Hall of Famer Bob Turner on NBL expansion issues & the 90's era Sydney Kings

After a great podcast last month with FIBA and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Lindsay Gaze which reflected on the early years of the NBL from a Victorian perspective, we decided to get a New South Wales point of view by interviewing NBL Hall of Famer Bob Turner.

Turner came to Australia in 1976 to play with the Shoalhaven Tigers in the NSW State League and was appointed player/coach of the Newcastle Falcons when the NBL debuted in 1979.

Bob was instrumental in the growth of the NBL helping establish NBL teams in Newcastle, Canberra, Sydney and Singapore.

Read more about Bob Turner's role in the growth of the NBL.

Topics discussed on the podcast include;

• Will we see a new NBL team before next season? (2:00)
• How did Bob Turner spend his time in 1979 helping to grow the NBL as a part of the Newcastle Falcons (11:00)
• Juggling the role of a player coach in the NBL (14:30)
• Phil Smyth, Herb McEachin and winning back to back titles with the Canberra Cannons in 1983-84 (17:30)
• Promoting the 1988 tour of the Soviet Men's national team and what it meant to the Boomers development (26:00)
• What it took to put basketball on the map in Sydney in the 80's and 90's (31:00)
• Looking at the Sydney Kings season this year, what should the be doing to turn things around (37:00)
• Secrets to marketing NBL teams (44:00)
• Memories of coaching stars like Dwayne McClaine, Leon Trimmingham and Dean Uthoff (52:00)
• How the Singapore Slingers are one of the biggest success stories that no one knows about (57:30)
• The difficulty of expanding the NBL and what would be the best way to introduce new teams into the league? (106:00)
• Who was the one player that Bob always wanted to bring to the Sydney Kings that he was never able to (117:00)

 

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, 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

NBA Stars Past & Present - 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 [e-mail]