'Waste of time': Cadee puts NBL1 National Finals on blast

• Jason Cadee says the NBL1 National Finals are a "waste of time" without full-strength teams.
• NBL and WNBL pre-season commitments regularly force star players to miss the tournament.
• Cadee and Brayden Heslehurst believe the format must change or be scrapped altogether.

One of the greatest NBL1 players in the competition's history Jason Cadee has called for the NBL1 National Finals to come to an end as NBL and WNBL talents continue to miss the tournament due to professional commitments.

The NBL1 National Finals have been running since 2022, with this year's event in Adelaide from August 21-23, but rarely have the superstars who have graced local association courts during the respective state conference competitions represented their teams on the national stage.

NBL and WNBL stars have regularly missed the NBL1 Nationals due to pre-season commitments with their professional teams, therefore making the tournament a watered-down version of what fans and associations who invest in bringing in superstars expect.

The exception to the rule was the 2025 Knox Raiders women, whose full team competed in Canberra and took home the national title.

The trend has led to former NBL1 North MVP with the Gold Coast Rollers, NBL1 East star with the Bankstown Bruins and NBL legend Jason Cadee to say the tournament is a "waste of time".

"A lot of NBL programs don't give a sh*t now," Cadee said on the most recent episode of the Cut to the Jase podcast.

"We have to decide where this is going, because we're starting to see teams pull their players out (before the end of the season), saying no, can't play the rest of the season in finals.

"And if NBL teams are starting to do that, well, what are we doing? Because now we're going to lose them for finals, because they're going to play a few games in August."

Cadee said NBL teams should be happy their talents are playing in meaningful competition in the lead up to their professional seasons.

"Firstly, it should be good your players are still playing, they don't miss trainings," he said on the basketball.com.au podcast.

"But secondly, then the nationals, the people that probably care about it, aren't the people that we actually want playing at it, because they know they're not going to even get there.

"So I just think it's a waste of time."

Cadee's co-host on Cut to the Jase, Brayden Heslehurst, said for the NBL1 to work out a way to have full teams compete at the national tournament or don't have it at all.

NBL1 general manager, Tyrone Thwaites, said the league was already considering how the national tournament could "evolve" in the future.

"We are incredibly excited for the NBL1 National Finals in Adelaide in just a couple of weeks. It will bring together some of the strongest clubs, players and coaches from across the country and provide yet another fantastic national showcase for the competition," he told basketball.com.au.

"NBL1 is Australia’s elite product for community basketball and is unique in the way it brings the professional and community games together unlike any other sport.

"The competition stands strongly on its own, underpinned by the quality and depth of its clubs, coaches and players across Australia, both local and professional. The NBL1 South men’s and women’s finals series is a great example of that high standard of local talent intersecting with the professional game.

"At the same time, the involvement of NBL and WNBL talent is an important part of what makes NBL1 unique, and we want to create as many opportunities as possible for that intersection to occur.

"We do not believe the value of a national NBL1 event is dependent on every team having every professional player available. Clubs earn their place through the quality of their programs and their performance across an entire season. However, we absolutely recognise that player availability strengthens the product, and it is one of the factors we are considering as we review the timing, structure and format of our national offering.

"As the basketball calendar continues to grow, and the NBL and WNBL evolve, we are actively considering how the NBL1 product at a national level can also evolve to best reflect that purpose and provide the strongest possible showcase for the competition.

"The National Finals have played an important role in bringing the conferences together and creating a national stage for NBL1. While our immediate focus is on delivering a fantastic event in Adelaide this month, we are also well advanced in considering how our national-level product can evolve from 2027 to better reflect the future direction of NBL1 and strengthen the connection between the professional and community games."

NBL Players who missed 2025 NBL1 Nationals

• Todd Blanchfield (Illawarra Hawks)
• Fabian Krslovic (Sandringham Sabres)
• Dash Daniels (Sandringham Sabres)
• Ben Ayre (Sandringham Sabres)
• Keanu Rasmussen (West Adelaide Bearcats)
• Lat Mayen (West Adelaide Bearcats)

NBL1 Men's National Champions

• 2022: Rockingham Flames def. Frankston Blues 85–74
• 2023: Knox Raiders def. Rockingham Flames 90–85
• 2024: Knox Raiders def. Mackay Meteors 87–84
• 2025: Canberra Gunners def. Geraldton Buccaneers 86–67

NBL1 Women's National Champions

• 2022: Warwick Senators def. Ringwood Hawks 83–75
• 2023: Bendigo Braves def. Norths Bears 114–87
• 2024: Waverley Falcons def. Bendigo Braves 97–49
• 2025: Knox Raiders def. Cockburn Cougars 93–72

Most National Titles (through 2025)

Men

• Knox Raiders – 2 (2023, 2024)
• Rockingham Flames – 1 (2022)
• Canberra Gunners – 1 (2025)

Women

• Four different champions in the first four editions:
  • Warwick Senators (2022)
  • Bendigo Braves (2023)
  • Waverley Falcons (2024)
  • Knox Raiders (2025)