After scoring 52 points in the 2023 U18 Division 1 State Championship game, the 16-year-old Australian high school phenom Roman Siulepa is headed to the South West Metro Pirates for the 2023 NBL1 season.
In November last year, Siulepa declared his focus was on the NBL over college.
“Yeah of course (I want to play in the NBA), but for now I want to make the NBL,” Siulepa told Newscorp.
“I think it is a good pathway. Obviously, there is college, but for me personally it is just to stay at home, get my roots near my family and go from there.”
The 6’5 (196cm) wing is currently attending the NBA Global Academy in Canberra and still has many years of school ahead of him.
Siulepa played three games last NBL1 season for the Southern District Spartans, averaging nine points and five rebounds in only 21 minutes.
He joins his old Spartans coach Aja Parham-Ammar and two-time NBL First Team player and 2022 NBL1 North Champion Lamar Patterson for this coming season.
NBL1 North expert Jon Guarna explained between these two things, Siulepa should have a strong foundation for his upcoming season, starting on March 24.
“Between those two things I am really expecting him to have an impact,” Guarna said.
“He’s in the NBA Global Academy, he’s certainly a guy when the opportunity presented itself in NBL1 North last year, he was able to perform at a pretty good level… he certainly held his own.
“The versatility in his game, he’s big, he’s strong and from an athletic standpoint, there’s no doubt that he can compete on his own and stand out at an NBL1 level.
"He’s gonna play at parts, I believe he’s going to be big part in what they want to do and how the Pirates want to play (this season).”
Siulepa won gold with Australia early last year at the FIBA U16 Asian Championships. He was also the MVP of Basketball Without Borders Asia in August of 2022 and was a member of the Australian FIBA U17 World Cup team.
Stay up-to-date with all the NBL1 news via the Roster Tracker here.
