Blitz team-by-team analysis (Part 1): SuperCoach NBL Classic

Cash cows and cheapies stack Part 1 of our SuperCoach NBL Classic Team Analysis after the CODE Sports NBL Blitz in Bendigo.

>> See the full Blitz breakdowns at basketball.com.au

It makes brutal decisions for SuperCoaches:

1. Build around six-time NBL MVP Bryce Cotton ($473,900)
2. Cash Cow Cole Anthony ($300,000), Josh Oduro ($277,000), Milton Doyle ($274,700), Kelan Martin ($277,000) or Arnas Velicka ($277,000).
3. Bank on points per minute and points per cost.

Part 1 is Adelaide 36ers, Brisbane Bullets, Cairns Taipans, Illawarra Hawks and Melbourne United.

Part 2 is New Zealand Breakers, Perth Wildcats, South East Melbourne Phoenix, Sydney Kings and Tasmania JackJumpers (coming soon).

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Adelaide 36ers – SuperCoach NBL Classic Team Analysis

Adelaide's core is back for NBL27 – it took five games for the Sydney Kings to overcome the 36ers in an epic NBL26 Grand Finals Series, including a Game 5 for the ages.

Mike Wells left, and the 36ers landed five-time NBL Championship coach and two-time Coach of the Year Trevor Gleeson, the man at the helm when Bryce Cotton ($473,900) won three rings at the Perth Wildcats.

Expect Gleeson, 58, to run his core six: Cotton, Flynn Cameron ($241,700), John Jenkins ($152,100), Zylan Cheatham ($339,500), Nick Rakocevic ($188,400), and centre Isaac Humphries ($265,300) for big minutes, and for back-to-back NBL1 West MVP Isaac White ($98,100) to get more minutes off the bench.

Cameron, 26, proved he can compete at the NBA level with standout performances for the Portland Trail Blazers at the 2026 Summer League in Las Vegas and put together an NBL27 Blitz that went for more than a SuperCoach NBL point-a-minute in two games. He scored 64 points in 52:20 minutes.

His $241,700 price tag is set up to be a Cash Cow. Cheatham, 30, led the 36ers at the Blitz with 65 points in 54:16 minutes and is a legitimate SuperCoach NBL starting forward.

The biggest question for SuperCoaches is whether or not to build their team around the game's most expensive player, Cotton. He represents 23.7% of the total $2M salary cap, coming off an elite average base of 45.7 SuperCoach points per game in NBL26.

The Adelaide 36ers have double-headers in Round 2, Round 3, Round 4 and Round 7, and it means the highest-scoring SuperCoach star – with the captain's armband – has the opportunity to put up big "double-up" numbers early.

Verdict: The 36ers are one of the championship favourites with a championship coach and their core back for NBL27. All seven of their primary rotation are legit picks for SuperCoaches. The first decision is whether to build around Cotton. Every other decision falls out of that one.

Zylan Cheatham – 65 SC, 32.5 avg, 2 games, 54:16 mins, $339,500
Flynn Cameron – 64 SC, 32.0 avg, 2 games, 52:20 mins, $241,700, Cash Cow
Bryce Cotton – 55 SC, 27.5 avg, 2 games, 51:04 mins, $473,900
Nick Rakocevic – 55 SC, 27.5 avg, 2 games, 45:43 mins, $188,400, Cash Cow
John Jenkins – 46 SC, 23.0 avg, 2 games, 49:23 mins, $152,100
Jacob Rigoni – 27 SC, 13.5 avg, 2 games, 41:10 mins, $69,000, Cheapie
Ben Griscti – 18 SC, 9.0 avg, 2 games, 33:22 mins, $69,000, Cheapie
Keanu Rasmussen – 17 SC, 8.5 avg, 2 games, 24:43 mins, $69,000
Isaac White – 11 SC, 5.5 avg, 2 games, 39:08 mins, $98,100, Cheapie
Deonte Williams – 8 SC, 8.0 avg, 1 game, 9:02 mins, $58,500

Brisbane Bullets – SuperCoach NBL Classic Team Analysis

Built different – that's the only way to describe the NBL27 rendition of the NBL26 wooden-spooners.

