Shawn Dennis on Whether Too Many Foreign Coaches Are Hurting the NBL, Plus Japanese Stars Who Belong in the NBL and Aussies Who Should Be Playing in Japan

Head coach of Japan's Nagoya Dolphins, Shawn Dennis, joins the podcast to discuss the evolution of Japanese basketball and its strong connection with Australian players and coaches.

Since its launch in 2016, the B.League has become one of the highest-paying leagues worldwide, attracting both seasoned Australian coaches and NBL talent.

Dennis, going into his sixth season in Japan, joins host Dan Boyce to shed some light on how the NBL and B.League could benefit from closer collaboration, Japanese players who should be playing in the NBL and vice versa, and the rapid growth of basketball in Japan.

They also discuss in depth the current NBL trend of teams overlooking many top Australian coaches in preference for foreign options and the impact that could have on the game.

Topics Include:

How basketball is improving in Japan and the rise of the B.League (2:00)
Why numerous Australian coaches are heading to Japan instead of staying in the NBL (10:00)
Whether the movement of Australian coaches to Asian basketball leagues is impacting Australian basketball’s growth (12:00)
Why experienced coaches like Sam MacKinnon, Scott Ninnis, Rob Beveridge, and Joey Wright are being overlooked by NBL teams (15:00)
Which NBL players could excel in Japan's B.League and which Japanese players have the potential to thrive in the NBL (26:30)
How former NBL players like Nick Kay, Shawn Long, and Angus Brandt are faring in Japan (9:00)
B.League salaries compared to NBL salaries (10:30)
The East Asian Super League and the potential for Australia’s involvement (15:00)
Shawn’s scouting role with the Australian Boomers (18:00)
How Australia could benefit from the B.League’s resources, given Japan’s success with Australian players and coaches (20:00)
The most effective pathway to becoming an NBL coach and what aspiring coaches should focus on (17:00)
Do foreign coaches have a disadvantage compared to local coaches when coaching an NBL team? (23:00)
How the NBL and Japan's national league can collaborate more effectively to benefit both countries (35:00)