HORSHAM product James Hallett was out to impress some of the best in the business earlier this week when he attended the inaugural National Basketball League National Combine in Knox.
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The 17-year-old Ballarat Clarendon College student was the youngest of the 57 basketballers to attend the Combine, where players from the country’s best leagues as well as American college players were looking to catch the eye of selectors.
Australian basketball legend and combine organiser Phil Smyth said the young point guard did not look out of place on the court with the more experienced players.
The things you notice at this level is the skill of the players and the speed of the game, and even in the two days James has been able to adapt to that.
- Phil Smyth - NBL National Combine coordinator
“There is certainly a lot of upside to James,” Smyth said. “The things you notice at this level are the skill of the players and the speed of the game, and even over the two days James has been able to adapt to that.”
In addition to representatives from NBL clubs from around the country, player agents were on hand for the two day event in the hope of landing the country’s best unsigned talent.
Held at the State Basketball Centre, the camp started with basic fitness and skills tests before moving into match play, where Hallett was put on court with players up to eight years his senior.
While some players from the combine will be snapped up as either list or development players in the nation’s premier basketball competition, others will be earmarked as talents for the future.
While Smyth said the 180 centimetre Hallett was not yet ready for the NBA, a strong showing over the two day event could see NBL clubs knocking on his door in years to come.
“It’s given him a chance to get in front of NBL coaches and to show that he can play at that level.”
While Hallett is taking some time away from the game this year to focus on his year 12 studies, he starred for the Miners in the Big V Youth League in 2015.
He was named most valuable player during the Miners’ under-18 division one final win over Kilsyth in September, where the side came back from 16 points down to take the championship.
He also received the opportunity to join the Miners’ extended bench for their round one SEABL clash with Bendigo in April.
Smyth said he hoped the combine would help to offer young players like Hallett a more direct route to professional basketball.
The 2016/17 NBL season will kick off in October.
