27
Oct
Code Sports
Revealed: Hoops’ 50 most influential movers and shakers
Commentators Derek Rucker and Andrew Gaze are seenduring the round 14 NBL match between the Tasmania Jackjumpers and Brisbane Bullets at MyState Bank Arena, on December 29, 2024, in Hobart, Australia. Photo: Steve Bell/Getty Images
Who are Australian basketball’s most influential movers and shakers? Have your say
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From some of the most recognisable people on the planet to names and faces you may never have come across, the people who shape the basketball landscape in Australia come from all manner of puzzle pieces which combine to propel the fastest-growing sport in the country, writes Michael Randall and Matt Logue from Code Sports.
Power in sport can take many forms and, aside from a select few, those who wield the most influence is often a subjective assessment that changes from person-to-person.
The real clout can come from almost anywhere - from fostering a booming public profile to a seat at the boardroom table or simply having the financial muscle to turn an ambitious idea into reality.
Owners and investors - the money men and women - control the purse strings. Executives negotiate the big sponsorship and broadcast deals, appoint high level staff and set the direction of national programs, clubs and competitions.
Agents work behind the scenes to shape rosters and careers, with influence that can stretch across the sport - and beyond.
Then there are those who use their platforms to affect change - the respected voices - and sometimes the not-so-respected, but loudest - can shape public opinion, bring an issue to the forefront of the agenda and force the people making decisions to listen.
Players and coaches - both past and present - wield their own clout and a name is often the only thing they need to open doors.
Our Australian basketball power list has been an exhaustive process, asking who makes things happen, who are the gatekeepers and whose voices are heard above all.
Shaped by input from across the spectrum of basketball in the country, including powerbrokers within News Corp, these are the 50 men and women who have been identified as the sport’s most influential.
For the full list of 50 identities and to have your say on Code Sports Basketball, click here.
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