Basketball and everything in between

I recently stumbled across Darren Ng’s basketball blog and have been an avid reader ever since I found it.  During the last off season, Darren signed with the Singapore Slingers after his most productive NBL season.  Singapore are obviously no longer part of the league and Darren has stuck with the Slingers and played some fantastic basketball and had some great times.  I recently took a punt and asked Darren for an interview and he agreeded.  Enjoy!

Hi Darren.  Thank you for joining us at Basketball and Everything in Between.  How is life treating you in Singapore?

Life is good. The city is great, the people are great and I’ve had no trouble settling in. Admittedly, there have been some ups and downs since I’ve been here, but overall it has been a new experience that has opened up new opportunities for me.

You had a great season last year with the 36ers.  How did you end up in Singapore?

I was pretty happy with my season last year (actually around the time Julius came in I started playing well – I see he’s back!) and Singapore had been trying to get me to come over and play for them. It was a combination of something different for me and having a new experience in my basketball career. I always enjoy challenging myself and this was a new challenge in my life.

The Slingers are playing a series of exhibition games against different Asian teams.  How difficult is it to get yourself up for each game when there is no season and finals series?

There is obviously no playoffs to look forward to at the end of the season, but for me, and I suppose everyone on the team, when you go to play a game no matter what for, the competitive spirit comes out. Then there’s the fans that come out to watch every game and of course the special games where there are 6000+ people in the stadium. There’s also the opportunity every game to showcase what I can do and that in itself also generates interest in the region.

What was your feelings when you found out that the Slingers would not be playing in the NBL?

I was pretty shocked to begin with, of course. None of us had seen it coming. But if you looked at it objectively and did the sums, it was the logical thing to do. I’ve written about it extensively in a post on my blog and you can read more about it there.

I read with interest that Gordie McLeod left the team mid season.  Can you shed any light on that situation and how it occurred?  How did the team feel about him leaving?

Gordie was having some issues with his contract, so chose not to go on. It is tough having him leave as he is such a great coach, one that is highly respected in Australian basketball. But we have a great replacement in Frank Arsego and the team is now moving on.

You had some great games for the 36ers last season (including a career high of 30 points against Wollongong) but the 36ers came up short and missed the play offs.  What was your take on the whole season?

Its probably been talked about a fair bit already – we started slow and probably had a few injuries that cost us at the start. Obviously, when Julius came in we kicked up a gear and about that time I started to play well and find my niche in the team. We were one game away from the playoffs and finishing the season strong so it was a pity we didn’t quite get there.

Who is the best import that you have ever played with?

Julius Hodge.

Obviously playing for Phil Smyth had a great influence on your career.  How was he as a coach?

Phil was one of those coaches who not only coached, but knew how to manage a team. I think he and Steve Breheny complemented each other really well and that is clear from their success. I am indebted to both Phil and Steve for allowing me to play as well as complete my Medical degree – not many others would have been as accommodating. Not only was I able to become a doctor, but at the same time I was able to improve my game to the level it is now.

You took the 2005-06 season off to complete your medical studies.  What strand of medicine are you hoping to practice in at the conclusion of your basketballing career?

I am still considering which path in Medicine I want to take. I would like to play basketball professionally until the stage I feel I have competed at the highest level I can, or feel that I am not competitive anymore. So, I guess the medicine is going to fit around that for a few more years. I’m sure that when my playing days are over I’ll be in for a challenging career in Medicine, as that is just part of my character.

What are your thoughts on the demise of the NBL?  How can it return to its glory days of the past?

I’ve seen the NBL slowly head south since I started playing in the league. I came in at a time where it had peaked and support (particularly in Adelaide) was at a high. It is a shame that this has happened and I think some of the onus has to be put on the people running the league. Some teams have profited, while others have been left behind. When this happens, those struggling teams try to spend over their limits to compete and that’s where problems arise. Three teams fell out of the NBL in the past off season and I know that for a fact Singapore would still be in the league if they had just given us a few allowances, like better scheduling of games (something simple, but they still couldn’t do it). I suspect Sydney and Brisbane could have been saved if the NBL and other teams really wanted. ABC learning was obviously a great supporter of the league and it was unfortunate what happened there and nobody could have seen that coming. That probably kicked things into panic mode a little more. Hopefully this new review has some ideas, but at this stage it is hard to tell. I see that they would like to play in Asia, but their foothold (Slingers) is gone and we are looking towards an ASEAN league in the near future. I really do hope the NBL gets back as there are many great players in Australia and it would be a shame to lose them.

Favourite team mate of all time?

Brett Maher – a great guy, great player and someone I’ve looked up to my whole career. It was a privilege to have played with him.

I am sure that you have heard about the whole Ben Cousins returning to the AFL drama.  What are your thoughts on this?  Should he be allowed to play again?

That’s a hard one. It probably leaves the door open to superstar players thinking they can get away with whatever they like. However, Ben is such a talented player that clubs are willing to take a risk with him. And if he has gotten his life back in order, then good on him. I’m not really sure about this one. I don’t like seeing drugs in sport (or recreational drugs in life in general), so I’m probably just on the ‘not allowing him to play’ side. But it’s tough.

Last question – will we ever see you back in the NBL again?

I guess we’ll see in the future if I’ll be back. Having been up here in Singapore has opened up opportunities that I would have never have imagined possible, so time will tell where my next challenge takes me. If it is the NBL, then I’d be happy to be back.

So there you go.  I personally think that league is worse off without guys like Darren and the other guys who are with the Slingers.  I am glad that they are getting an opportunity to play and get paid but it is not for the best for basketball in Australia.  But it was awesome that he took the time to do this interview.  Check out this YouTube mix of Darren’s highlights with the Slingers and this one from his time with the 36ers and of course visit his blog to keep up to date with the things that are happening with him and the Slingers.