THE 2023/24 National Basketball League (NBL) is right around the corner, with the fixture set to kick off on Thursday, September 28.

The season is shaping up like no other, with an unprecedented amount of young and international talent complimenting the homegrown players set to suit up in the nation’s premier basketball competition.

The landscape of the league looks as even as ever, with the title up for grabs after a period of dominance from the Sydney Kings. As the New Zealand Breakers and Cairns Taipans proved last season, any side could climb the rankings and the player movement has ensured there is no clear favourite.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be taking a look at each side and how they are shaping up ahead of the season’s commencement, with some intriguing outfits around the NBL.

In our penultimate article in this series, we will be examining the Sydney Kings, as the reigning champs look for a third consecutive title.

Sydney Kings

2022/23 record – 19 wins, nine losses

The Kings went back-to-back last season in impressive fashion, storming to the top of the table early in the season and never looked back. Despite challenges coming from the Taipans and Breakers, Sydney’s class shone through when it mattered most. However, things will be looking a bit different this year, with the departure of some crucial names.

Roster

Alex Toohey, Angus Glover, DJ Hogg, Denzel Valentine, Jackson Makoi, Jaylen Adams, Jaylin Galloway, Jonah Bolden, Jordan Hunter, Klairus Amir, Kouat Noi, Makuach Maluach, Sam Timmins, Shaun Bruce, Isaac Gattorna

Key question – How much of Sydney’s winning DNA remains?

The Kings completed one of the toughest tasks in sport earlier this year, going back-to-back and establishing themselves as one of the best sides in the modern era. With largely the same pieces as their first championship, the Kings held off any would-be challengers after a dominant home and away season. However, many of the most important contributors have departed over the off-season, meaning the Kings will be quite different to the team that held up the trophy a few months ago.

Firstly, head coach Chase Buford has left the team after two successful seasons in the harbour city. Much of the team’s success can be attributed to Buford and his role on the team, and he will be a massive omission from the Kings this season. However, he has been succeeded by Mahmoud Abdelfattah, who brings experience as a NBA G-League head coach, and NBA assistant coach with the Houston Rockets.

The team also lost the star trio of Xavier Cooks, Derrick Walton Jr and Dejan Vasiljevic, but that was offset by the addition of some proven NBL guns. Adams returns to the team for the first time since his MVP season, and will be the perfect player to lead the Kings in their quest for a third consecutive title. Also joining Sydney is Hogg, who exploded in his maiden NBL season and will be a key scorer, while Bolden returns to professional basketball after two years out of the game, having shown what he can do in the NBA already.

One to watch – Denzel Valentine

One of the biggest signings in the NBL off-season, Valentine will be a massive part of Sydney’s success if he can produce the level of impact that is expected. The former Chicago Bull has performed well in the NBA in the past, and should bring his exceptional skillset to the fore with such a high-profile team like the Kings.

Valentine offers a deep scoring bag, with the ability to impact the game offensively on a consistent basis, which will be crucial given the losses Sydney sustained over the offseason. He can also act as a secondary ball-handler if Adams is tightly guarded or on the bench. With the Kings losing high-usage players since they last hit the court, Valentine will be invaluable and could even throw his name into the ring as an MVP candidate.

Although there will be plenty of challengers and the team looks fairly different since the grand final triumph over the Breakers, the Kings will make it as tough as possible to be dethroned at the head of the table.