Basketball On The Internet.

TIP-OFF is getting closer and excitement around the NBL’s potential this season is palpable.

Today I was asked for my season predictions when not all the rosters are even finally set yet, which just shows fans are hanging out for information and opinion.

Townsville Crocs are looking at a few prospects due to concerns about injured London Olympian Peter Crawford and gunshot victim Mirko Djeric.

Brisbane Spartans SEABL star Scott Kenny, Perth Wildcats development players Trian Iliadis and Gavin Field, and Townsville’s own Michael Cedar and Damon Heuir will be battling for a contract as the club’s safety-net 11th man.

It will be “on” for young and old from Monday-to-Thursday next week before Crocodiles coach Shawn Dennis and assistant Mike Kelly make the decision.

Kenny is the most interesting option.

The Maroochydore guard led the SEABL’s three-point shooting with 41.7 per cent and was seventh in the league with 21.4ppg.

His 42-point haul against Mt Gambier Pioneers was the SEABL season’s single-game high and he earnt a run with Cairns Taipans this week against St Mary’s College in Ipswich and at The Southport School.

"When a young man has 42 points against three NBL calibre players in Mount Gambier and 37 against Sandringham against guys like Nathan Crosswell ... you're always going to bring them in to have a look," Dennis told the Courier Mail.

In Adelaide, Gary Ervin and BJ Anthony have arrived and excitement is growing.

YES it is true.

Mike Dunlap has been allowed back into Australia and will, in fact, run a coaching clinic next week for Basketball Queensland.

Dunlap, who coached the NBL’s Adelaide 36ers for three years, has more than 30 years of experience in the NCAA and NBA, most recently as Charlotte Bobcats head coach.

He led Metropolitan State University of Denver to two NCAA Division II championships.

Dunlap’s two-hour clinic is open to coaches of all levels and perfect for representative-level coaches.

He will address offensive ball containment, player rotation and individual offensive skills but a session on the pitfalls of dealing with hardened professionals has not been scheduled.

The cost is a paltry $5 which does represent excellent value.

For more info on the clinic next Tuesday from 6pm at the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre, Kessels Road, Nathan in Brisbane, contact denise.pamenter@basketballqld.net.au or at 07-3377 9125.

PERTH Wildcats are looking at Drake U’u as a possible replacement for Mathiang Muo in their vacant “best Aussie name” position.

Muo was tragically injured last week.

The only thing which would make Drake U’u anymore interesting was if he attended Drake University.

We reported his trial with Perth today at: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/wildcats-love-the-drake-a-new-8216aussie8217-prospect-to-potentially-replace-injured-muo-in-perth8217s-nbl-team/story-fnii0apz-1226703005610

LOS Angeles Clippers star Chris Paul yesterday was elected president of the NBA players' association, replacing Derek Fisher.

The vote by NBA player representatives came six months after the union fired Billy Hunter as executive director. Hunter countered with a wrongful-termination lawsuit in May, accusing Fisher of conspiring with NBA officials during the 2011 lockout.

Paul has been a vice-president on the executive committee over the past four years.

Roger Mason Jnr was elected first vice president to replace Jerry Stackhouse, who resigned from the office and is expected to take a position within the union.

THE  Free Throw Foundation is having its official launch on Friday, October 11 with Luc Longley the featured guest.

Basketball lovers should head along to what will be an amazing dinner for the charity which aims to help young players in financial need.

Places are limited so contact the Free Throw Foundation for more details at info@freethrowfoundation.com.au but do hurry.

THIS just in.

Extensive and exhaustive research has paid off with B.O.T.I. now able to exclusively reveal Basketball Australia went through a number of options before settling on calling its updated AIS its new “Centre Of Excellence.”

Raging favorite had been the “Centre Of Magnificent Excellence, Skill And Individual Development, Training Health Education, Blossoming Of Youth” … until Mondo Rock threatened legal action.

Also ruled out was the very-Australian “Centre Of Our Exquisite Youth” or COOEY. (Yeah. I’m still working on the acronym for COBBER).

“Centre Underpinning Magnificence” was never considered.