2025 brings a few new faces to the Sal's NBL Sky Sport commentary team and before we tip off the season and a brave few have been kind enough to share a their thoughts on where the hardware will be landing come the end of the season. Editors note: all predictions were handed in prior to season tip off.
Q: Which team do you think will have the best back court this season?
Andrew Mulligan: Hands down the Saints becasue of the defensive nous and mongrel both Shea Ili and Izayah Leafa. Thoughts and prayers to other backcourts avoiding 8 second calls.
Judd Flavell: Uber high level of guard play in the NBL this season. Couldn’t separate the Saints, Ili / Leafa and Rams, Britt / Macdonald.
Natu Taufale: Wellington Saints
Maia Wiliamson: Hard to go past the Saints duo of Leafa and Ili. You're definitely not getting the ball over the half if they're on at the same time.
Justin Nelson: Wellington Saints - Ili & Le'afa are next level and rate on top here. I think we will all enjoy Corey Webster and Dontae Russo-Nance running together at the Jets if they can both stay healthy, and Taylor Britt and Sean Macdonald at the Rams will be super tough. Depending on who (consistently) runs with Davo Hickey (Tuatara) and Flynn Cameron (Bulls) could make those combos worth a look as well.
Casey Frank: Is it chalk to say Saints? Bulls will be tough when they get to full strength (and if they get to keep Te-Rangi), as are the defending champs with Sean Mcdonald, Taylor Britt and all the young depth behind em. Jets are gonna be tough with Corey Webster and Dante Russo-Nance alone (caveat – if healthy) but if they can pull on some familial stings that would but them over the top. but I too will go with the defensive duo in the capital.
Q: Which team will have the best front court?
Andrew Mulligan: Rob Loe and Tom Vodanovich from the Tuatara. inside outside threat and tough on the glass.
Judd Flavell: Tuatara – former MVP Rob Loe is a great start in any line up, add Tom Vodanovich and Dan Fotu and you have arguably the best front court. The deepest front court when they are all together are the Rams with Tohi Smith-Milner, Max Darling, Kyle Bowen, CJ Penha and of course Walter Brown.
Natu Taufale: Auckland Tuatara
Maia Wiliamson: Rinse and repeat, year in year out, NZ veteran duo of Loe and Tommy V never fails. Giants could be a contender in this category - with dominant Callum McRae and 1st round draft pick Brice Johnson!
Justin Nelson: Auckland Tuatara - Rob Loe, Tom Vodanovich and Dan Fotu (when he arrives). So solid.
Casey Frank: Copy and paste Tuatara? Rob Loe has been elite for multiple seasons and combos well with Tommy V and now Dan Fotu will be there mid seasonish. Taranaki’s late switch from import guard to import big gives an intriguing pairing with the returning to hoops Harry Froling and Carlin Davison. The depth of the Rams may be getting overlooked for the second year in a row while looking for 3 in a row. Hmmm. I’m gonna lean the Tuatara.
Q: Which team will have the best offense?
Andrew Mulligan: Does Quinn Clinton have the Judd Flavell offense and the continuity in the roster to establish the fluidity? Looking forward to seeing what the Sharks can do this season on the offensive end with pace a problem last season
Judd Flavell: I’m biased with knowledge of the system and personnel with the Rams but I do believe they have nailed the continuity and connection piece. The Saints are also going to be tough to stop with their playmakers in Ili, Leafa, Bruce and Harris ability to puncture defence’s and score or facilitate. Shout out to the Whai – I like what they’re doing there.
Natu Taufale: Canterbury Rams
Maia Wiliamson: The Saints continue to make themself hard to go past. The kiwi trio of Ili, Leafa and Harris who've long played together means these guys are playing familiar basketball. Ili's elite playmaking, Leafa's shooting and Hyrum's Hyrum-ing stretch the floor. Sliding in the two Aus pieces of Nick Marshall and Muszynski adds versatility, size and wing playmaking to this already electric offence. Scary stuff.
Justin Nelson: Canterbury Rams - once they have a full roster (from early April). The Hawks might surprise with their up-tempo style, and you can never discount the Tuatara and Saints.
Casey Frank: If the Jets imports fire you know the backcourt will bring some buckets. I can’t wait for the Davo Hickey/Rob Loe pick and roll/pop action with Vodanovich on the weakside waiting to pop trey balls. I really rate Jackson Ball’s prospects and think Dan Grida was All-Star 5 a season ago. But think I need to go Rams again all those shooting bigs and waves of guard attacks. They’re going for a 3-peat for a reason.
Q: Which team with have the best defense?
Andrew Mulligan: A toss-up between the Rams/Saints and Tuatara. Cam Gliddon, a known shooter, but a deep passion and understanding on turning on the screws defensively.
Judd Flavell: Saints - The Saints have some of the best defenders we’ve seen in this league and the mixture of Ili, Leafa and Harris make them a disruptive, confronting combo. Bulls - The Bulls have an identity built with their defence, they’ll be the most aggressive and physical team in the comp.
