The National Basketball League (NBL) is a men's professional basketball league in Australasia, currently composed of ten teams: nine in Australia and one in New Zealand. It is the premier professional men's basketball league in Australia and New Zealand.
Andrew Barry Casson Gaze is an Australian former professional basketball player and coach. He played 22 seasons in the National Basketball League (NBL) with the Melbourne Tigers from 1984 to 2005, winning the league's MVP award seven times and winning the scoring title 14 times. He also guided the Tigers to two NBL championships, in 1993 and 1997, and was named an All-NBL First Team member for a record 15 consecutive years. Gaze has been described as one of the greatest players Australia has ever produced.
The Adelaide 36ers are an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL). The 36ers are the only team in the league representing the state of South Australia and are based in the state's capital of Adelaide. The club was originally called the Adelaide City Eagles when they joined the NBL in 1982, but changed their name to the 36ers the following year. The 36ers nickname comes from the fact that the Colony of South Australia was officially proclaimed on 28 December 1836. Since 2019, the 36ers play their home games at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
The National Basketball League Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual National Basketball League (NBL) award given since the league's inaugural season to the best performing player of the regular season. As of the 2023–24 season, coaches and captains from each team, and a panel of experts, vote for the MVP. The votes are collated and the individual with the most votes at the end of the regular season is awarded the Most Valuable Player. The winner receives the Andrew Gaze Trophy, which is named in honour of Australian basketball legend Andrew Gaze, a seven-time winner of the NBL MVP award.
The National Basketball League Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball League (NBL) award given since the 1980 NBL season to the best head coach of the regular season. As of the 2023–24 season, the head coach, assistant coach and captain of each team vote for the Coach of the Year. Voters are not allowed to vote for the coach of their own team. The winner receives the Lindsay Gaze Trophy, which is named in honour of legendary NBL coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Lindsay Gaze.
The National Basketball League Best Defensive Player is an annual National Basketball League (NBL) award given since the 1980 NBL season to the best defensive player of the regular season. As of the 2023–24 season, the head coach, assistant coach and captain of each team vote for the Defensive Player of the Year. Voters are not allowed to vote for players from their own team. The winner receives the Damian Martin Trophy, which was named in honour of Damian Martin who won the award six times.
The National Basketball League Most Improved Player is an annual National Basketball League (NBL) award given since the 1988 NBL season to an up-and-coming player who has made a dramatic improvement from the previous season. As of the 2023–24 season, the head coach, assistant coach and captain of each team vote for the Most Improved Player. Voters are not allowed to vote for players from their own team.
The National Basketball League Best Sixth Man is an annual National Basketball League (NBL) award given since the 1996 NBL season to the best performing reserve player of the regular season. As of the 2023–24 season, the head coach, assistant coach and captain of each team vote for the Sixth Man of the Year. Voters are not allowed to vote for players from their own team.
Darryl McDonald is an American-Australian professional basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the Brisbane Bullets of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). Nicknamed "D-Mac", he played college basketball for the Texas A&M Aggies. He played in the NBL for the North Melbourne Giants, Victoria Titans / Giants and the Melbourne Tigers.
Samuel Mackinnon is an Australian basketball coach and former player. He played in the National Basketball League (NBL) between 1994 and 2010, where he won two NBL championships and was named the NBL Most Valuable Player in 2007. He currently serves as an assistant coach of the South East Melbourne Phoenix in the NBL.
The Illawarra Hawks are an Australian professional basketball team based in Wollongong, New South Wales. The Illawarra Hawks compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at WIN Entertainment Centre, known colloquially as "The Sandpit". The Illawarra Hawks are the only remaining NBL team to have competed in every season since the league's inception in 1979. The team won their first and so far only NBL Championship in 2001 and finished as runners-up in 2005, 2010 and 2017.
Glen Saville is an Australian former professional basketball player who played the majority of his career for the Wollongong Hawks of the National Basketball League (NBL).
Matthew Peter Nielsen is an Australian professional basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He served as an assistant coach for the Perth Wildcats of the National Basketball League (NBL) from 2015 to 2019.
Damian Patrick Martin is an Australian former professional basketball player. He played four years of college basketball in the United States for the Loyola Marymount Lions before playing 13 years in the National Basketball League (NBL). After two seasons with the West Sydney Razorbacks / Sydney Spirit, he joined the Perth Wildcats in 2009 and won six NBL championships in 11 seasons. He also won the NBL Best Defensive Player Award six times, leading to the league naming the trophy after him upon his retirement.
Daniel Geoffrey Craig Johnson is an Australian professional basketball player who last played for the Forestville Eagles of the NBL1 Central. He debuted in the National Basketball League (NBL) in 2008 with the Melbourne Tigers. After two seasons, he joined the Adelaide 36ers where he played the next 13 seasons. With the 36ers, he is a seven-time All-NBL Team member, including three All-NBL First Team recognitions. Johnson is also a long-time Australian state league player and has had many stints overseas.
Kevin John Lisch is an American former professional basketball player and coach, most known for his time spent in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) as a player. He also holds an Italian passport and is an Australian citizen.
The Women's National Basketball League Most Valuable Player (MVP) is an annual Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) award given since the league's second season. MVP voting takes place throughout the regular season and is determined by a players' accumulated score from game-by-game voting. In every game, each head coach and the referees from each respective game complete a voting card, with three points being awarded for a first place vote, two for second, one for third, a player can take a maximum of nine votes from any one game. It is the most prestigious award for individual players in the WNBL.
Cameron Richard Gliddon is an Australian basketball coach and former professional player, currently the head coach of the Auckland Tuatara in the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL). He played four years of college basketball for Concordia University before returning to Australia and joining the Cairns Taipans of the National Basketball League (NBL), where he won the NBL Rookie of the Year Award in 2013. After six seasons with the Taipans, he played two seasons for the Brisbane Bullets (2018–20), two for the South East Melbourne Phoenix (2020–22), and two for the New Zealand Breakers (2022–24). He also played in Poland, Russia and the New Zealand NBL throughout his career. In September 2024, he retired from playing and was appointed head coach of the Auckland Tuatara.
Cameron Tragardh is an Australian former professional basketball player who played 13 seasons in the National Basketball League (NBL). He made his debut in the NBL in 2003 and played for the Townsville Crocodiles, Brisbane Bullets, Wollongong Hawks, Melbourne Tigers, and Cairns Taipans across his career. He was named NBL Most Improved Player in 2008 and NBL Best Sixth Man in 2015. He was also named to the All-NBL Team twice.
The National Basketball League Next Generation Award is an annual National Basketball League (NBL) award given since the 2022–23 NBL season to the best player under the age of 25. As of the 2023–24 season, the head coach, assistant coach and captain of each team vote for the Next Generation Award.
