Canberra's "basketball popularity boom" has launched National Basketball League talks back on to Basketball ACT's radar as the sport makes moves to capitalize on "unprecedented player numbers," according to Chris Dutton of the CANBERRA TIMES. Basketball ACT President David Leaney revealed the organization "is keen to form some links with the national competition 13 years after the Canberra Cannons went bust." The NBL will consider added expansion clubs in the coming years and Leaney has not "ruled out a future bid for re-entry into the competition." However, it is more likely the capital's involvement "will be via forming a partnership with an existing team," possibly the Illawarra Hawks, who are coached by Canberra's Rob Beveridge. Teams would "have to be willing to shift some games to Canberra but Leaney is confident the sport's growing base would make the capital an attractive destination." One "major stumbling block looming is the future of the AIS Arena, with the Australian Sports Commission considering a radical plan" to turn Canberra's premier indoor stadium into a full-time volleyball center. Leaney: "We're always open to discussions ... if you think about what would work really well in Canberra you look at agreements like the GWS Giants and Canberra. ... I don't think we've got economics yet to host a side, but that's not something we're ruling out. We'll keep an eye on it and we're certainly on a growth path" (CANBERRA TIMES, 12/22).
