Jeff Van Groningen (Adelaide 36ers GM) on Ben Simmons backlash, What NBA scouts are asking about Josh Giddey and the 36ers season

Aussie Hoopla NBL & NBA Podcast

Jeff Van Groningen, the current GM of Basketball for the Adelaide 36ers has been involved with the National Basketball League since 1994.

Having spent with the Geelong Supercats, Melbourne Tigers, Brisbane Bullets, Sydney Kings and Adelaide he joins host Dan Boyce to talk about the highs and lows faced by the Adelaide 36ers this season before diving into the NBA interest around potential top-10 pick Josh Giddey.

Van Groningen shares what questions NBA scouts are asking about Giddey as their scout potential draft picks for this years NBA draft and how he has seen Giddey develop as a player this season.

Jeff also tackles the abuse Ben Simmons has received in both traditional and social media, whether it's fair and the consequences it could have.

Topics include...

• Recruiting a roster amidst a pandemic. What were the obstacles and nuances to putting together the 36ers team in 2021 (2:00)
• What concerns and questions were players asking when they were deciding where to play in 2021 (8:00)
• The decision behind releasing Donald Sloan mid-season (12:00)
• While Josh Giddey had a break out season Adelaide stumbled in 2021. How do the 36ers measure whether running with an 18-year-old point guard was the right or wrong decision in hindsight (18:00)
• The exciting addition of Filipino junior star Kai Sotto and what he can bring to the 36ers next season (25:00)
• What will the 36ers be looking to add to their roster to improve for next season (31:00)
• How COVID has impacted the 36ers and the NBL financially (33:30)
• Josh Giddey's NBA interest and what questions are NBA teams asking to determine his draft potential (41:00)
• What parts of the season were the 36ers front office excited about the most in 2021 (49:00)
• The attacks on Ben Simmons after his NBA playoffs exit, whether it was fair and the impact it could have (53:30)

Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms.

Listen to our previous interviews with the biggest stars in Australian Basketball, head to Aussiehoopla.com. Check out previous podcasts featuring;

Australian Basketball Legends - Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Mark Bradtke, Leroy Loggins, David Andersen, Andrew Vlahov, Phil Smyth, CJ Bruton, Chris Anstey, Brett Maher, John Rillie, Tony Ronaldson, Damian Martin

Current NBL Stars - Jack White, Dejan Vasiljevic, AJ Ogilvy, Daniel Kickert, Thomas Abercrombie, Jason Cadee, Bryce Cotton, Chris Goulding, Mitch McCarron, Cam Gliddon, Anthony Drmic, Brad Newley

Our Finest Coaching Minds - Brian Goorjian, Barry Barnes, Joey Wright, Adrian Hurley, Aaron Fearne, Rob Beveridge, Ian Stacker, Shawn Dennis, Dean Vickerman, Trevor Gleeson, Lindsey Gaze, Ken Cole, Will Weaver, Bruce Palmer

NBA Stars Past & Present - Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Jackson, Randy Livingston, Torrey Craig, Acie Earl, Josh Childress, Reggie Smith, Todd Lichti, Ryan Broekhoff, Doug Overton, Donald Sloan

The NBL's Greatest Imports - Darryl McDonald, Ricky Grace, Derek Rucker, Leon Trimmingham, Scott Fisher, Lanard Copeland, Mike Mitchell, Darnell Mee, Isaac Burton, Adonis Jordan, Shawn Redhage, Willie Farley, Al Green, Corey "Homicide" Williams, Andre Moore, Steve Woodberry, Mike Mitchell, Ebi Ere, Doug Overton, Kevin Lisch

And the men who run things - Larry Kestelman, Mal Speed, Paul Maley, Vince Crivelli, Jeremy Loeliger, Chuck Harmison, Jeff Van Groningen, Bob Turner

All that and much more.

Follow @AussieHoopla on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or email us at [e-mail]