The Bullets were dysfunctional last season but made a statement in the off-season, signing elite coach Will Weaver, who immediately went about rebuilding the roster.

Weaver, 42, brought in floor general and the ultimate Cash Cow, Arnas Velicka ($277,000), G Leaguer Nate Hinton ($277,000), and signed LSU NCAA Australian star Max Mackinnon ($200,000).

Kiwi Tyrell Harrison ($336,100) looked sharp at the Blitz and is a strong candidate for SuperCoaches to start at centre. Seventy-one points in 47:46 minutes is an elite return.

Velicka, 26, averaged 50.5 SC points in two games (hard to maintain, obviously), and that puts his calculated value at a cap-busting $524,000 (+$247,000). Cash. Cow.

The Lithuanian import is almost a must-have as a starting guard.

Mackinnon, 22, put up numbers for the NBL Next Stars at the 2026 Eurocamp in Italy in June and was named MVP of the final. Weaver gave him more than 51 minutes in two games in Bendigo, and he delivered numbers: 57 points. His $200,000 price tag puts him in the Cash Cow category, but not in Velicka orbit.

Verdict: Velicka is a baller, and at the import entry-level price of $277,000, is the best value of any player in the game. Mackinnon's $200,000 price tag makes him a tougher decision, while a decision to take Harrison at $336,100 may hinge on whether SuperCoaches bring in Velicka. Both would be starters from the same team with no runs on the board in NBL27, which finished last in NBL26.

Arnas Velicka – 101 SC, 50.5 avg, 2 games, 62:10 mins, $277,000, Cash Cow
Tyrell Harrison – 71 SC, 35.5 avg, 2 games, 47:46 mins, $336,100
Max Mackinnon – 57 SC, 28.5 avg, 2 games, 51:16 mins, $200,000, Cash Cow
Nate Hinton – 42 SC, 21.0 avg, 2 games, 51:01 mins, $277,000
Mitch Norton – 37 SC, 18.5 avg, 2 games, 39:47 mins, $160,600
Jaylin Williams – 34 SC, 17.0 avg, 2 games, 38:40 mins, $277,000
Harry Rouhliadeff – 19 SC, 9.5 avg, 2 games, 41:53 mins, $69,000, Cheapie
Archie Woodhill – 16 SC, 16.0 avg, 1 game, 16:05 mins, $58,500
Jacob Holt – 14 SC, 14.0 avg, 1 game, 14:08 mins, $176,300
Joshua Duach – 12 SC, 6.0 avg, 2 games, 19:11 mins, $58,500
Lat Mayen – 10 SC, 10.0 avg, 1 game, 18:17 mins, $69,000

Cairns Taipans – SuperCoach NBL Classic Team Analysis

Hmmm, what to make of Adam Forde's Cairns Taipans? Did they get better, or stay the same?

B.League returnee Keanu Pinder ($300,000), NBL Next Star Luke Paul ($115,000), veteran and Sydney Kings NBL champion and Cheapie Shaun Bruce ($76,500), stashed 2026 NBA Draft 60th pick Malique Lewis ($207,900) and import Jaylon Brown ($277,000) are new pieces for the side that finished second-last in NBL26.

Australian Boomer Jack McVeigh ($349,800) carried the Taipans last season as Cairns battled injury setback after setback. The NBL24 championship hero averaged 34.6 points in NBL26 and just under a point a minute.

Paul, 17, has an ankle injury and will miss at least the first month of the season, which means Bruce will play plenty of minutes behind import Brown.

Bruce finished with 14 points on three triples, six assists, five rebounds, two steals and a block, a line worth 36 SuperCoach points in Cairns' first game of the Blitz.

