Greater opportunities for Indigenous players

Written by NBL.com.au and Melbourne United Media

Through the NBL’s new Indigenous Player Rule, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players will receive more opportunities to secure spots on NBL teams.

Under the new rule, players like Melbourne United Development Player Will ‘Davo’ Hickey, will see more opportunities as the league encourages teams to recruit eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players by funding a portion of their salaries.

Ahead of Indigenous Round, the League has announced the Indigenous Player Rule guidelines:

• The NBL will fund 50% of the minimum salary for all eligible* Development Players
• If an eligible player* is fully contracted in his 1st, 2nd or 3rd year, they will be exempt from the calculation of that club’s aggregate salaries for the purposes of the salary cap
• For those same players but in their 4th, 5th or 6th year, a 50% exemption will apply for the purposes of salary cap calculations
• In order to qualify for these benefits, the contracting club must have adopted an organisational cultural safety program approved by the League

Davo is one of two players, the other being Sydney’s Biwali Bayles, who are currently signed under these rules.

Speaking about the new rule, NBL Commissioner Jeremy Loeliger added his excitement about the pathways this initiative will create moving forward.

“We are committed to creating genuine pathways and opportunities for Indigenous players.

“The Indigenous Player Rule is the first step in that journey, and we have already seen talented youngsters like Biwali Bayles and William Hickey recruited to NBL clubs since putting these measures in place.”

This announcement comes on the heels of Melbourne United’s Indigenous Jersey unveiling.

Melbourne United will wear thier NBL22 Indigenous Jersey in a pair of home games against the Brisbane Bullets on Saturday 5 March, and then again on Thursday 10 March against the Perth Wildcats.

Tickets are on sale for both games here, while three and five game memberships for United’s seven remaining home games are available here.

The jersey is available for purchase now, via our online store. It will also be available for purchase at our February 5 and 10 home games.