Basketball On The Internet.

ADAM Ballinger is not expecting an invite to any NBA tryouts but enjoyed working out with superstar Australian centre Andrew Bogut regardless on Wednesday at Knox.

AB and AB provided the "big man" component of the individual sessions, Cleveland Cavs star Kyrie Irving and Ballinger's Melbourne Tigers' teammate Chris Goulding first showing off the work which playmakers and wingmen need to do.

Kids in the 1,500-strong crowd were used to help demonstrate some of the drills which included many basic fundamentals - forward pivots, post moves, close to the basket touch, layups.

What about dunks?

"Andrew was really good on his dunks," Ballinger said.

"But I can't follow him so I just did layups."

Bogut, meanwhile and despite being unperturbed by it, remains the subject of speculation now Dwight Howard has been in talks with his Golden State Warriors.

Of course Howard, who either adores the off-season attention or simply cannot make an adult decision - or both - still is being wooed by the LA Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets.

If I'm the Warriors, I wouldn't mess too much with a team which made it to the Western Conference semi finals despite All Star power forward David lee and Bogut being nobbled by injury.

Certainly wouldn't gamble on a guy you can't really believe until he makes a call - and even then it's still subject to review and recanting.

IAN Crosswhite has joined former Cairns Taipans teammate Aaron Grabau as an off-season retiree, formalising today he would not continue with Sydney Kings.

"For personal reasons I cannot commit to the second year of my contract with the Sydney Kings," Crossy said in a statement released this afternoon by the club.

"I am looking forward to moving on with new passions and interests. I will look back on my playing days and be glad for the opportunities it gave me.

"Thank you to all those people that have helped me over the years."

Crosswhite's retirement, although not unexpected, still leaves Sydney with some work to do.

The club is down Ben Madgen (ankle) for the early going and much of the excitement at signing AJ Ogilvy has been tempered by subsequent developments.

Crosswhite's game - he was a great post defender with smarts, subtle skills and deftness offensively - will sorely be missed, especially by basketball purists.

CONGRATULATIONS are due today to Basketball Australia for finally in some manner acknowledging the visit to Melbourne by Kyrie Irving, the NBA's 2011 No.1 draft selection.

It only took six days before BA managed to realise the burgeoning young superstar was here, by putting up the link to Kyrie and his father Drederick's interview for the SEABL at its website.

Father and son attended the Frankston-Knox game last night, with the venue some 300-plus over capacity! For a SEABL game, or to catch a glimpse of basketball royalty?

Nice to see our sport's national governing body stretching itself.

Here it is, by the way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWV2u2RTtmI&feature=youtu.be

AT THE risk of being accused a nostalgia junkie, today I got lucky - so to speak - with Bennie Lewis on Facebook where he recalled a time in the 80s when the best of the NBL imports played the best of the SEABL foreigners.

Lewis, a star at Wollongong Hawks, Coburg Giants, St Kilda Saints, North Melbourne Giants and Westside Melbourne Saints - NBL Hall of Fame anyone??? - averaged 32.0ppg in 1984 with the Giants, second only to Al Green's phenomenal 39.5ppg at West Bearcats that season.

He wrote today: "Back in the eighties on this day I put together an All Star game of NBL American Imports Versus SEABL American Imports, held at the Old Albert Park.

"...the game was packed to see how the two leagues' imports compared to each other.

"...I invited the US Ambassador and all the staff from the US Embassy.

"...At the time there was only one restaurant that served American style ribs, and they hosted the after function where we could all celebrate this day.

"...To all my friends around the world that miss home thank those who make you feel at home, that's how we did it back in the day...Happy 4th of July..."

Some further probing and Lewis revealed: "This was when Melbourne had four NBL teams and Geelong, and the SEABL was dominated by Melbourne teams along with Bendigo and Ballarat... HOOP was HOOP, had to bring it in Melbourne every day, if you were an import...

"SEABL Stars were Ray Shirley (Bulleen), David Johnson (Bendigo), Marc Ridlen, Bruce Bolden, Ron Ryer, Kelvin Small from my memory...

"NBL team was Brian Goorgian, Al Westover, Brad Pineau, Chuck Harmison, Jim Foster, Willie Simmons, Ken Epperson, Bennie Lewis ... and I believe James Crawford played against the wishes of the club, maybe...

"Bruce Palmer was the coach of the NBL Americans one year and so was Jay Brehmer...

"Bill Palmer and Lindsey Gaze helped me out a lot with clearing the players from their clubs and donating Albert Park...

"I owe a lot to Melbourne basketball for allowing me to work in the sport I love..."

Would love to have lived in Melbourne during this period to catch some of this type of action.

Anyone who has more on it can get in touch via the email address but those sure were the "good olde days."

AS uptodate as I can get on the Philadelphia 76ers coaching situation - of interest to all friends and fans of Boomers' London Olympics coach Brett Brown - is this.

There are reports the Sixers may not hire a replacement for Doug Collins until after the summer league.

If that is true, it would be at least 86 days since Collins resigned.

On draft night, the New York Daily News reported the 76ers had appointed Brown, who was looking to move one seat closer to head coach Gregg Popovich as San Antonio Spurs lead assistant.

Both the Spurs and Sixers quickly denied that report, though it was clear Philly had sought - and been granted permission by San Antonio - to speak with Brown.

"Nothing of that substance happened, I can tell you," 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie said after the Daily News report and in the wake of the draft.

"We had a lot of things going on. That was not part of what happened in the last several hours."

Within days, the Boston Globe reported Brown as "extremely" interested in the Celtics job, his family having long history in New England.

Brown frankly told me he would prefer not to make any comment for now.

Next week could be very interesting.

Assistants coaches David Fizdale (Miami Heat), Michael Curry (Sixers), Melvin Hunt (Denver Nuggets), and Houston Rockets assistants Chris Finch and Kelvin Sampson are, or have been touted as 76ers coaching candiadtes.

Curry is leading the Sixers' summer league team, which includes Australia's Brock Motum.

 

BRAD Newley is home from Spain and I caught up with him at http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/sa-olympian-brad-newley-has-extended-his-european-basketball-contract-with-cb-gran-canaria/story-fnii09ki-1226674923029

THE Crocs also spoke about new import Josh Pace at http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/crocodiles-coach-shawn-dennis-believes-josh-pace-is-a-great-fit-for-the-nbl-despite-his-unorthodox-style/story-fnii0aj1-1226674943330