During his NBL career, Mee was regarded as the best defensive player in the league. When he retired he had won more NBL Best Defensive Player awards than anyone in league history.
He was selected to the NBL's First Team in 2001 and 2005 and represented Australia in FIBA's Oceania Championships in 2007, successfully helping the Boomers qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games.
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Topics discussed on the podcast include;
Darnell shares what he's been doing since retiring from the NBL (2:00)
Thoughts on Lamelo Ball and RJ Hampton skipping college for the NBL and his own advice to his son on college basketball (6:30)
His experiences playing college basketball at Western Kentucky (9:00)
He becomes the 34th pick in the 1993 NBA draft (14:00)
His rookie season with the Denver Nuggets and upsetting the Seattle Supersonics, becoming the first #8 seed to ever defeated a #1 seed in the NBA playoffs (19:00)
Sharing stories on his Denver Nuggest teammates, Dikembe Mutumbo, Rodney Rogers, Laphonso Ellis, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (23:00)
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf's decision to not stand for the national anthem and how it impacted the team (25:30)
Stories from playing against John Stockton, Gary Payton, Jimmy Jackson and Stacey Augmon (35:00)
Why his time in the NBA was cut short after two seasons (40:00)
Arriving in Australia to play for the Canberra Cannons (46:00)
His approach to playing defence and how to defend Andrew Gaze in is prime (52:00)
Winning his first NBL championship with Adelaide in 1998 (59:00)
The journey to repeat as NBL champions in 1999 (111:00)
Darnell's describes his relationship with Kevin Brooks (113:00)
Finishing his career with Cairns and Wollongong (1:16:00)
Playing for the Australian Boomers and mentoring a young Patty Mills (1:18:00)
Darnell's toughest challenge and fondest memories from his career (1:22:00)
All of this and a whole lot more...
Listen to our previous interviews with the biggest stars in Australian Basketball, head to Aussiehoopla.com. Check out previous podcasts featuring;
Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Brad Newley
Current NBL Stars - Kevin Lisch, AJ Ogilvy, Damian Martin, Daniel Kickert, Thomas Abercrombie, Jason Cadee, Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Mitch McCarron, Cam Gliddon
Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Phil Smyth, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole
NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti, Ryan Broekhoff
The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Mike Mitchell, Darnell Mee, Isaac Burton, Shawn Redhage, Willie Farley, Al Green, Corey "Homicide" Williams, Andre Moore, Steve Woodberry, Mike Mitchell, Dusty Rychart
And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chuck Harmison, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner
All that and much more. Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and email at info@aussiehoopla.com
Benny Lewis played 250 games in the NBL and was one of the most potent scorers of the 1980s. He arrived in the NBL in 1981 for Illawarra and averaged 20.5 points per game, he then played the majority of his career with the Coburg Giants before they moved to North Melbourne. His best season coming in 1984 when he averaged 31 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists and he continued to light up the league until 1990 averaging 23 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists for his career.
He joins the podcast to talk about the current state of the NBL, his time playing in college and what it was like to play in Australia during the NBL's "tin shed era".
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Get 5% off NBA tickets with promo code HOOPLA5 from US Sports Tickets
Sign up for Ian Stacker's All-Star Shooting Program
Topics discussed on the podcast include;
Thoughts on the current NBL product (1:30)
RJ Hampton chosing New Zealand over the NCAA (7:00)
Why he chose to create the Central Basketball Association and running the Fort Wayne Flite (9:00)
Stops at North Carolina State and Tennessee State (16:00)
How he was found his way to Australia and the huge impact of St Kilda's Rocky Smith on NBL basketball in the 1980s (19:00)
Why Melbourne has always developed the best basketball players (23:00)
Which team was better in the 1980s... Adelaide, Brisbane or Canberra? (26:00)
His career playing for Illawarra, Coburg, St Kilda, North Melbourne and South Melbourne (30:00)
What is was like playing in the NBL during the "tin shed era" (42:00)
Career highlights, toughest opponents and biggest hurdles during his NBL career (101:00)
All of this and a whole lot more...
