Brayden Heslehurst: WNBL needs a presence too
TweetBRISBANE-based B.O.T.I. correspondent BRAYDEN HESLEHURST joins says the city needs a women's national presence just as much as a Bullets team.
ALL the talk surrounding professional basketball making its way back to Brisbane has surrounded a return to the NBL but the absence of any talk about a WNBL team continues to amaze me.
After the demise of the Logan Thunder at the end of last season, one of the richest talent areas in the country is also without a women's team.
An area which has produced numerous stars in the past and where a number of talented juniors call home has no place for the best female players in Queensland's capital to go.
When the NBL was aligned with Basketball Australia it didn't seem much or any progress was made in bringing a Brisbane NBL team back to the competition and it appears the same with the WNBL.
There have been rumours a Brisbane NBL return would include a women's team as well, but nothing concrete has been released or made public by the groups vying for a license.
But for me it all comes down to the governing bodies in Basketball Australia and Basketball Queensland making it a priority, just as the NBL has, to bring a team back to southeast Queensland.
Especially with the WNBL making steps in the right direction this season, which tipped-off on the weekend with several WNBA stars deciding to make the journey down under, the most notable being Dandenong Rangers recruit Cappie Pondexter.
But the competition has also welcomed back a number of Australian stars including Lauren Jackson, Belinda Snell and Elizabeth Cambage before she went down with a serious Achilles injury on tour with the Opals.
Although the Thunder didn't enjoy much success, only making it to the playoffs once in their existence, it's not like there is a lack of talent in the Brisbane area to complete a competitive outfit with the additions of a couple of star recruits.
The Brisbane Lady Spartans, consisting of mostly juniors from the Brisbane area, along with South Australian junior and Melbourne WNBL forward Olivia Thompson, as well as former Thunder and New Zealand international Natalie Taylor, only this year took out the SEABL Championship.
Players such as young guard and former AIS scholarship holder Tiana Mangakahia, former Thunder WNBL player and SEABL grand final MVP Odette Andrew among others I'm sure would jump at the chance to play professionally in their home town.
Two-time SEABL championship coach Donna Rinaldi has the credentials to jump straight into the job if the opportunity arose.
Speaking to people around the basketball community in Brisbane, the majority want a WNBL team and would love to see a back-to-back game night format, similar to what the Adelaide 36ers and Lightning have done recently.
Just something for the bid groups AND Basketball Australia to think about.
Throw me some feedback by email to braydenheslehurst@yahoo.com.au .
*Brayden Heslehurst has been playing basketball for nearly 20 years since starting as a junior at Southern Districts Spartans (Brisbane) and Sturt Sabres (Adelaide). He played four years in the SEABL program with the Brisbane Spartans in the senior and reserves team, has coached rep and school basketball in Brisbane and been a sports journalist with NewsCorp’s Quest Community Newspapers since October, 2011.*