The National Basketball League "will host its first summer league program alongside the NBA summer league" in Las Vegas in July, exposing NBL players, coaches, referees and administrators to NBA counterparts, acccording to Roy Ward of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. The NBL "will host a special camp" at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, "mixing a selection of its players with potential imports who already will be in town to play in the NBA summer league." The hope for NBL clubs "is they can lure a high class import or two to Australia, following on from the successful recruitment of stars" such as James Ennis (Perth) and Rotnei Clarke (Wollongong) this season. NBL CEO Fraser Neill said that being in Las Vegas among the NBA business hub "offered endless possibilities for the league." Neill: ''If we are going to grow we have to benchmark against the best, find best practice and reach that height" (SMH, 4/3). Breakers CEO Richard Clarke said the venture "may open significant doors for the competition." Clarke: "This is a bold and exciting step for the ANBL to take and one we are fully supportive of. America consistently produces the best basketball talent in the world and provides a pool of imports to our league each season" (FAIRFAX NZ NEWS, 4/3).