Natu Taufale: Canterbury Rams
Maia Wiliamson: The Rams are consistently a strong defensive front, with a multitude of guys who can defend a variety of positions - Walter Brown, Taylor Britt, Kaia Isaac and Max Darling being their Kiwi core. Adding the athletic, rim protector Kyle Bowen means this is a switchable defense that is athletic, long, quick and smart.
Justin Nelson: Wellington Saints - Ili and Le'afa ... need I say more.
Casey Frank: Ili and Le’afa harassing guards while Hyrum Harris harasses everyone else? Hickey and Vodanovich in the lands while Loe patrols the paint? Giants always solid with a coach on the floor in Sam Dempster and I love what the Cameron brothers will bring to the Bulls. Going with Saints.
Q: Which team do you expect to get off to a strong start?
Andrew Mulligan: The Whai will surprise and the Bulls as well but I feel the Hawks
Judd Flavell: Crazy how much movement we’ve had in the off season with players and coaches. This will impact the start for many teams. I think the Whai have recruited well returning their local mix of Kruz Perrot-Hunt, Jayden Bezzant and Carter Hopoi and have imports that fit their style of play.
Natu Taufale: Canterbury Rams
Maia Wiliamson: Given they have something to prove, I think the Sharks. They have done a 180 with recruitment, coaching and players, and will battle this season to remove themselves from their common 'bottom of the table' seat.
Justin Nelson: The Giants arguably have the toughest start to the season (Rams, Saints, Bulls, Tuatara, Airs) playing against the top 5 teams from 2024, but I like the mix of Mike Fitchett’s team, and I think he’ll have a full roster at his disposal from the start. Keep your eyes on the Giants. The proviso here is nearly every team won't be a full strength until early to mid-April, so this really is a tough question to answer.
Casey Frank: Who’s at full strength again? And who’s playing the Panthers before they get their squad? The Saints will be closer to full strength than most so I see them coming out the gates quickly.
Q: Which team do you expect to get off to a slow start?
Andrew Mulligan: The Panthers are the easy answer here sorry.
Judd Flavell: The Panthers. They will have more challenges ahead of them early than other teams. The Tuatara are missing Rob Loe, Davo Hickey and Dan Fotu for the start of the season and that is a big hole to cover. They’ll win ball games early on but will take a little time to get their guys in and to their best. Vodanovich goes nuts and averages 20 PPG plus during first 3-4 games.
Natu Taufale: Nuggets
Maia Wiliamson: The Jets and The Panthers. Jets are going to take some time to figure out how all their pieces fit into the jigsaw, and the Panthers are entirely new to the league, so you can only assume there will be some serious teething processes going on.
Justin Nelson: A lot of teams will have late arrivals due to overlap with the ANBL, and this season the Sal’s NBL has a heap of players coming out of the ANBL. I’m going to play it really safe and go with the no-brainer … I think the Panthers will have a slow start as they learn to adjust to this league, plus a number of their Indian national team players won’t be available until late March due to a national camp, which means as the season rolls on and they become more accustomed to the level, I think they’ll improve. But yes, I fully expect a slow start from the Panthers as they learn the ropes and wait for players to arrive.
Casey Frank: Everyone who isn’t at full strength is the easy out, but if I have to go with one I’ll role with the Tuatara. Missing a ton of talent early with Aussie Finals and Cam Gliddon getting used to being outside the lines.
Q: Which team will have the best record in the regular season?
Andrew Mulligan: The Saints, Rams and Tuatara will be in a race for the top spot
Judd Flavell: Rams and Tuatara battle this one out again followed closely by the Saints
Natu Taufale: Canterbury Rams
Maia Wiliamson: Either the Rams or the Tuatara. A lot of continuity in these squads leads to undeniable success.
Justin Nelson: Canterbury Rams ... with the Giants, Saints and Tuatara in the mix.
Casey Frank: Rams or Saints are likely. I’m leaning Rams.
Q: Which team will win the Rapid League?
Andrew Mulligan: The Giants with that homegrown bench
Judd Flavell: The Giants got it done last year and I have them as favourites. Their core locals are so well in tune with each other and they’ve been with Fitch for years now. They’ve also added depth with Lachie Crate too who I expect to have a big season.
Natu Taufale: Nelson Giants
Maia Wiliamson: Going to run South Island blood here and say Giants. Young guards Hayden Jones, James Matthews, Aston Inwood and Kaleb Chamberlain had a great run in Rapid League last year. Their quick style of play, paired with deadly outside shooting, aligns exactly with what the Rapid League requires. Adding Lachlan Crate into this mix, who is explosive downhill and effective at the rim, has a nice outside shot and no doubt, some thunderous throwdowns, that's a recipe for success.
Justin Nelson: Canterbury Rams to win, Giants (2024 champs) will be strong again, and the Bulls have a lot of returning players and should be strong.
