Flynn wants court time with Tigers

Updated November 07, 2012 17:27:02

After getting less court time in the NBA than the cheerleaders, former top 10 draft pick Jonny Flynn's move to the Melbourne Tigers is all about getting back to playing.

The 23-year-old point guard has joined the Tigers in the NBL to jump-start a career that once promised basketball super-stardom.

Flynn was the number six pick in the 2009 NBA draft after setting records in college basketball with Syracuse University.

As a point of reference, Melbourne Tigers and Boomers favourite Patty Mills was picked 55th in the same draft.

But a hip injury that required surgery after Flynn's rookie year with Minnesota left him sidelined and he was then bounced through three other NBA clubs.

Flynn, who will suit up against Adelaide at Melbourne Park on Friday night, is desperate for some consistent court time in the NBL.

"The cheerleaders got on the court more than me," Flynn said when asked about his recent NBA experience.

"I was on the sideline for a long time."

He did not want to expand on why his career stalled, only to say that the NBA was a "big business" and things happened that were out of his control.

Turning his back on bigger offers in China and Europe, Flynn said money never entered the equation.

"I came to a point where I just wanted to play," he said.

"You can't get better if you're not playing basketball.

"I just want to get back to playing basketball and (Tigers' coach) Chris (Anstey) has given me a great opportunity to go out and get back to doing the things I'm used to doing."

Anstey admitted he was initially cautious when contacted by Flynn's manager Leon Rose but had been impressed by his humility since arriving in Melbourne at the weekend.

"We learnt a lot from the A-League that it can be a really important thing for the sport to have someone of such high calibre join one of the teams," Anstey said.

"It doesn't guarantee success because, at the end of the day, we're a 1-4 basketball team really wanting to climb that ladder as quickly as possible.

"Jonny represents part of an opportunity to do that."

The inclusion of Flynn meant the Tigers had to cut another import, Kevin Braswell, whose impact had been hampered by knee trouble.

Flynn said he wanted to put on a show for NBL fans and "mess with everybody".

He was happy to have a target on his back.

"You're a competitor - you're prepared for anything," he said.

"Definitely guys are going to look at me like that but I'm going to still go out there and compete like anybody else so they've got to be ready themselves."

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, australia, united-states

First posted November 07, 2012 17:27:02

View the original article here

National Basketball Association 'Hard Court' Dimensions

You Could Be Losing Minutes on the Court! Gain More With This Basketball Advice

The Hard Court Mirror - How Basketball Kits Impact Us

Basketball Hoops - Essential Equipment For a Rockin Home Basketball Court

Basketball Equipment - What You Need For a Great Home Court

They Used to Call Me a Wimp on the Basketball Court Until I Learned the Art of Playing Defense

Dimensions of a Basketball Court - Valuable Tips & Info!

Permanent Basketball Systems - How to Build a Great Home Basketball Court

There is nothing better than turning your driveway into basketball central with a permanent basketball system. You won't just have a great way to improve you basketball skills at home and maintain your fitness, you will also have a fun place to hang out with your family and friends and play basketball.

Start with a Great Basketball Hoop - It all starts with the permanent basketball system. You want to get the biggest backboard that you can fit within your budget, preferably a seventy two inches and made of glass. If that's a little out of your price range you can still get fifty four or even sixty inch backboard systems at very reasonable prices. You should also try to get the largest basketball pole that you can get, four, five, six or even eight inches if you can do it.

Buy a Court Stencil Kit - There are plenty of places that you can buy a really affordable court stenciling kit to go with your permanent basketball system. Some of the best ones are made of cardboard and just unfold on your driveway, allowing you to spray pint your court lines down. You will have a three point line and free throw line marked perfectly right on your driveway. While the better court stencil systems usually come with white paint, you can supplement your own paint to make your court lines any color that you wish.

Get a Composite Leather Basketball - A high quality composite leather basketball is ideal for home courts. Don't make the mistake of buying an all leather basketball, like used in competitive arenas. All leather balls are meant for indoor use, and they just won't perform quite as well when dribbling outdoors. You might even think about buying a couple and a ball holder that you can attach to your permanent basketball system.

