Cam Oliver joins the podcast to discuss his time playing for the Cairns Taipans, how it shaped him as a player and a person, and how it helped him reach the NBA.

Since leaving Australia, Cam has played in Spain, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, France and China, and he shares some of the highs and lows from each of these stops.

Currently looking for a team to play with in 2024/25, he confirms that he'd love to return to the NBL.

During his first NBL season, Oliver averaged 17.0 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 54 percent from the field. This earned him a spot on the All-NBL Second Team.

In his second NBL season, Oliver had to cut his season short due to complications with his wife's pregnancy but averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds across the 24 games he played.

Over his two seasons in the NBL, Oliver averaged 17.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 52 NBL games.

Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms.

Topics include...

• Experiences playing in China (2:00)
• Where he’d like to play the 2024/25 season and a potential return to the NBL (8:00)
• How he was recruited to play for the Taipans, and how close he got to signing with the Wildcats (10:00)
• The trio of Cam Oliver, Scott Machado and DJ Newbill (17:00)
• Thoughts on Bryce Cotton and falling short of the NBL Grand Final in 2020 (19:00)
• How Cam used his experience in Cairns to mature and develop as a player and a person (21:00)
• What caused the Taipans to fall from one win away from the Grand Final his first season, to near the bottom of the ladder the next (27:00)
• The NBA calls and his experiences with the Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks (31:00)
• Why he thinks he hasn’t been able to latch on to an NBA team (38:00)
• Stories from playing in countries such as Israel, Spain, Puerto Rico, France and more (42:00)
• Biggest hurdles and learning moments from his career (45:00)
• The highlights of his career so far and of travelling Australia (49:00)

Head to Aussie Hoopla to check out previous podcasts featuring;

Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, Phil Smyth, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, Sam MacKinnon, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Damian Martin, Brad Newley

Current NBL Stars - Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Tyler Harvey, Dejan Vasiljevic, Thomas Abercrombie, Daniel Johnson, Jason Cadee, Mitch McCarron, Anthony Drmic, Luke Travers, Sam Froling, Jesse Wagstaff

Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Barry Barnes, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole, Will Weaver, Bruce Palmer

NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Jack White, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti, Ryan Broekhoff, Doug Overton

The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Dwayne McClain, Darnell Mee, Shawn Redhage, Al Green, Steve Woodberry, Doug Overton, Kevin Lisch

And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Mal Speed, Paul Maley, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chris Pongrass, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner, Danny Mills

All that and much more.

Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or email us at info@aussiehoopla.com

Harry Froling joins the podcast to give an update on his health after suffering a fractured skull and bleeding to the brain following an alleged assault outside a popular Wollongong nightclub.

A year into his recovery he also talks about his brother Sam's chances of making the Boomers Olympic squad, the issues the NBL faces with poor refereeing and the issues that arise from Larry Kestleman owning the league and NBL teams at the same time.

Harry Froling won the NBL rookie of the year award in 2019 and went on to play six seasons across four NBL teams. This included the Townsville Crocodiles, Illawarra Hawks, Adelaide 36ers and Brisbane Bullets.

He averaged 6.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 154 NBL games.

Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms.

Topics include...

• Harry provides an update on his health after receiving a vicious blow to the head in an ugly incident off the court 12 months ago (2:00)
• The development of Sam Froling and his chances of being a part of the Boomers Olympic squad this year (6:00)
• Without any fear of an NBL fine, Harry gives an unbiased view of the current referee situation in the NBL (10:00)
• What teams should we see in the NBL Grand Final next week? (23:30)
• The success on and off the court of the Illawarra Hawks (25:30)
• Harry looks back at his time in the NBL and revisits areas he could have improved or done better (30:00)
• The biggest hurdles he has faced both on and off the court (40:00)
• The three-year wall for NBL players (45:00)
• When does Harry feel he was playing his best basketball (51:00)
• The biggest hurdles and highlights from his playing career (56:00)

Head to Aussie Hoopla to check out previous podcasts featuring; Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, Phil Smyth, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, Sam MacKinnon, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Damian Martin, Brad Newley

Current NBL Stars - Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Tyler Harvey, Dejan Vasiljevic, Thomas Abercrombie, Daniel Johnson, Jason Cadee, Mitch McCarron, Anthony Drmic, Luke Travers, Sam Froling, Jesse Wagstaff

Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Barry Barnes, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole, Will Weaver, Bruce Palmer

NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Jack White, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti, Ryan Broekhoff, Doug Overton

The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Dwayne McClain, Darnell Mee, Shawn Redhage, Al Green, Steve Woodberry, Doug Overton, Kevin Lisch

And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Mal Speed, Paul Maley, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chris Pongrass, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner, Danny Mills

All that and much more.

Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or email us at info@aussiehoopla.com

Sam MacKinnon played sixteen seasons across five NBL teams.

This included the South East Melbourne Magic, West Sydney Razorbacks, Townsville Crocodiles, Brisbane Bullets and Melbourne Tigers. He averaged 14.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 459 NBL games.

Injuries forced him to retire at only 33 years of age but despite that, he still etched out a Hall Of Fame career where he sits in the top 10 all-time for rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.

The all-round talent also represented Australia at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.

He joins host Dan Boyce to talk about some of the highs and lows of his NBL career and experiences from playing with the Australian Boomers.

Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms.

Topics include...

• Coaching the South East Melbourne Phoenix (2:00)

• Parallels between the career of Mitch Creek and Sam MacKinnon (5:30)

• Sam gives his side of the roller-coaster season with Brisbane where Sam acted as a GM, assistant and head coach (7:30)

• Should head coaches or team GMs select players for NBL teams (12:30)

• Do people still remember ‘Slammin’ Sam MacKinnon and the South East Melbourne Magic (13:30)

• The rivalry between the Magic and the Melbourne Tigers (18:00)

• Magic win the championship in 1996 (21:00)

• How Sam leaving the Magic created a huge rift in the Magic coaching staff (27:00)

• Playing for the Boomers in 1996 and the 2000 Sydney Olympics (30:00)

• The injuries that derailed Sam’s NBL and NBA opportunities (37:00)

• Winning the championship with the Brisbane Bullets in 2007 (41:00)

• The negative elements of being an NBA prospect his entire career (44:00)

• The demise of the Brisbane Bullets and ending his career with the Melbourne Tigers (48:00)

• The biggest hurdles and highlights from his playing career (50:00)

Head to Aussie Hoopla to check out previous podcasts featuring; Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, Phil Smyth, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, Sam MacKinnon, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Damian Martin, Brad Newley

Current NBL Stars - Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Tyler Harvey, Dejan Vasiljevic, Thomas Abercrombie, Daniel Johnson, Jason Cadee, Mitch McCarron, Anthony Drmic, Luke Travers, Sam Froling, Jesse Wagstaff

Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Barry Barnes, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole, Will Weaver, Bruce Palmer

NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Jack White, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti, Ryan Broekhoff, Doug Overton

The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Dwayne McClain, Darnell Mee, Shawn Redhage, Al Green, Steve Woodberry, Doug Overton, Kevin Lisch

And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Mal Speed, Paul Maley, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chris Pongrass, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner, Danny Mills

All that and much more.

Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or email us at info@aussiehoopla.com