The most intriguing "Watch List" player is 21-year-old former NBL Next Star Lewis. Is there an NBA Draft pick in NBL history with less fanfare than the Trinidadian? Lewis played two seasons for South East Melbourne Phoenix, was taken with the last pick in the 2026 Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks – on potential – and stashed back in the NBL. His $207,900 price tag makes him a 'tweener', not quite a Starter, not quite a Cheapie. He played just 14 minutes at the Blitz but delivered just under a point-a-minute: 12 points in 14:14.

Verdict: McVeigh is a no-fault selection, especially because he can knock down the three-ball and is the focal point of Forde's offence. Bruce, 35, is a good candidate for bench guard – at least while Paul is out – and will go up in value. Pinder at $300,000 is a cheaper option than Harrison (-$36.1K), which could make all the difference for SuperCoaches battling the cap.

Reyne Smith – 42 SC, 21.0 avg, 2 games, 50:44 mins, $156,300
Shaun Bruce – 38 SC, 19.0 avg, 2 games, 50:22 mins, $76,500, Cheapie
Keanu Pinder – 37 SC, 18.5 avg, 2 games, 43:00 mins, $300,000
Jack McVeigh – 35 SC, 17.5 avg, 2 games, 47:22 mins, $349,800
Lloyd McVeigh – 34 SC, 17.0 avg, 2 games, 37:20 mins, $58,500, Cheapie
Kobe Williamson – 30 SC, 15.0 avg, 2 games, 26:38 mins, $69,000, Cheapie
Jonah Bolden – 25 SC, 12.5 avg, 2 games, 14:07 mins, $133,600
Walter Brown – 22 SC, 11.0 avg, 2 games, 44:46 mins, $69,000, Cheapie
Malique Lewis – 12 SC, 12.0 avg, 1 game, 14:14 mins, $207,900
Jaylon Brown – 11 SC, 11.0 avg, 1 game, 13:59 mins, $277,000
Luca Yates – 11 SC, 5.5 avg, 2 games, 23:26 mins, $58,500
Brody Nunn – 7 SC, 3.5 avg, 2 games, 22:47 mins, $58,500
Sunday Dech – 7 SC, 7.0 avg, 1 game, 11:27 mins, $69,000, Cheapie

Illawarra Hawks – SuperCoach NBL Classic Team Analysis

Doc Brown said to Marty McFly: "The way I see it, if you're gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?" Welcome to the future of the Illawarra Hawks.

NBL25 Coach of the Year Justin Tatum has gone Back to the Future in search of a second championship in three years.

The style is clutch scorer and Cash Cow Milton Doyle ($274,700); two-guard Tyler Harvey ($271,700) is on a different timeline as a naturalised Australian; import Kelan Martin ($277,000) shores up the 4-spot, and NBL25 champion Darius Days ($277,000) has returned after a season in the Philippines.

The pieces fit together much like the Hawks' 2024-25 title run. Australian Boomers guard William Hickey ($331,600) coming off the bench once the game has got going, playing big minutes and a triple-double threat; Days adding scoring punch to the second unit, while Doyle and Harvey are the barometers.

Sam Froling ($228,200) missed most of NBL26, recovering from an Achilles tear. He played just under 39 minutes in two games at the Blitz for 29 points. Expect his production to rise as his minutes increase.

Doyle played 58:31 minutes at the Blitz and clocked 71 SuperCoach points. Expect his $274,700 price tag to increase early in the season, as well as Martin's $277,000.

Martin suited up for the Minnesota Timberwolves (2019-20), Indiana Pacers ('20-22) and Boston Celtics (2022) before heading to Europe. He played in Spain last season.

Martin had 67 points in 56:43 minutes at the Blitz, more than a point per minute, which, like Doyle, makes him an easy Cash Cow candidate.

Verdict: Doyle is going to have the ball in his hands a lot. At $274,700, SuperCoaches know what they're getting; the same goes for Hickey. Martin is the Cash Cow wildcard, but the reality is that three players from one club soaking up 30% of the roster and 44% ($883,300) of your salary cap is more Hawks' SuperFan than SuperCoach.

