Lual Diing's ascent into the NBL

Lual Diing is a name that’s been floating around the outskirts of the NBL for some time.

At six foot, seven inches and possessing a trim but muscular frame, Diing certainly has the look of a professional basketballer. His athletic capabilities have seen him dominate patches of this NBL1 North season, but that shouldn’t take away from his ability to consistently execute the fundamentals of the game at a high level.

LUAL DIING SAYS ?

Watch #NBL1North live and free on https://t.co/NEk1I7BLMG
and the #NBL1 App ??? #GetUpStandUpShowUp pic.twitter.com/9G89yPKFmo

— NBL1 (@NBL1) July 9, 2022

He’s been a standout player in a high-quality Northside team that features the likes of Mitch McCarron, Anthony Drmic and Keanu Pinder. The Wizards have been one of the standout sides this season, and even if they fail to push through this weekend's semi-final, it will still have been a remarkably successful campaign for Diing.

Watch the Northside Wizards take on the Gold Coast Rollers this Saturday night at 7.30pm AEST. Live on NBL1.com.au and the NBL1 App.

A training player in seasons past with both Melbourne United and the Adelaide 36ers, the 23-year-old is finally set to grace the NBL floor this season, having signed with Brisbane as a development player.

Why then has it taken him so long to earn his chance at the top level of the Australian game?

“There was a mix up with my passport and citizenship stuff so I couldn’t be on an NBL team as a local guy. I just stayed as a training player for the last two or three years while I waited for my Australian citizenship to get sorted,” Diing told NBL Media.

“I just wanted to be around an NBL team where I could get reps in with professionals everyday.

“That was the main reason I came to NBL1 North. I felt it would give me more NBL experience and I wouldn’t be forced to do so much. My role in the NBL won’t be to put up 20 shots a game.

“I wanted to take on that kind of supporting role and master it, because if you master a role it’s always a good thing. Young guys like me won’t come into a team to take 20, 25 shots in a game so I wanted to learn a role I might play with the Bullets.

“I’ve also been wanting to get my body as ready as I could for the competition, so just bigger, faster and stronger.

“Before, people would just get me to lift heavy, but this has been much more performance-based. I know I’m not going to put on weight really quickly in this program, but I know it’s going to get me right to play in the NBL.”

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The kind of candour Diing speaks with when discussing his NBL aspirations is rare, especially in such a young player. Due to those passport issues he’s had time to reflect on exactly the type of player he wants to be at the top level.

As with any sport, the jump between the professional and Development League ranks in Australian basketball is huge. One thing in Diing’s favour though is his numbers of almost 19 points and 11 rebounds per game for the Wizards compares favourably and even exceed a number of his fellow NBL-rostered players in NBL1 North.

He’s hoping to carve out a niche as the Bullets’ “energy guy” once the season gets underway, in order to earn minutes on the court.

“I see myself being a DP that can be used as a defender. Obviously, the levels are different between NBL and NBL1 but if I can just knock down open shots, play defence, get out in transition and rebound the ball then that would be the perfect role for me to start out with in my first season of NBL,” Diing said.

“It’s more about being used as a defender, rebounder and being an energy guy and I want to show that early on.

“Life as a Bullet has been pretty good so far. I haven’t met all the guys yet, but the guys that are here have really been helping me settle into what ‘JD’ (Brisbane head coach James Duncan) wants this year."

New @BrisbaneBullets DP Lual Diing has brought a whole lot of boom to @NBL1 North this season with the Northside Wizards ? pic.twitter.com/0uB7C3afcC

— The NBL (@NBL) June 20, 2022

Although the Bullets have now commenced their pre-season, Diing and company still have one eye on rounding out this year’s NBL1 campaign with Northside, while keeping themselves in top shape for pre-season.

“A lot of people have been talking about what the last few weeks of NBL1 crossing over with the NBL have looked like. It’s just about finding a balance,” he said.

“Us guys who’ll train with the Bullets won’t do much in our NBL1 training sessions that week. It’s been hard to juggle but we’re all managing it pretty well.

“I think we’re one of the best teams to watch (in NBL1) and when we have our big five we really do look like an NBL team out there.

“When we get the chance to just break it down, play defence and run we’re pretty exciting to watch.”

Watch the Northside Wizards take on the Gold Coast Rollers this Saturday night at 7.30pm AEST. Live on NBL1.com.au and the NBL1 App.

Fetaure image via: Juddric -Judd Green