgson - like Sobey - can make a huge impact right away.

Then there's the coaching of Joey Wright, one of the very best in the business.

The question-marks over the Sixers are how Ere will pull up and what's Plan B when opponents stop the run?

Joey has a habit of getting his teams into the post-season though and their best will again get them there.

CAIRNS 

Signing Mark Worthington and bringing in his veteran savvy and championship-winning qualities shows the Taipans are keen to win now.

He's still got "it" too, as shown by his MVP win at Melbourne United last season.

Everything went right last season though for Aaron Fearne's crew. The imports bought in, the team was on the same page, injuries were largely irrelevant and a terrific season-start acted as the springboard for a Grand Final finish.

It's nearly impossible to look at new U.S. point man Markel Starks and not compare him to Scottie Wilbekin, often unfavourably.

But Starks is a different style of player and his joint win at the Blitz of the Ray Borner Medal (Preseason MVP) shows comparisons serve no purpose.

He is different and the Taipans will be too. The question here is whether the improvement in the teams around them brings them back to the pack.

ILLAWARRA 

They can shoot out the lights, of that there's no doubt. But A.J. Ogilvy brings a serious inside presence too and as a back-up, longtime starter Larry Davidson presents a whole new challenge for opponents.

Two league MVPs in Kevin Lisch and Kirk Penney improve the shooting options and Tim Coenraad is in no hurry to surrender a starting role, making for very healthy competition at the Hawks.

Oscar Forman says he feels as if his career has a new lease of life with the insistence coach Rob Beveridge is putting on shooting the ball - a bit of the old Cal Bruton-style run-gun-have-fun.

It makes for entertaining basketball, Rhys Martin a smart playmaker who will adjust to the quicker ball movement Bevo is demanding.

Kids such as Tony Tolovae also will surprise in a deep team that doesn't have too many weaknesses, provided the shooters are "on".

With so many shooters, it's unlikely to be a big issue.

MELBOURNE 

United landed a cracker point guard in Steve Holt from St Mary's. Then landed on their feet again with NBA veteran Hakim Warrick a huge pick-up.

Warrick will provide the many expected "oo-ah" moments but so too will Chris Goulding and Todd Blanchfield when - apart from everything else they bring - they come out of no-where and throw down put-back dunks.

(Boxing-out 101 - the lost art...)

Warrick is suspect from the stripe though and many teams will resort to putting him there.

How Nate Tomlinson adjusts back in also is pertinent as chemistry - or lack thereof - undermined this outfit last season. Daniel Kickert will be a big factor at the five-spot.

But players such as Majok Majok add a new dimension. An honest hard worker who is better than advertised, he's also the type of teammate who inspires and unites a team.

Imagine that. A united United! 

 

NEW ZEALAND 

Corey Webster is giving New Orleans Pelicans a lot to think about and he would be a huge loss to the defending champions.

That said and their support in getting him into the NBA acknowledged, he may yet be back. But even if not, it opens a door for Reuben Te Rangi to barge through.

Cedric Jackson has lost nothing, Tom Abercrombie, Mika Vukona, Charles Jackson, Shane McDonald, Shea Ili, Everard Bartlett, Tai Wesley, Tai Wynyard, Alex Pledger ... just shout out when you see a weakness.

OK. Charles Jackson is a work-in-progress, that's for sure. He grew in confidence as the Blitz wore on but he equally showed he lacked foul discipline (perhaps Mika could counsel him there...or not) and the issue here will be how big an upside does he present and how long will he take to reach it?

Only Dean Vickerman has that answer but the way Ili and Bartlett played in extended minutes showed they can make a contribution and quickly. And Wesley can be a beast.

PERTH 

The biggest recruit of the off-season was Nathan Jawai - the "Beast of Bamaga" - easily the most physically imposing presence in the entire league.

With Matt Neilsen in the Wildcats coaching staff able to personally mentor him, this has all the hallmarks of a landmark club decision.

The issues for Perth will be fitting everyone in around Jawai. Already in the preseason, we've seen Matty Knight will flourish at the power forward spot. But what does that mean for Shawn Redhage?

He moved to the three spot and while the hardy veteran looks in super shape, he's going to have to defend quicksilver guys such as Creek, Blanchfield, Childress, Abercrombie ... the list goes on.

Redhage is too good a player not to rise to that challenge but it will be tough. Plus import Casey Prather cannot easily slot into the three-spot vacated by Ennis and Daniels.

He's only Jermaine Beal's size and while Beal can keep defences honest, Prather is a slasher. Damian Martin is experiencing soft tissue injuries more regularly. It leaves quite a few rotation and positional riddles for Trevor Gleeson to solve.

 

SYDNEY 

How many guards did the Kings think they needed? Recruiting Steve "The Marksman" Markovic, Rhys "Grand Finals" Carter and then import combo-guard Marcus Thornton means Ben Madgen's departure is well-and-truly covered!

It looked as if that meant Jason Cadee was going to have to settle for a backseat on the bus. Except that was Jase driving the bus with the best performance by a Kings' guard at the Blitz, a gritty tournament-high 30-point game.

But here's the thing. When Sydney's backcourt was fullcourt pressured, the guards were terrible! Now whether that was a skill or a chemistry issue will be revealed as the season unfolds.

So Damian Cotter has question-marks there. Josh Childress' brilliance however will cover a number of flaws and if Tom Garlepp maintains his consistency, Jeromie Hill will be a big plus from the bench.

Julian Khazzouh can enjoy a fruitful season if the ball gets shared and he's not left to find his points on the boards alone. The upside here is big ... but the downside is an abyss.

 

TOWNSVILLE 

Luke Schenscher's leap may be measured horizontally these days but the big fella showed a genuine willingness to haul himself up-and-down the floor at the Blitz.

Brian Conklin's return was a coup for the Crocs and with Schensch, the Big Reds can provide leadership, along with their size and smarts.

Haven't seen enough yet of Jordair Jett to make a fair assessment but he will need to be good, Todd Blanchfield's defection stark, especially when/if Clint Steindl's shot deserts him.

This is a big season for Steindl if he wants to move to the upper echelon in the manner Blanchfield did and he has to rely on more in his game than a swishing triple.

The big surprises will be Nick Kay and Mitch Young who bring genuine energy, effort and enthusiasm to the frontcourt. Mitch Norton and Corey Maynard will have their work cut out against the string of American playmakers.

Shawn Dennis knows every player must perform for the Crocs to get results. That won't happen every night.

PS

I'm not saying the heavy involvement former West Sydney Razorbacks guard Leigh Carlson has in determining callers for the much-anticipated FOX-TV coverage is an issue.

But when you link Derek Rucker and James Harvey to the coverage, you wonder if there isn't a Razorbacks Reunion in the planning stage! (Russell Hinder, don't get too excited...)

 

Online

My full NBL Preview for News Corp: http://bit.ly/1jC8AmA