Talented young Victorian guard Luke Fennell has accepted a scholarship offer from the elite NBA Global Academy and will join the program in mid-January 2023.
A gifted playmaker from the strong Knox Basketball Association, Fennell represented Victoria Metropolitan at the 2022 Australian Under 18 Championships in Ballarat earlier this year.
The Basketball Victoria National Performance Program product will join athletes from around Australia and the world at the NBA Global Academy, where fellow Victorians Dyson Daniels and Josh Giddey spent time before launching their NBA careers as lottery picks.
The NBA Global Academy is based at the Australian Institute of Sport and the program operates collaboratively with the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence in developing future international and NBA players.
Following his time in the NBA Global, Fennell will graduate to the Centre of Excellence to continue his development in the daily performance environment.
In announcing the scholarship, NBA Global Technical Director Marty Clarke said he was excited to have the young playmaker join the program.
"Luke has been identified as a player of the future and we look forward him to joining the NBA Global Academy family in January," he said.
"We feel has the skill set to develop into an international player, is a good decision maker in the pick and roll and will thrive in the environment here in Canberra."
Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence Head Coach Robbie McKinlay said the addition of the talented young Victorian will add to the depth of national program.
"We are fortunate to have such a strong relationship with the NBA Global Academy and the ability to bring more talented young Australian players into the setting here at the AIS," he said.
"Luke is another in a long line of guards from Melbourne and we are excited about his growth over the next couple of years."
Fennell will join the NBA Global in mid-January before attending the Basketball Australia National Performance Camp at the AIS January 23-25.