Milton Doyle – 71 SC, 35.5 avg, 2 games, 58:31 mins, $274,700, Cash Cow
Kelan Martin – 67 SC, 33.5 avg, 2 games, 56:43 mins, $277,000, Cash Cow
William Hickey – 63 SC, 31.5 avg, 2 games, 55:10 mins, $331,600
Tyler Harvey – 53 SC, 26.5 avg, 2 games, 55:35 mins, $271,700
Daniel Grida – 38 SC, 19.0 avg, 2 games, 24:40 mins, $92,300, Cheapie
Sam Froling – 29 SC, 14.5 avg, 2 games, 38:58 mins, $228,200
Wani Swaka Lo Buluk – 21 SC, 10.5 avg, 2 games, 45:05 mins, $145,200
Mason Peatling – 18 SC, 9.0 avg, 2 games, 20:41 mins, $147,700
Darius Days – 16 SC, 8.0 avg, 2 games, 23:04 mins, $277,000
Todd Blanchfield – 3 SC, 1.5 avg, 2 games, 18:13 mins, $123,800

Melbourne United – SuperCoach NBL Classic Team Analysis

NBA point guard Cole Anthony ($300,000), former NBA two-way big Josh Oduro ($277,000), and returning Australian Luke Travers ($292,900) have ALL entered the chat.

New head coach Jacob Chance knows how to build a team. Warning: Do not sleep on Melbourne United. Everyone is talking about the 36ers in NBL27, but United is staaaacked.

Anthony, 26, is the son of retired New York Knicks guard Greg. He didn't play at the Blitz, nursing a calf injury, of which Chance said: "Physically, he woke up and attended practice, which was good. He came here and moved around a little bit. He's progressing pretty nicely, so we're confident that he'll hopefully be available.

"It's that time of year where you don't want to rush things. We're thinking about the big picture and 33 games.

"He moved around and shot before you guys got here. He'll do a little bit more with the medicos this week, and we'll build his schedule out to get him ready for that first game."

The 350 games of NBA experience have bumped Cole's price to $300,000 instead of the entry-level $277,000, but let's face it, his price tag will rise.

Oduro, 26, is a straight-up Cash Cow. His 88 points in 54:07 minutes at the Blitz are all the evidence needed. Former Cleveland Cavaliers two-way wing Luke Travers won the Blitz MVP on the back of 72 points in 56:19 minutes: a Cash Cow.

"He's come back a better player," Chance said.

"He's come back a more mature young man. He's moving forward in his career and his life, and you see that on the floor. He's really comfortable with who he is. He's a winner, and he plays the right way. I think you saw that over the course of the weekend."

Add Australian basketball legend Joe Ingles ($300,000), one of the league's greatest shooters, Chris Goulding ($188,900), and, fingers crossed, a healthy Shea Ili ($175,300), and United is locked and loaded.

Verdict: Anthony, Oduro and Travers are all SuperCoach NBL starters. All three are almost certain Cash Cows. Together they cost $869,900 (43.5%) of the cap. The risk is three players from the same club, and United does have four double-headers in the first seven rounds, but its first isn't until Round 3.

Josh Oduro – 88 SC, 44.0 avg, 2 games, 54:07 mins, $277,000, Cash Cow
Luke Travers – 72 SC, 36.0 avg, 2 games, 56:19 mins, $292,900, Cash Cow
Shea Ili – 47 SC, 23.5 avg, 2 games, 43:28 mins, $175,300
Tom Wilson – 46 SC, 23.0 avg, 2 games, 37:16 mins, $69,000, Cheapie
Kyle Bowen – 41 SC, 20.5 avg, 2 games, 35:32 mins, $110,600
Chris Goulding – 40 SC, 20.0 avg, 2 games, 42:46 mins, $188,900
Sam Waardenburg – 31 SC, 15.5 avg, 2 games, 26:07 mins, $277,500
Fabijan Krslovic – 24 SC, 12.0 avg, 2 games, 32:56 mins, $172,300
Malith Machar – 14 SC, 7.0 avg, 2 games, 41:49 mins, $69,000
Christian D'Angelo – 5 SC, 2.5 avg, 2 games, 24:17 mins, $58,500

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