Casey Frank: It will likely be a team with a stacked starting unit like the Rams or one that has a ton of great young players like the Giants a year ago. I’ll stick with the defending Rapid champs, the Nelson Giants.
Q: Which teams are likely to take the wooden spoon?
Andrew Mulligan: Nuggets or Panthers
Judd Flavell: 1 – Panthers will be wooden spooners. 2 – Jets. Corey is going to get you wins off his own back and he will be well supported with Dontae next to him. They have a lot of heavy lifting in front of them and if they can get consistency out of their import’s they’ll make a push for the top 6 otherwise they’ll likely be on the outside looking in.
Natu Taufale: Panthers and Nuggets
Maia Wiliamson: Panthers - their freshness to the league is just going to make things hard in their first season. Nuggets could be another one, given the climate of ownership struggles paired with a relatively bare, lacking-depth roster.
Justin Nelson: It’s going to be a season of learning for the Panthers and they are probably everyone’s first choice, and I think the Nuggets have lost way too much Kiwi class (Webster Russo-Nance, Andrew) and this will impact on their depth and the wins will be hard to come by. It will be between the Panthers and Nuggets.
Casey Frank: Panthers are going to have some tough sledding, but I do think they will compete. Nugs don’t seem to have the depth or size needed to swim in the deep end of the pool this year. So think it might be one of them.
Q: Which Team has the best coach?
Andrew Mulligan: Saints
Judd Flavell: Mike Fitchett knows this league better than any other coach and has the experience factor. He has proven he can lead a Giants team into the playoffs and they’ll be hunting that again. Aaron Young has a lot of trust with his players, they respect him and he has taken his teams to the big dance multiple times. He will be as motivated as will be the proud Saints organisation to make a real charge this season. Quinn Clinton brings the energy and enthusiasm, combine this with his familiarity with his players and vice versa and I expect this to really work for him.
Natu Taufale: Nelson Giants
Maia Wiliamson: The OG Fitch of the Giants is not only a legend, but a basketball genius. These fellas are extremely lucky
Justin Nelson: Really? What a great way to put us in hot water before the season starts. I don’t know enough about Jonathan Yim (Sharks) just yet, but he has great credentials. Great to see Tony Webster (Jets) back in the game, Matt Lacey (Whai) was great in his debut season last year, and we all know the experience and ANBL connections of Sam Mackinnon (Airs), Sam Gruggen (Hawks), Aaron Young (Saints) and Mike Kelly (Nuggets). And I wish the newbies all the best – Cam Gliddon (Tuatara), Quinn Clinton (Rams) and Miles Pearce (Panthers). The two coaches I really enjoy watching are Mike Fitchett (Giants) and Seb Gleim (Bulls), their passion is pure entertainment. There you go, I’ve mentioned all 12 coaches! As for the best coach … that will be the guy standing with the championship trophy on July 20!
Casey Frank: Heaps of coaching talent again this season but it does normally go to whomever finishes first. That said Sebastian Gleim did so well with his Bulls last year he’ll be in the mix. If Tony Webster (Jets) or Jonathin Yim (Sharks) get their teams to the post-season they will be favourites. Mike Fitchett is always there or there abouts, but I’m going to go with Sam Gruggen (Hawks) as I think they will surprise some people to finish in the top half of the table.
Q: Which teams will make the 6 that reach the post-season?
Andrew Mulligan: Saints, Tuatara, Hawks, Airs, Rams, Giants.
Judd Flavell: Rams, Saints, Tuatara, Airs, Bulls, Giants. Sorry Whai.
Natu Taufale: Auckland Tuatara, Franklin Bulls, Wellington Saints, Canterbury Rams, Taranaki Airs and Nelson Giants.
Maia Wiliamson: Rams, Tuatara, Saints, Airs, Bulls and Giants.
Justin Nelson: Always hard to predict, and this season looms as the toughest yet with 6 teams to miss out. In no particular order, I’m going with the Rams, Saints, Giants, Airs, Tuatara and Hawks to make it, with the Bulls missing on points percentage.
Casey Frank: Rams, Saints, Tuatara, Giants, Bulls, Hawks are my 6. But I do think the Whai, Airs and Jets will be right there in the mix, much like when last year 4 teams were chasing the 6ths spot.
Q: Who’s your tip to win the championship?
Andrew Mulligan: Surely the Tuatara can go one better but the Saints because I'm 04 for life.
Judd Flavell: Front runners are the Rams, Saints and Tuatara. For me I got the Rams though, they have their own blue print, they know who they are and have the critical ingredients (continuity, talent, depth, expectations and belief) to do it again.
Natu Taufale: Wellington Saints
Maia Wiliamson: Rams 3peat baby
Justin Nelson: A new coach, but so much continuation for the Rams on the court. I love the sound of a three-peat and think the Rams will deliver a dynasty.
Casey Frank: Rams 3-peat might be tough with a rookie coach and some late arrivals so I’ll lean to the Saints coming together on the defensive end of the floor.
