Sydney's 'to and fro' as Keely goes but DJ on song
TweetIT has been a monumental day for Sydney's national league teams, with Keely Froling leaving the Flames for the rebuilding Deakin Melbourne Boomers, but DJ Hogg joining the NBL champion Kings after a break-out season at Cairns Taipans.
Originally from Townsville and part of one of Australian basketball's most notable families, Froling, 27 and a versatile 188cm forward/centre, joins Kristy Wallace, Sara Blicavs and Penina Davidson in a promising Boomers outfit for the 2023-24 WNBL campaign.
Playing for the Flames last season, she averaged 18.1 points and 8.8 rebounds in a battling team beset by turmoil and which won just six games.
Yet her numbers were comparable to those of league MVP Cayla George (18.5 and 11.3 respectively) who has quit the club and is bound for Sydney. Or Europe.
Froling's continuing development saw her last week named in the Opals squad to contest the Asia Cup in Sydney next month.
Hogg, 26 and 207cm, is the Kings' first import signing for 2023-24, on a two-year deal with the second year a mutual option.
In his NBL debut season with Cairns, he averaged 18.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists and was unafraid to take the big shot or make the big play.
In the light of Sydney losing league MVP Xavier Cooks to the NBA, Hogg is a major recruiting "get" joining Dejan Vasiljevic, Angus Glover, Kouat Noi, Shaun Bruce, Jaylin Galloway, Jordan Hunter, Makuach Maluach, Jackson Makoi (development player) and Klairus Amir (development player) on the defending champion's roster.