The 2020–21 NBL season was the 43rd season of the
National Basketball League since its establishment in 1979. A total of nine teams contested in the 2020–21 season. The regular season was played between January and June 2021, followed by a post-season in June 2021.
Australian broadcast rights to the season were held by
SBS Viceland
SBS Viceland (stylised as SBS VICELAND) is an Australian free-to-air television channel owned by the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS). It began as SBS TWO on 1 June 2009, and was branded as SBS 2 between 2013 and 2016. On 8 April 2017, SBS ...
in the second year of a two-year deal. All games were available live and free on streaming platforms such as
SBS On Demand
SBS is a national public television network in Australia. Launched on 24 October 1980, it is the responsibility of SBS's television division, and is available nationally. In 2018, SBS had a 7.7% audience share.
As of 2022, SBS is the lowest ...
.
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...
also broadcast select games, including all games after 7.30pm AEDT. In New Zealand,
Sky Sport were the official league broadcaster. The NBL continued broadcasting games online on
Twitch
Twitch may refer to:
Biology
* Muscle contraction
** Convulsion, rapid and repeated muscle contraction and relaxation
** Fasciculation, a small, local, involuntary muscle contraction
** Myoclonic twitch, a jerk usually caused by sudden muscle co ...
in the second year of a two-year deal.
Teams
Nine teams competed in the 2020–21 season, with the
Tasmania JackJumpers
The Tasmania JackJumpers are an Australian professional basketball team based in Hobart, Tasmania, who entered the National Basketball League (NBL) in the 2021–22 season, and play their home games at MyState Bank Arena and the Silverdome. T ...
set to enter the league for the
2021–22 season.
During the off-season the
Illawarra Hawks
The Illawarra Hawks (formerly the Wollongong Hawks and The Hawks) is 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 game ...
were renamed to The Hawks after the new ownership group announced they wanted to expand out from Illawarra and into the wider region.
On 9 February 2021, the NBL reinstated the Illawarra Hawks name following an increase in support from the local community.
Stadiums and locations
Personnel and sponsorship
Player transactions
Free agency negotiations were delayed until 15 July 2020, after the NBL and the Australian Basketball Players' Association postponed the original start date of 30 March 2020 due to the effects of the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
.
On 17 April 2020, the NBL, the Australian Basketball Players' Association and the nine clubs reached an agreement in response to the financial pressure caused by the pandemic, which reduced the salaries of players signed for the 2020–21 season, lowered the full-time roster positions from 11 to 10 players (plus a Next Star slot) and from three import slots to two import slots.
Coaching transactions
Pre-season
The
pre-season
In an organized sports league, a typical season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session: for example, in Major League Baseball the season lasts approximately from the last week of March to the last week of Se ...
games began on 13 November 2020, and ran until 10 January 2021.
Ladder
Regular season
The regular season which was due to begin in early October, began on 15 January 2021 after it was delayed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It consisted of 162 games spread across 21 rounds, with the final game being played on 8 June 2021.
Ladder
NBL Cup
The 2020–21 season sees the introduction of the
NBL Cup
The National Basketball League Cup, often shortened to the NBL Cup is an annual cup competition for the Australian National Basketball League (NBL).
History
On 21 December 2020 the Australian National Basketball League established the first N ...
, which was a tournament based in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
ran from 20 February to 14 March 2021.
Ladder
Perth Wildcats
The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team based in Perth, Western Australia. The Wildcats compete in the National Basketball League (Australia), National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at Perth Arena, ...
won the inaugural NBL Cup trophy with a 7–1 record in eight games played.
Finals
The 2021 NBL Finals was played in June 2021, consisting of two best-of-three semi-final series and a best-of-five
Grand Final
Primarily in Australian sports, a grand final (sometimes colloquially abbreviated to "grannie") is a game that decides a sports league's premiership (or championship) winning team, i.e. the conclusive game of a finals (or play-off) series. S ...
series. In the semi-finals, the higher seed hosted the first and third games. In the Grand Final, the higher seed usually hosts the first, third and fifth games. However, due to the border restrictions by the Western Australian state government, Perth Wildcats (the lower seed) hosted the first two games, while Melbourne United hosted the third game (and would have also hosted the fourth and fifth games had they not already won the series by the third game).
Playoff bracket
Awards
Regular season
Player of the Week
Awards Night
* Most Valuable Player (
Andrew Gaze Trophy):
Bryce Cotton
Bryce Jiron Cotton (born August 11, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Perth Wildcats of the National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the Providence Friars, where he was a two-time first-team Al ...
(
Perth Wildcats
The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team based in Perth, Western Australia. The Wildcats compete in the National Basketball League (Australia), National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at Perth Arena, ...
)
* Rookie of the Year:
Josh Giddey
Joshua Giddey (born 10 October, 2002) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected by the Thunder with the sixth overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft. Gi ...
(
Adelaide 36ers
The Adelaide 36ers, also known as the Sixers, 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 th ...
)
* Best Defensive Player (
Damian Martin Trophy):
Justin Simon
Justin D'John Simon (born May 6, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for Scaligera Basket Verona, Scaligera Verona of the Lega Basket Serie A, LBA. He played college basketball for St. John's Red Storm men's basketball, St. John's. ...
(
Illawarra Hawks
The Illawarra Hawks (formerly the Wollongong Hawks and The Hawks) is 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 game ...
