Perth Wildcats GM Danny Mills scouting through the NBL1

Perth Wildcats General Manager of Basketball Operations and former Director of Scouting for the Philadelphia 76ers Danny Mills has been using the Coles Express NBL1 as a tool for scouting for the Wildcats. 

“The NBL1 league is definitely starting to take off,” Mills said on The Huddle Podcast. 

“Producing more DPs (development players) to bottom roster players. But there is enough talent in there that you have to be aware of all it for sure.” 

This week on The Huddle Podcast, we take you inside Free Agency.@Liam_Santa chats to @PerthWildcats GM of Basketball Operations Danny Mills about how contract negotiations work, Perth’s approach to signings and plenty more.https://t.co/Mkn3eRVFP8

— The NBL (@NBL) June 1, 2022

The Wildcats have not only recruited out of the NBL1, but used it as a way to expand their players' talents. 

Wildcats young star and recent G League NBA Elite Camp invite Luke Travers played for the now NBL1 West side the Cockburn Cougars. He averaged over 17 points per game and it was a step in his development for breakout season in NBL21. 

Perth also recruited Oliver Hayes-Brown and Kyle Zunic after successful NBL1 campaigns the NBL1 South and NBL1 North respectively. 

Liam Santamaria spoke to Mills about how much overlap there is of NBL players who currently play in the NBL1. He asked if that allows people like Mills to evaluate talent better given they are often going against NBL-level talents.  

“When you are evaluating guys and looking at the numbers they are producing statistically, you can kind of look at it and be like ‘alright, who have they played against that’s an NBL player and how did they go.’ Or ‘what are those NBL players producing and how does that compare to this prospect, and how does that translate to the next level'.”

You can watch all the best NBL prospects play in the NBL1 right now on NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. 

Feature image via Michael Farnell / Sports Imagery