Feature image via: Gordon Greaves
Lachlan Anderson is the next NBL1 star to make the leap to the NBL.
Signing a two-year deal with the Cairns Taipans, the Australian forward has played professionally in North Macedonia and Lithuania, as well as NBL1 East’s Bankstown Bruins and now the NBL1 North’s Cairns Marlins.
With the Marlins this season, he is averaging 19.7 points per game as the team sits in the seventh seed with only one round left before the Conference Finals.
“Every offseason I’ve been working to be back here in the NBL, be back home with friends and family,” Anderson told 7 News Cairns.
“So that was the biggest thing for me, it was my goal.”
How can you defend Lachlan Anderson? ?
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The Taipans have built a pathway from the Marlins to their NBL program, and Anderson’s acquisition continues the rich connection between the two.
Anderson joins Lat Mayen and Ben Ayre as two former Marlins who proved their worth and rose onto the Taipans roster.
Taipans coach Adam Forde has repeatedly explained his desire to build a “factory” of talent development in Cairns, with the Marlins being an important factor in that process.
“The Marlins set-up here is such a valuable tool to engage players who are just on the fringe of making NBL,” Forde said.
“We can workshop with them and see if they’re capable of make the transition from NBL1 to NBL.”
Anderson explained that seeing Mayen’s and Ayre’s pathways encouraged him to return to the NBL1 this season.
“Seeing Lat [Mayen] and Ben [Ayre] take it to the next level with the Taipans, after playing Marlins, gives me confidence what can be done. If you work hard here, you’ll get your shot.”
Watch the Marlins take on Kouat Noi’s USC Rip City in a do-or-die game for a Finals spot live on Saturday, from 8:30pm AEST via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App here.
