Basketball On The Internet.

PUT your house and land package on this – there WILL be a Brisbane team in the expanded 2015-16 NBL competition.

No “ifs”.

No “buts”.

No “maybes”.

Whether they will return as the Bullets, whether they will play at the Convention Centre, Chandler, Auchenflower, Boondall or elsewhere – those are questions which cannot yet be answered.

But Brisbane basketball fans, indeed, any fan of elite basketball in south-east Queensland, once again you will have your own club to support after the forthcoming 2014-15 NBL season.

League CEO Fraser Neill has spent a lot of time in the Queensland capital and come away convinced having a club back in Brisbane is a certainty.

After so many false starts, when the boss says unequivocally: “We will have a team in Brisbane,” you know he isn’t just whistling in the wind.

While he could not go into great detail publicly, trust him on this one.

“Given its importance to the NBL, it’s going to happen,” he said.

That said, you can just about completely rule out the Southern Districts/Brisbane Spartans having anything to do with it, despite their brief publicity campaign which did garner some newspaper centimetres and TV spots.

(As you may recall, those revelations were happening before they had even made contact with the NBL, a fact pointed out here at B.O.T.I. on May 22.)

“We did get a phone call from them after you pointed that out,” Neill said.

“But there has been no follow-up.

“Having a team in Brisbane is our priority and it will be happening.”

Neill’s confidence also extends to the second club out of Melbourne.

“It’s a good hour out of the city (to the State Basketball Centre at Knox where the new club would be based) and we are very confident with how that one is going,” the CEO said.

A team representing the state of Tasmania instead of one of the Apple Isle’s cities – which would once again marginalise the club – also looks ready and on the launch pad.

Games would be played at several cities across the state.

“The (Tasmanian) Government has said this (NBL team) would unite the state,” Neill said.

Wellington Saints, winners of the NZ NBL last Saturday, also have a bid on the drawing board as does Canberra.

The NBL shortly will make an announcement about its plans for this year’s Preseason Blitz Tournament for the Loggins-Bruton Cup.

Unlike last year which saw regional matches played before the teams came together in Sydney, the entire Blitz will be played in full tournament-mode.

At this point, the destination for the preseason carnival is expected to be in one of the potential expansion markets.

Hopefully if it is Brisbane, the NBL will do more to promote the event than its previous BA-led administration did. Which was zip.

But don’t rule out Wellington either.

“It wouldn’t clash with any footy finals over there and my wife is from Wellington,” Neill said, tongue firmly in cheek.

I think.

BURGEONING young Kings talent Jarrad Weeks has signed with Germany's Ehingen Urspring.

Weeks, 24, will leave next month to take up an import's role in the upcoming Basketball Bundesliga ProA season that runs at the same time as the NBL.

Weeks made a big impression during the recent Sydney Kings tour to China.

He was the standout against the China B team, a US side and against his new German team, drawing the coaching staff's attention and admiration.

Weeks has spent the last four seasons with the Kings, as first a development player and then a squad regular.

“I am very happy Jarrad will join our team next season. He can give the team a lot on the court and I am really excited to work with him," said Michael Spöcker, Head Coach of Ehingen Urspring.

New Kings coach Damian Cotter concurred, saying: “Jarrad had an outstanding tour and was a standout for us. Our opponents were very impressed with him so we weren’t surprised to hear of this interest from Germany.

“While he was certainly in the mix again for our consideration this season, we fully support his decision to take up this exciting offer and wish him all the best for a successful season and experience.”

KINGS free agent and former 36er (twice), Dragon and Taipans swingman Brad Hill has found a new NBL home at Wollongong.

Hopefully for small forward Hill, the Hawks' environment and coaching of the master, Gordie McLeod, will help him fulfill the undoubted potential he has only ever revealed in glimpses at NBL level.

At 27, he has plenty of upside and joins Wollongong's returnees Oscar Forman, Tim Coenraad and Larry Davidson in the Hawks' new roster.

SA Great and women's basketball treasure Jo Hill has received a massive accolade from her North Adelaide Rockets Basketball Club with Court One at venerable Hillcrest Stadium officially named after her.

Jo is the first female basketballer in SA (and possibly Australia) to have a court named after her, following in the traditions of Michael Ahmatt Court at Marion Stadium, Jason Dix Court at Wayville and Brett Maher Court at Adelaide Arena.

A multiple WNBL Championship winner with North Adelaide (1990) and Adelaide Lightning, Sydney Olympian, star in Europe, multiple Rockets Championship winner in SA and a Halls Medallist as the fairest and most brilliant player in the state, Jo just keeps on keeping on and is the absolute embodiment of an elite athlete staying at the top.

North Adelaide made the court dedication last Saturday, immortalising Jo Hill into the club's annals. Hopefully if and when the Rockets either revamp Hillcrest or move into new digs, Jo Hill Court will continue with it.

She deserves nothing less.

TOMORROW: A FLASHBACK Special from 25 years ago and featuring just about every big name in the world of Aussie basketball at that time in a David-and-Goliath confrontation.