Why do Imports come to Australia when Australians are going over there?

[patm]

No doubt a knaive question.
And I have no knowledge about the subject, just some observations.
But I was curious to get some opinions on how it works.

If I look at it really simplistically, if there is enough money/opportunity here to attract someone from overseas, why would that not be better spent to keep somone here in Australia? Travel expenses and time are an obvious saving.
If the opportunities here in Australia are just not good enough to stay for, why would anyone come here from overseas?
If it only happened at the national level it might make more sense. But even lower level state teams can have imports.
I don't mean to appear racist, but if I was in club marketing I could see the benefit in having an afro-american player import. But many of these players are white.
And is the fact that most are from the US instead of say Europe, due to the number of players playing in the US, or something about the US system if you don't make NBA/WNBA?
And if that is the case, are many Australians going to the US more to get the free college education rather than any realistic expectation of making NBA/WNBA?

Anyway, thats about as much as I have to say. Questions only. But I would like to know a little bit more about how this part of our basketball process works.

[Melb Wildcat]

Aussie players head to college to pick up a free education and develop their game. If you saw how much a basketball scholarship is worth its more than what they would make as a rookie in the NBL.

As for players coming here you just have to look at guys like Werner and Gruber who have came here to play SEABL have have developed their game where they now play in good leagues. I think the experience of coming to Australia (overseas) shouldnt be under estimated either.

The college experiment has worked so far for many players.

[patm]

As for players coming here you just have to look at guys like Werner and Gruber who have came here to play SEABL have have developed their game where they now play in good leagues. I think the experience of coming to Australia (overseas) shouldnt be under estimated either.
Thanks for taking the time to respond.
So taking Gruber for example (only because I know a bit about him), I assume that after college he would have liked to play NBA but either didn't make it or saw no point in trying out.
So does that mean the lower level leagues in the US are then no better than the NBL here in Australia? In terms of quality and money?
And I suppose here at Frankston we must be offering him at least as much as he would get over in Europe (assumign I have got my seasons right).

I also realise I was not taking into account that the US imports coming here have all finished college, so really should be compared to the Australians who have also finished US college.
Therefore these 2 groups would be directly competing for any money available in Australia.

And I don't know much about a US college education. I suppose I can assume it is at least equal to an Australian qualification.
Therefore you are receiving something valued at between $100,000 to $300,000 over 3 to 4 years. And at the same time you get to play a sport you love. I suppose many Australians would do it with very little expectation of making the NBA or WNBA.

[smittys07]

Just a few other things to consider:
Quite a few US players come out here straight out of college and are prepared to use the the SEABL and other ABA leagues (and the NBL to a lesser extent) as almost like a proving ground to get a better contract in Europe. These leagues are rated reasonably highly in Europe so taking a year in Australia to acclimatise to just being away from home can often parlay into a more lucrative contract in Europe (or even a better deal in Australia).

Further to that, as a first year away from home, what better place to come than a country where English is the main language?

There are hundreds of college players graduating every year and they all want to continue playing, so if they can't initially get a gig in the US (and don't want to hit the buses to play in the CBA or NBDL) or Europe they try to get a spot out here. As I said, some will play for the bare minimum, play out of their minds and voila, they're on their way.

An even better example than Gruber or Werner would be Shawn Redhage, who came out to play for NW Tasmania and has since naturalised to play for Australia etc. There are many examples of US imports that have come out here planning on playing just one year and ended up staying for good.

From a team perspective, getting imports straight out of college can be a very effective - and with a lot of clubs, cheap - way of getting some blue-chip talent on board in a hurry.

[Melb Wildcat]

Yeah I fogot about Shawn Redhage ---its been too long! Damon Lowery and Allen McCowan were also players that come to mind who played a few seasons of ABA before getting NBL gigs, albeit brief.

Speaking of imports whats the news at Albury smitty? :p

[smittys07]

Yeah I fogot about Shawn Redhage ---its been too long! Damon Lowery and Allen McCowan were also players that come to mind who played a few seasons of ABA before getting NBL gigs, albeit brief.

Speaking of imports whats the news at Albury smitty? :p

Nothing as yet, although I've been on hols the last month or so :p
Looks like they've signed JP Wilkinson from the Tigers' D-League squad though.