Listen to our previous interviews with the biggest stars in Australian Basketball, head to Aussiehoopla.com. Check out previous podcasts featuring;
Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Brad Newley
Current NBL Stars - Kevin Lisch, AJ Ogilvy, Damian Martin, Daniel Kickert, Thomas Abercrombie, Jason Cadee, Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Mitch McCarron, Cam Gliddon
Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Phil Smyth, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole
NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti
Aussie Basketballers Abroad - Ryan Broekhoff, Brock Motum, Jack White, Ben Madgen, Clint Stiendl, Ater Majok, Rhys Carter, Clint Stiendl
The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Mike Mitchell, Terry Dozier, Isaac Burton, Shawn Redhage, Willie Farley, Al Green, Corey "Homicide" Williams, Andre Moore, Steve Woodberry
And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chuck Harmison, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner
All that and much more. Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and email at info@aussiehoopla.com
A quick look around what's happening in the Australian basketball scene this week
Get 20% off custom designed uniforms with promo code HOOPLA20 from CA Sports
Get 5% off NBA tickets with promo code HOOPLA5 from US Sports Tickets
Sign up for Ian Stacker's All-Star Shooting Program
Listen to our previous interviews with the biggest stars in Australian Basketball, head to Aussiehoopla.com. Check out previous podcasts featuring;
Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Brad Newley
Current NBL Stars - Kevin Lisch, Rotnei Clark, AJ Ogilvy, Damian Martin, Daniel Kickert, Thomas Abercrombie, Jason Cadee, Stephen Holt, Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Mitch McCarron, Cam Gliddon
Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Phil Smyth, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole
NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti
Aussie Basketballers Abroad - Ryan Broekhoff, Brock Motum, Jack White, Ben Madgen, Clint Stiendl, Ater Majok, Rhys Carter, Clint Stiendl
The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Mike Mitchell, Terry Dozier, Isaac Burton, Shawn Redhage, Willie Farley, Al Green, Corey "Homicide" Williams, Andre Moore
And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chuck Harmison, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner
All that and much more. Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and email at info@aussiehoopla.com
Dusty Rychart joins the podcast to talk about winning the NBL championship in 2007 as a part of a Brisbane Bullets team still considered to be the greatest NBL team of all-time.
The team featured Dusty and fellow import Ebi Ere, current Australian National team members Sam MacKinnon, CJ Bruton, Mark Bradtke and Stephen Black as well as future Boomers stars like Adam Gibson and Chris Goulding.
New Zealand national team member Dillon Boucher was also part of the squad, as was Daniel Egan, Brad Williamson and Michael Hill.
In fact the team featured 10 players who would have 10+ year NBL careers, a feat never achieved before or since.
Dusty also discusses his career playing for teams in Victoria, Adelaide, Illawarra and Cairns.
Get 20% off custom designed uniforms with promo code HOOPLA20 from CA Sports
Get 5% off NBA tickets with promo code HOOPLA5 from US Sports Tickets
Sign up for Ian Stacker's All-Star Shooting Program
Topics discussed on the podcast include;
The impact players feel when retiring from professional sport (5:30)
Making the University of Minnesota as a walk on (9:00)
Growing up in Minnesota (15:00)
Remember all of the NBL imports like Adam Ballinger, Dave Thomas and Kevin Braswell he faced during his college years (16:30)
Comparing Dusty to the other imports during the NBL in the 2000's (17:30)
Flirtation with the NBA (19:00)
Arriving in the NBL a few inches shorter than advertised (21:00)
First season playing for the Victoria Giants (24:00)
Playing for the Adelaide 36ers (29:00)
Why he is jealous of NBL players today (31:00)
Winning a championship with the Brisbane Bullets, perhaps the greatest team in NBL history (34:00)
Why the Brisbane Bullets weren't back to win back to back championships (39:00)
Leaving Brisbane to play for Illawarra and Cairns (42:00)
The difference between playing for Phil Smyth and Joey Wright (47:00)
The biggest obstacle Dusty faced during his career (49:00)
All of this and a whole lot more...
Listen to our previous interviews with the biggest stars in Australian Basketball, head to Aussiehoopla.com. Check out previous podcasts featuring;
Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Brad Newley
Current NBL Stars - Kevin Lisch, AJ Ogilvy, Damian Martin, Daniel Kickert, Thomas Abercrombie, Jason Cadee, Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Mitch McCarron, Cam Gliddon
Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Phil Smyth, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole
NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti
Aussie Basketballers Abroad - Ryan Broekhoff, Brock Motum, Jack White, Ben Madgen, Clint Stiendl, Ater Majok, Rhys Carter, Clint Stiendl
The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Mike Mitchell, Terry Dozier, Isaac Burton, Shawn Redhage, Willie Farley, Al Green, Corey "Homicide" Williams, Andre Moore, Steve Woodberry
And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chuck Harmison, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner
All that and much more. Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and email at info@aussiehoopla.com