The NBA continuously gains popularity as more Aussies make their way across the states in hopes of getting drafted. The most recent draftee is Benigo native Dyson Daniels, and preceding him was Josh Giddey. Both stars love the AFL, and most footy fans even have an NBA team they support.
The NBA's history shares a different story as the league learns the ins and outs of the sports business, and only five teams have won more than three championships in its history. It is exceptionally skewed in comparison to the VFL/AFL premiership storyline.
But if you're unsure of which team to support, or are just beginning to take an interest in the NBA, here is part one ultimate guide to knowing which NBA team you should support based on your AFL following.
8. Gold Coast Suns
Sacramento Kings
One of the three teams that have not won a Premiership yet is the only team yet to play finals. Sacramento has had a troubled playoff history, too; it has not made a championship since relocating to Sacramento and hasn't made finals in the last ten seasons.
Both teams have an abysmal win rate, as the Kings have won 35.8% of their games over the previous ten seasons, and the Suns have only won 27.03% of their time in the AFL. These teams are quite the opposite of the Cats and Spurs franchises, with wins few and far between.
It could almost be classified as heartbreak, but that suggests there was love for the team's success. Despite that, they do not succeed; they have some fans in their small cities.
The Kings have slightly more history than the Suns, as the franchise has been around since 1923, formerly known as the Rochester Seagrams and went through several renamings before becoming the Sacramento Kings in 1985. Even with all this history as a franchise, they had only one Championship in 1951.
It may be a pre-curser to the Suns, who only have a long history ahead of them as they look to make their way to the finals for the first time in 2023. The Kings' account may be as long as the Suns as they would not be missing much and would be gifted with a cleaner slate.
Both clubs have had success with legends of the game joining them to help boost their chance at a title race; however, for the Kings, it wasn't meant to be, and the Suns were too inexperienced to take advantage of their stars.
You could compare the likes of 60's star Oscar Robinson to the likes of Gary Ablett; however, their stories of winning a Championship come out in opposite ways. Ablett started on a successful team, and Robinson finished on one.
Both players are respective greats in their clubs and are widely regarded as the best of their franchises to this day. It seems it may be a while until there is another Hall of Famer from their club, but the Gold Coast Suns' Touk Miller has a chance.
You probably don't want to go for the Kings; a disappointing history and a bleak future only suggest it will be a long, drawn-out season. But if you are at rock bottom, you can only go up from there, right?
Amusing how Victorians assume that their little “rivalries” mean anything outside of Victoria…..
“…….Ask any AFL fan; if they don’t go for Collingwood, they hate them”…
No. Stuff and nonesense.
In WA:
the answer would be either the Dockers or the Eagles, and the hatred is real – not the superficial (and very dated) attitudes that date back to when the ‘wobbles were a successful club (.. before the moniker “colliwobbles” was “earned”)……
In SA:
Crows members know that port is simply filth…. port “tarps” are deluded as to the Crows…..
… and this is a hatred steeped in the existential crises that rocked SA footy. It’s not a “rivalry” – it’s hating the entity that tried to extinguish the game in our state (or a delusion of that)…..
Outside of Victoria – the ‘wobbles are no more than a over-pampered vic club that doesn’t have to play “away” games, has always a “soft fixture” and an inbuilt home-ground advantage come finals time …. as well as gifted sponsorship (and tv) advantages most clubs are not….
I understand there were crow supporters barracking for Geelong as the margin blew out during the Grand final, hoping that Port’s ignominious 2007 thrashing would not be surpassed.