Why Jason Cadee sees no path as an NBL coach

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Just three Australian born head coaches remain in the NBL.

That is, of course, following the departure of three-time championship coach Dean Vickerman and the return of five-time championship mentor Trevor Gleeson.

While the trend of foreign head coaches in the league has been somewhat of a discussion point in recent seasons, it's something we can understand, to a point because after all the professional ranks are about winning first and foremost.

With that comes the suppression of a pathway for aspiring Australian head coaches, although that responsibility doesn't really fall on NBL clubs.

But is there any need for an influx of foreign assistant coaches as well?

We've seen a sprinkling of international coaches join coaching staffs around the NBL in recent seasons, and while it is an extreme net positive for the likes of Will Weaver to be back in the league, the Brisbane Bullets are set to boast a largely foreign staff after announcing their coaching staff in recent weeks.

It's something NBL legend and former Bullet Jason Cadee said on Cut to the Jase that he didn't want to see become a regular thing across the NBL in the future.

"No, I don't love that," he said on the latest edition of the basketball.com.au podcast where rising star Jayden Cecil was the special guest.

"I've been asked so many times lately, rightly or wrongly, whether people think it or they don't, like, why aren't you doing any coaching stuff?

"What's the pathway? Yes, I might be good at it, I might be terrible at it, I don't know. But I just look at it and go, well, there's your prime example, you can't even get an Aussie on a coaching staff in the NBL, which I find astounding.

"I would love to know what those guys were getting paid and if it was much higher than what Australians got paid in those roles.

"Because once again, that's the part I just don't agree with. I never will. We're not there yet."

Although international coaches such as Chase Buford, Justin Tatum, Scott Roth and even Josh King have been successful in recent seasons, they've done it with a contingent of Australians or coaches with NBL experience filling out their coaching staff.

Tatum has the likes of Joel Khalu, Matt Flynn, Sam Gruggen and more. Roth has had Jacob Chance, Mark Radford, Jarrad Weeks and the like. King has been assisted by Adam Gibson, Luke Brennan and in his first season NBL legend Sam Mackinnon.

Take a look at the Sydney Kings. Brian Goorjian is the most experience coach, by a mile, in the NBL and he won the title with Andrew Bogut, Billy Tomlinson and Shaun Roger as his assistants.

While we love to see great coaching talent in the NBL, maybe we can at least leave the assistant coaching positions as pathways for our great Aussie or Kiwi coaches. Because, as history has shown, they can also help you reach the ultimate success.