NBL24: Way Too Early Predictions

Thursday, September 7, 2023

The experts answer the big questions heading into NBL24.

Photo: Sydney Kings Media

It’s time to take the first look into the NBL24 crystal ball.

While some rosters still need to be finalised and pre-season form needs to be assessed, our panel of experts have provided their way too early predictions for NBL24.

Who will win the MVP?

Ryan Broekhoff – Jaylen Adams (Sydney Kings)

Felix Von Hofe – Bryce Cotton (Perth Wildcats)

Derek Rucker – DJ Hogg (Sydney Kings)

Alice Kunek – DJ Hogg (Sydney Kings)

Andrew Gaze – Bryce Cotton (Perth Wildcats)

Jo Healy – Mitch Creek (South East Melbourne Phoenix)

Olgun Uluc – Jaylen Adams (Sydney Kings)

Lanard Copeland – Milton Doyle (Tasmania JackJumpers)

Damon Lowery – Mitch Creek (South East Melbourne Phoenix)

The consensus: Jaylen Adams 2, DJ Hogg 2, Bryce Cotton 2, Mitch Creek 2, Milton Doyle 1

Mitch Creek.

Who will win the Coach of the Year?

Ryan Broekhoff – Mody Maor (New Zealand Breakers)

Felix Von Hofe – Mike Kelly (South East Melbourne Phoenix)

Derek Rucker – Scott Roth (Tasmania JackJumpers)

Alice Kunek – John Rillie (Perth Wildcats)

Andrew Gaze – Mike Kelly (South East Melbourne Phoenix)

Jo Healy – Dean Vickerman (Melbourne United)

Olgun Uluc – Mahmoud Abdelfattah (Sydney Kings)

Lanard Copeland – Dean Vickerman (Melbourne United)

Damon Lowery – Jacob Jackomas (Illawarra Hawks)

The consensus: Dean Vickerman 2, Mike Kelly 2, Mody Maor 1, Scott Roth 1, John Rillie 1, Mahmoud Abdelfattah 1, Jacob Jackomas 1

Dean Vickerman.

Who will make the All-NBL First Team?

Ryan Broekhoff – Bryce Cotton, Mitch Creek, Jaylen Adams, Milton Doyle, Keanu Pinder

Felix Von Hofe – Jaylen Adams, Bryce Cotton, Mitch Creek, Keanu Pinder, Alan Williams

Derek Rucker – Jaylen Adams, DJ Hogg, Mitch Creek, Bryce Cotton, Keanu Pinder

Alice Kunek – Bryce Cotton, DJ Hogg, Jaylen Adams, Finn Delany, Keanu Pinder

Andrew Gaze – Bryce Cotton, Mitch Creek, Jaylen Adams, Milton Doyle, DJ Hogg

Jo Healy – Denzel Valentine, Bryce Cotton, Milton Doyle, Finn Delany, Mitch Creek

Olgun Uluc – Jaylen Adams, Bryce Cotton, Will Cummings, DJ Hogg, Gary Clark

Lanard Copeland – Bryce Cotton, Milton Doyle, Mitch Creek, Luke Travers, Alan Williams

Damon Lowery – Tyler Harvey, Jordon Crawford, Bryce Cotton, Mitch Creek, Sam Froling

The consensus: Bryce Cotton 9, Mitch Creek 7, Jaylen Adams 6, Milton Doyle 4, Keanu Pinder 4, DJ Hogg 4, Alan Williams 2, Finn Delany 2, Denzel Valentine 1, Will Cummings 1, Gary Clark 1, Jordon Crawford 1, Tyler Harvey 1, Sam Froling 1, Luke Travers 1

Bryce Cotton.

Who will win the Most Improved Player?

Ryan Broekhoff – Nick Marshall (Adelaide 36ers)

Felix Von Hofe – Tanner Krebs (Melbourne United)

Derek Rucker – Todd Blanchfield (Illawarra Hawks)

Alice Kunek – Ben Ayre (South East Melbourne Phoenix)

Andrew Gaze – Ariel Hukporti (Melbourne United)

Jo Healy – Jordan Hunter (Sydney Kings)

Olgun Uluc – Isaac White (Brisbane Bullets)

Lanard Copeland – Ariel Hukporti (Melbourne United)

Damon Lowery – Angus Glover (Sydney Kings)

The consensus: Ariel Hukporti 2, Nick Marshall 1, Jordan Hunter 1, Todd Blanchfield 1, Tanner Krebs 1, Isaac White 1, Ben Ayre 1, Angus Glover 1

Ariel Hukporti.

Who will be the next NBL player to make the NBA?

Ryan Broekhoff – Alex Toohey (Sydney Kings)

Felix Von Hofe – Rocco Zikarsky (Brisbane Bullets)

Derek Rucker – Keanu Pinder (Perth Wildcats)

Alice Kunek – Luke Travers (Melbourne United)

Andrew Gaze – Rocco Zikarsky (Brisbane Bullets)

Jo Healy – AJ Johnson (Illawarra Hawks)

Olgun Uluc – Alex Sarr (Perth Wildcats) will be drafted earliest. Non Next Star will be DJ Hogg (Sydney Kings)

Lanard Copeland – Luke Travers (Melbourne United)

Damon Lowery – Rocco Zikarsky (Brisbane Bullets)

The consensus: Rocco Zikarsky 3, Luke Travers 2, Alexandre Sarr 1, Alex Toohey 1, DJ Hogg 1, Keanu Pinder 1, AJ Johnson 1

Rocco Zikarsky (Photo: Brisbane Bullets Media).

Which player or team will be this season’s surprise packet?

Ryan Broekhoff – Nick Marshall (Adelaide 36ers)

Felix Von Hofe – Jonah Bolden (Sydney Kings)

Derek Rucker – Cairns Taipans

Alice Kunek – Bobi Klintman (Cairns Taipans)

Andrew Gaze – Illawarra Hawks

Jo Healy – Illawarra Hawks

Olgun Uluc – Illawarra Hawks

Lanard Copeland – Jacob Wiley (Adelaide 36ers)

Damon Lowery – Illawarra Hawks

The consensus: Illawarra Hawks 4, Cairns Taipans 1, Nick Marshall 1, Jonah Bolden 1, Bobi Klintman 1, Jacob Wiley 1

Illawarra Hawks coach Jacob Jackomas.

In no order, who will make the Finals (including the Play-In Tournament)?

Ryan Broekhoff – United, Phoenix, Wildcats, Breakers, Kings, JackJumpers

Felix Von Hofe – United, Kings, Phoenix, Wildcats, Taipans, Breakers

Derek Rucker – Kings, Wildcats, United, Phoenix, JackJumpers, Breakers

Alice Kunek – Kings, Wildcats, United, Breakers, Phoenix, Taipans

Andrew Gaze – United, Kings, JackJumpers, Wildcats, Phoenix, Bullets

Jo Healy – Phoenix, United, Kings, JackJumpers, Wildcats, Breakers

Olgun Uluc – Kings, United, Breakers, Hawks, Wildcats, Phoenix

Lanard Copeland – United, Wildcats, Kings, JackJumpers, Phoenix, 36ers

Damon Lowery – Hawks, United, Kings, JackJumpers, Breakers, Phoenix

The consensus: Melbourne United 9, South East Melbourne Phoenix 9, Sydney Kings 9, Perth Wildcats 8, New Zealand Breakers 7, Tasmania JackJumpers 6, Illawarra Hawks 2, Cairns Taipans 2, Brisbane Bullets 1, Adelaide 36ers 1

Sydney Kings import Denzel Valentine.