Going Global: Phoenix Assemble World Class Group ahead of Pre-Season

South East Melbourne Phoenix are heading towards NBL22 stacked with players who’ve shone on the world stage.

All ten of the Phoenix’s currently rostered players have represented their country at international level, the most in the club’s short history.

The exciting feat covers all corners of the globe, from Zhou Qi (China), Xavier Munford (United States), plus a raft of Australian Boomers and New Zealand Tall Blacks headlined by Ryan Broekhoff, Mitch Creek, and Cam Gliddon.

One full roster spot, possibly being another import, remains to add to the tantalising mix as the team enters their third season in the NBL. The squad will aim to bring the club’s first championship back to South East Melbourne after a heart-breaking semi-final exit last season.

Coach Simon Mitchell believes their current squad is the best collection of players to ever represent the Phoenix.

“I believe this is the most talented group we’ve had,” Mitchell said.

“One of the strengths of our team across our first two years is to mesh together quickly and that’s really where we’ll be challenged this year.

“With more talent and a player of Zhou Qi’s ability coming from a different background and things like that - there’s going to be a few barriers and learnings from each other that will have to take place. Whether or not that slows down our process in becoming the team we think we can, we’ll wait and see.

“But basketball is international – Zhou’s played in the United States and internationally, and has a great understanding of the sport. I feel like those are barriers and obstacles we’ll work through pretty quickly.”

Import guard Xavier Munford will arrive at the club later this week while Tohi Smith-Milner is about to commence his hotel quarantine period after travelling from New Zealand.

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Zhou Qi has been cleared to travel to Australia, but his arrival date is yet to be confirmed.

Official pre-season training will commence on Monday, October 11 where Coach Mitchell is excited by the challenge of building chemistry between his highly credentialed group of global stars.

“I don’t see the different backgrounds as being an obstacle, rather I see it as being an advantage,” he said.

“People having different backgrounds and different perspectives that they can share can enhance our team. Every league you play in has a little bit of a different slant in viewing the game - the more experiences you have, the more enriched you are in the sport.”

The diverse group of stars are also set to make a significant impact off the court, most notably Chinese megastar Zhou Qi, who brings along a legion of basketball loving Chinese fans with him as he plays in the NBL for the first time in his career.

Being a young club entering just their third NBL season, the Phoenix are looking to establish themselves with one of the biggest fanbases in the league through the support of the multicultural South East Melbourne community.

Coach Mitchell says connecting fans with their sporting heroes is “of great importance” in building a club.

“There’s an element of the sporting world that you want to be able to relate to. We can relate to people as athletes but there’s people that are going to relate to Zhou Qi for example more so than Kyle Adnam, and vice versa,” he said.

“The more we can promote our sport in South East Melbourne; the more people we can have playing the game; the more people we have take interest in the game; is really what we’re all about along with winning.

“We want this game to be the number one sport in Australia and a player like Zhou Qi has the ability to reach so many people that maybe we haven’t been able to reach before in South East Melbourne.”

On top of the last remaining roster spot to fill, the Phoenix will also sign two development players before the NBL22 season.

A ‘Next Star’ talent is also an available option.

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Sam Bunn for Phoenix Media (30/09/2021)