Sponsored by:
Specialising in Action, Team and Portrait Photography.
---
Advertising opportunities available.
Please contact me.
---
Brad BA's new 'shot doctor'
TweetBRAD Davidson was a hard-nosed, tough-as-teak nugget of a basketball player but also one of the most talented Mildura has ever turned out.
No, he never played as if, at 182cm and 78kg, he had a chip on his shoulder.
But then, if, for example, Paul Rees wanted to use him as his own personal surfboard in a game, or he suspected his own team needing some firing up, Davo was quite happy to take matters into his own hands.
He even got under the skin of the usually unflappable Brett Maher on one occasion, ironic then they should finish their careers together at the Adelaide 36ers.
While Maher has now taken his first tentative steps into State League coaching by signing at Sturt Sabres, Davidson, after steering West Adelaide Bearcats and Norwood Flames, is heading for Canberra as “National Shooting Coach and Talent identification Manager.”
Davidson, 39, will work in close consultation with national coaches Andrej Lemanis (Boomers) and Brendan Joyce (Opals) at the Centre of Excellence – though the Church of England is still considering legal action over naming rights to the CoE – and also get out to the various state high performance managers.
He starts on January 6 and although never known as a shooter – more as a playmaker and defensive specialist (in this instance, NOT a euphemism for “can’t shoot”) – Davidson was a 40.1 per cent three-point shooter.
That was across a 393-game NBL career with the Crocodiles, Taipans, Pirates, Slingers and 36ers.
“Obviously they looked at my record and said: ‘We must get him involved’,” Davidson joked today during an interview for the News Corp story.
BA CEO Kristina Keneally was quick off the mark to let me know my information she would bypass Saturday’s formal meeting with the SEABL was erroneous.
She will, in fact, be attending.
I slouch corrected.
Only wish she’d been as quick to respond to my extended observations about BA’s perceived (and real) inactivity in terms of bringing that great “best kept secret” – a.k.a the 32-year-old WNBL – into the public eye sometime before we’re all pushing daisies.
Not that the SEABL would have any concerns about the magnificent coverage BA is getting for its primary elite league nationwide.
By the way, here’s a snippet from a former NBL GM who said at one meeting with BA – back in the day – the federation’s representative suggested the clubs play less games so they would lose less money.
Yup. That’s what’s wrong with our sport. Too many frickin’ games!
As someone recently (e)mailed me: The problem with our sport now is those in control are administrators, not developers.
LOVING all the hype basketball indirectly is getting from speculation about Dante Exum’s future.
Channel 10’s report from the national schoolboys champs today even trotted out no less an NBA luminary than, um, Steve Carfino, even though the story said Dante was taking advice from Luc Longley.
What? Luc’s phone was on silent?
At least the graphic under Carfino as he made his incisive comments showed Ten’s usual sense of humor.
Online
