Basketball On The Internet.

THE return of King Conk – NBL MVP Brian Conklin – to Townsville is a coup for the Crocs, even though he already has logged two years in green.

Conklin initially was on Melbourne’s wish list but has been in regular contact with Crocodiles coach Shawn Dennis after spending some time playing in Puerto Rico.

He delivered 18.9ppg, 6.4rpg and 1.8 assists in 28 games last season en route to the MVP award.

Conklin (above with wife Kristina) told me today that the Townsville community’s “Bring Back Brian Conklin” campaign, which included a Facebook page, had been “very humbling”.

“I was already talking things over with Shawn Dennis when it came out so it wasn’t a driving factor,” Conklin said.

“But it definitely supported my decision and made me not really want to wait and see if things came up in Europe.”

The “Hunt for Red October” now is half complete, with Conklin to be joined in the Crocodiles’ frontcourt by 216cm Luke Schenscher and the backcourt to be shored up by a fellow South Aussie in guard Corey Maynard.

Schenscher was the Crocs' MVP in 2011.

Dennis travelled across the Tasman to watch the NBL NBL Final Four and Grand Final and came away impressed with McKenzie Moore, an athletic American swingman who averaged 22.4ppg for Nelson Giants.

If Moore is signed as the second import, the Crocs will be Mitch Norton, Clint Steindl, Moore, Conklin, Schenscher, Maynard, Nick Kay, Leon Henry, Mitch Young … with one roster spot to go and Mirko Djeric a possibility.