Roll Back Nets - If you want to make sure that your basketball time is as fun as it can be, you should also think about buying a rollback net that you can attach to your backboard. This is just some netting that hangs from the back of your rims and keeps airballs from getting away from you. This cuts down on the amount of time that you spend chasing after basketballs and increases the amount of time that you spend playing on your permanent basketball system.

Make Sure you Get a Good Deal - The trick to stretching your budget and making sure that you build a great home court around your permanent basketball system. The more your educate yourself on all of the kinds of basketball hoops that you can get, the more cash you will have in your pocket at the end of the day.

Pro Dunk Hoops is the web's top resource for learning about permanent basketball systems. They have information on everything from the best kinds of basketball brands out there to the right kind of nets to attach to your rim, plus tips on how to save cash on your next basketball hoop purchase.

How to Build a Basketball Court In Your Own Yard

Some people dream of becoming a doctor, a pilot, or a teacher while others dream of becoming a professional basketball player. If you are entertaining high hopes for yourself or your son in entering a professional league, you need to start practicing as early as possible and all the important basketball training in this world always start at the backyard.

There are two ways for you to build your own basketball court: you can do it from scratch or simply purchase a DIY basketball court kit.

Starting from Scratch

Skills - You need to have intermediate carpentry skills to successfully build your own basketball court from scratch. Firstly, you have to make sure that the ground you'll be building your basketball court on has a smooth even surface to prevent accidents and decrease the risk of injury. Secondly, you'll need to build your own basketball ring. Thirdly, you'll need to paint your own court lines.

Costs - It's possible that you'll enjoy lower costs when it comes to building your own basketball court from scratch. Most DIY basketball court kits include flooring, which would just be an unnecessary expense if you already have an appropriate floor surface for your basketball court. You can also choose your own materials for your basketball stand and ring and even painting materials and ensure that you'll pay less for them.

Production Time - Of course, building your own basketball court from scratch will take a longer time than it would with a DIY kit. This is because instead of simply having to assemble things only as is such the case with a DIY kit, it's entirely a different procedure when you're determined to build one from scratch.

Firstly, you'll have to take appropriate measurements. Secondly, you'll have to go shopping for the necessary materials and tools before you can finally get on to the building part.

Material Sources - You may have a difficult time procuring the required materials for your project especially if you're looking for things that are only sold wholesale in the market.

Using a DIY Basketball Court Kit

Model - Make sure that you're purchasing the correct DIY basketball court kit. Most DIY basketball court kits differ according to court dimensions and whether or not it adheres to NBA or collegiate standards or the likes. Check also if the kit is for half or full court models.

Skills - Basic or moderate building skills are all that's necessary to get your basketball court assembled. You will need however to read instructions carefully and thoroughly because the assembly process leaves no room for errors. Skipping a step can spell danger for you in the long run as it compromises the safety of your basketball court.

Cost - Expect to spend a small amount of money on a DIY basketball kit, although this is certainly money well spent because DIY kits include absolutely everything you need to make your basketball court entirely professional and fit for the NBA!

Tips on Installing Poles for Your Basketball Court

Whether you're building your own basketball court from scratch or using a DIY kit, you'll basically undergo the same process in properly installing your pole.

Firstly, you need to dig an appropriately sized hole for the foundation of your basketball pole. At least one foot and three inches of your basketball pole must be set underneath to ensure its stability. Once you've secured the pole's position, cover the hole with concrete. Make sure it's completely filled and doesn't have any air pockets. Afterwards, fill the pole with concrete as well. When that's done, check if the pole is plumb positioned accurately.

Important Measurements for Basketball Court Building

The NBA and NCAA are both using the same court dimensions: ninety-four feet in length and fifty feet in width. High school basketball courts use the same width but a shorter length at eighty-four feet. Junior high basketball courts are seventy-four feet in length and forty-two feet in width.

Regardless of whether you're using an NBA, NCAA, or Junior High basketball court, you should concentrate more on honing your son's skills in basic basketball skills like dribbling and shooting if you want him fully prepared for a professional basketball career. But most important of all is to ensure that you and your son have fun playing. Shoot for your dreams!

Lee Dobbins writes for http://www.sports-wise.com where you can learn more about your favorite sports and get more tips on building a basketball court.