NBL champ says "big men are making a resurgence"

Over the past decade or so, the NBL has been for the most part, dominated by its guards.

From Bryce Cotton, to Kevin Lisch and Cedric Jackson, elite guards have proven the primary difference makers.

In the past 17 years, only three bigs, Xavier Cooks, Andrew Bogut and Brian Conklin, have claimed the competition's highest honour.

Whereas there have been nine guards, including Cotton (five), Kevin Lisch (two), Jaylen Adams, Jerome Randle, Rotnei Clarke, Jackson, Gary Ervin, Corey 'Homicide' Williams and Kirk Penney.

But two-time Olympian and 2009 NBL champion Mark Worthington believes the tide is changing and "big men are making a resurgence".

"This league has been dominated by little men for too long. Little men in the guard department such as imports such as Homicide, Derek Rucker and Damon Lowery," Worthington said via Tuesday's NBL Now.

"No longer is it [NBL] dominated by little men, the big men are making a resurgence.

"If you look around the league, you've got Perth with Jo Lual-Acuil Jr, Isaac Humphries at Adelaide, Sam Mennenga is playing well in New Zealand, Jesse Edwards at Melbourne United, Jordi Hunter splashing threes at South East Melbourne, JaVale McGee [in Illawarra], Tim Soares, Tyrell Harrison, and we still have Sam Waardenburg to come back in post-FIBA Break.

"It's fascinating how the game has evolved once again, and it's back in the hands of the big man, right where it should be."

The Hungry Jack's NBL26 season resumes on Wednesday, December 3 when New Zealand host Sydney in an Ignite Cup game in Hamilton, live on ESPN from 5.30pm AEDT.