The 2008–09 NBL season was the 31st season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of 10 teams contested the league.
2008–09 league participants
* On 30 June 2008 the Brisbane Bullets confirmed they would be handing back the team's license to the NBL. The NBL confirmed there will be no Brisbane team participating in the 2008/09 season.
* On 2 July 2008 the NBL announced that two bids for the Sydney Kings license had failed and that there would be no second Sydney team in the 2008/09 season.
* On 29 July 2008 the Singapore Slingers announced that they had decided to withdraw from the competition permanently due to the dramatic increase in international travel costs.
Preseason transactions
Mid-season transactions
Sponsors
Apparel
Regular season
The 2008-09 regular season took place over 22 rounds between 13 September 2008 and 14 February 2009.
Round 1
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Round 2
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Round 3
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Round 4
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Round 5
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Round 6
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Round 7
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Round 8
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Round 9
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!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
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Round 10
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!width=260, Venue
!width=70, Crowd
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Round 11
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!width=260, Venue
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Round 12
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!width=260, Venue
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Round 13
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!width=260, Venue
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Round 14
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!width=260, Venue
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Round 15
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!width=260, Venue
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Round 16
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Round 17
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Round 18
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Round 19
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Round 20
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!width=260, Venue
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Round 21
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Round 22
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Ladder
The NBL tie-breaker system as outlined in the NBL Rules and Regulations states that in the case of an identical win–loss record, the results in games played between the teams will determine order of seeding.
''1Perth Wildcats won Head-to-Head (3-1). ''
''23-way Head-to-Head between Wollongong Hawks (5-2), Sydney Spirit (3-4) and Cairns Taipans (2-4). ''
Finals
Playoff bracket
Elimination Finals
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Semi-finals
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Grand Final
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Player of the Week
Player of the Month
Coach of the Month
NBL awards
*Most Valuable Player:
Kirk Penney
Kirk Samuel Penney (born 23 November 1980) is a New Zealand professional basketball player. He played four years of college basketball for the Wisconsin Badgers between 1999 and 2003, where he was twice named first-team all-conference and an al ...
,
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 ...
*Rookie of the Year: Aaron Bruce,
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: Adam Gibson,
South Dragons
The South Dragons were an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL). They made their debut in the 2006/07 season and played their final season in 2008/09. The club was based at MSAC in Melbourne's in ...
*Best Sixth Man:
Phill Jones,
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 ...
*Most Improved Player: Matthew Knight,
Sydney Spirit
The West Sydney Razorbacks (known in its final season as the Sydney Spirit) were an Australian professional basketball team that competed in the National Basketball League (NBL). The club was based in Sydney, New South Wales.
They were the ...
*Coach of the Year:
Brian Goorjian,
South Dragons
The South Dragons were an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL). They made their debut in the 2006/07 season and played their final season in 2008/09. The club was based at MSAC in Melbourne's in ...
*Finals MVP:
Donta Smith
Donta Lamont Smith (born November 27, 1983) is an American-Venezuelan professional basketball player for Cangrejeros de Santurce of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional. Playing for Maccabi Haifa, he was named the 2014 Israeli Basketball Premier Leag ...
,
South Dragons
The South Dragons were an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL). They made their debut in the 2006/07 season and played their final season in 2008/09. The club was based at MSAC in Melbourne's in ...
*All-NBL First Team:
**
Kirk Penney
Kirk Samuel Penney (born 23 November 1980) is a New Zealand professional basketball player. He played four years of college basketball for the Wisconsin Badgers between 1999 and 2003, where he was twice named first-team all-conference and an al ...
–
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 ...
All-NBL teams announced
/ref>
**Chris Anstey
Christopher John Anstey (born 1 January 1975) is an Australian former professional basketball player. His career included stints in the National Basketball Association (NBA), Russia and Spain. Anstey was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers ...
– Melbourne Tigers
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 ...
** C. J. Bruton – 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 ...
**Ebi Ere
Ebikekeme Hasain Fere “Ebi” Ere (; born August 2, 1981) is an American-Nigerian former professional basketball player.
High school and college career
Ere attended McLain High School and played two seasons of junior college basketball for Bar ...
– Melbourne Tigers
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 ...
**Mark Worthington
Mark Worthington (born 8 June 1983) is an Australian former professional basketball player who played 11 seasons in the National Basketball League (NBL).
Early life and career
Born in Bunbury, Western Australia, Worthington grew up in the nearb ...
– South Dragons
The South Dragons were an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL). They made their debut in the 2006/07 season and played their final season in 2008/09. The club was based at MSAC in Melbourne's in ...
*All-NBL Second Team:
** Corey Williams – Townsville Crocodiles
The Townsville Crocodiles were an Australian professional men's basketball team based in the North Queensland city of Townsville. They competed in the National Basketball League (NBL) and played their home games at the Townsville Entertainmen ...
**Luke Schenscher
Luke Dean Schenscher (born 31 December 1982) is an Australian former professional basketball player. He played four years of college basketball for Georgia Tech before having stints in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls in 2006 and the Portland Tr ...
– 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 ...
**Adam Ballinger
Adam Ballinger (born June 12, 1979) is an American-Australian former professional basketball player who spent his entire career in the Australian National Basketball League, playing 12 seasons for various clubs such as the Victoria Giants, Wol ...
– 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 ...
**Shawn Redhage
Shawn Michael Redhage (born 21 January 1981) is an American-Australian former professional basketball player who is most known for his 12 seasons played with the Perth Wildcats of the National Basketball League (NBL). He played four years of co ...
– 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, ...
**Glen Saville
Glen Saville (born 17 January 1976) is an Australian former professional basketball player who played the majority of his career for the Wollongong Hawks of the National Basketball League (NBL).
NBL career
Born in Bendigo, Victoria, Saville mo ...
– Wollongong 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 games ...
*All-NBL Third Team:
**Matthew Knight
Matthew Knight (born 1993/1994) is a former Canadian actor known for his roles in ''Queer as Folk'', as Ethan Morgan in ''My Babysitter's a Vampire'', and as Jake Kimble in ''The Grudge'' film series. Since then he has appeared in over a do ...
– Sydney Spirit
The West Sydney Razorbacks (known in its final season as the Sydney Spirit) were an Australian professional basketball team that competed in the National Basketball League (NBL). The club was based in Sydney, New South Wales.
They were the ...
** James Harvey – Gold Coast Blaze
The Gold Coast Blaze were an Australian men's professional basketball team which competed in the National Basketball League (NBL). The Blaze competed in their inaugural season in 2007–08. The club was based on the Gold Coast and joined the ...
** David Barlow – Melbourne Tigers
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 ...
**Joe Ingles
Joseph Howarth Ingles (born 2 October 1987) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also represents the Australian national team. He primarily plays at the small ...
– South Dragons
The South Dragons were an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL). They made their debut in the 2006/07 season and played their final season in 2008/09. The club was based at MSAC in Melbourne's in ...
** Adam Gibson – South Dragons
The South Dragons were an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL). They made their debut in the 2006/07 season and played their final season in 2008/09. The club was based at MSAC in Melbourne's in ...
Television coverage
* – Fox Sports
Fox Sports is the brand name for a number of sports channels, broadcast divisions, programming, and other media around the world.
The ''Fox Sports'' name has since been used for other sports media assets. These assets are held mainly by the F ...
* – Maori TV
Radio coverage
References
External links
Official Site
International Basketball Federation
NBLStats
{{DEFAULTSORT:NBL, 2008
Australia,NBL
2008–09 in Australian basketball
2009 in New Zealand basketball
2008 in New Zealand basketball