)
* Best Sixth Man:
Jo Lual-Acuil (
Melbourne United
Melbourne United is an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. United compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at John Cain Arena.
The team made their debut in the NBL in 1984 a ...
)
* Most Improved Player:
Sam Froling
Samson James Froling (born 10 February 2000) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Illawarra Hawks of the National Basketball League (NBL). Froling played college basketball for the Creighton Bluejays for one season before le ...
(
Illawarra Hawks
The Illawarra Hawks (formerly the Wollongong Hawks and The Hawks) is 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 game ...
)
* Fans MVP:
Bryce Cotton
Bryce Jiron Cotton (born August 11, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Perth Wildcats of the National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the Providence Friars, where he was a two-time first-team Al ...
(
Perth Wildcats
The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team based in Perth, Western Australia. The Wildcats compete in the National Basketball League (Australia), National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at Perth Arena, ...
)
* Coach of the Year (
Lindsay Gaze Trophy):
Trevor Gleeson
Trevor Gleeson (born 28 May 1968) is an Australian professional basketball coach who is an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After starting his coaching career in his hometown of Warrnambool, G ...
(
Perth Wildcats
The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team based in Perth, Western Australia. The Wildcats compete in the National Basketball League (Australia), National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at Perth Arena, ...
)
* Executive of the Year: Mark Boyd (
Melbourne United
Melbourne United is an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. United compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at John Cain Arena.
The team made their debut in the NBL in 1984 a ...
)
* Referee of the Year: Chris Reid
* Most Outstanding Media Coverage: Olgun Uluc (
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...
)
* GameTime by Kmart:
Kyle Adnam (
South East Melbourne Phoenix
The South East Melbourne Phoenix are an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. The Phoenix entered the National Basketball League (NBL) in the 2019–20 season. The team play the majority of their home games at Jo ...
)
* All-NBL First Team:
**
Bryce Cotton
Bryce Jiron Cotton (born August 11, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Perth Wildcats of the National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the Providence Friars, where he was a two-time first-team Al ...
(
Perth Wildcats
The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team based in Perth, Western Australia. The Wildcats compete in the National Basketball League (Australia), National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at Perth Arena, ...
)
**
Nathan Sobey
Nathan Adam Sobey (born 14 July 1990) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Brisbane Bullets of the National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the University of Wyoming's Cowboys. He was a member of th ...
(
Brisbane Bullets
The Brisbane Bullets are an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL) based in Brisbane, Queensland. They competed from 1979 to 2008, and returned to the league in 2016. Brisbane were one of ten NBL f ...
)
**
Tyler Harvey (
Illawarra Hawks
The Illawarra Hawks (formerly the Wollongong Hawks and The Hawks) is 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 game ...
)
**
John Mooney (
Perth Wildcats
The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team based in Perth, Western Australia. The Wildcats compete in the National Basketball League (Australia), National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at Perth Arena, ...
)
**
Jock Landale
Jock Landale (born 25 October 1995) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Saint Mary's Gaels.
Landale was part of the Australian ...
(
Melbourne United
Melbourne United is an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. United compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at John Cain Arena.
The team made their debut in the NBL in 1984 a ...
)
* All-NBL Second Team:
**
Chris Goulding
Christopher James Goulding (born 24 October 1988) is an Australian professional basketball player for Melbourne United of the National Basketball League (NBL). He made his debut in the NBL in 2006 as a development player with the Brisbane Bull ...
(
Melbourne United
Melbourne United is an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. United compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at John Cain Arena.
The team made their debut in the NBL in 1984 a ...
)
**
Casper Ware
Casper Ware Jr. (born January 17, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for CSKA Moscow of the VTB United League. He played college basketball for the Long Beach State 49ers.
College career
Prior to the start of his senior year, War ...
(
Sydney Kings)
**
Mitch McCarron
Mitchell James Robert McCarron (born 30 June 1992) is an Australian professional basketball player who plays for the Adelaide 36ers of the National Basketball League (NBL).
College career
In 2010, McCarron attended the Australian Institute of ...
(
Melbourne United
Melbourne United is an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. United compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at John Cain Arena.
The team made their debut in the NBL in 1984 a ...
)
**
Mitch Creek
Mitchell Creek (born 27 April 1992) is an Australian professional basketball player for the South East Melbourne Phoenix of the National Basketball League (NBL). He began his NBL career with the Adelaide 36ers in 2010 and spent eight seasons w ...
(
South East Melbourne Phoenix
The South East Melbourne Phoenix are an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. The Phoenix entered the National Basketball League (NBL) in the 2019–20 season. The team play the majority of their home games at Jo ...
)
**
Finn Delany (
New Zealand Breakers
The New Zealand Breakers (also known as the Sky Sport Breakers for sponsorship reasons) are a New Zealand professional basketball team based in Auckland. The Breakers compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at ...
)
Post Season
* Grand Final Series MVP (
Larry Sengstock Medal):
Jock Landale
Jock Landale (born 25 October 1995) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Saint Mary's Gaels.
Landale was part of the Australian ...
(
Melbourne United
Melbourne United is an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. United compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at John Cain Arena.
The team made their debut in the NBL in 1984 a ...
)
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:NBL,2020-21
Australia
2020–21 in Australian basketball
2020 in New Zealand basketball
2021 in New Zealand basketball