More Australian basketballers heading to the US as interest in college scholarships rebounds

There's a thick mid-west American twang to the commentators' voice as he calls out over the loudspeaker: "Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!"

The basketball stadium full of Montana college students dutifully responds: "Oi! Oi! Oi!"

The chant repeats every time Justin Asi shoots a basket for the Dawson Community College Buccaneers, which happens regularly.

He's half a world away from his old home court in Dandenong, an outer suburb in Melbourne's south-east.

While the Australian indoor sports centre doesn't have the stands of cheering fans, it is still full — of other young hopefuls, wanting to follow in Justin Asi's footsteps and secure a scholarship to play in the US.

"Low! Get lower!" the coach yells to the Melbourne teens lined up in drill formation bouncing balls between their legs.

He walks among the boys, offering specific advice and corrections, but he's clearly concerned some aren't giving it their all and brings them in for a chat.

"Just because something is easy, does that mean you don't try when you do it?" he asks.

"If you're going to be cruising through practise the whole time, it's only going to affect you, it's not going to affect me."

The pace is quick — and the expectations are high — at Red Roo Sports.

Watching on and helping with the coaching as needed is 19-year-old Kuriowl Chol, known as KC.

He's among the latest players to secure a scholarship and will be flying to the US in a couple of months.

Growing number of Aussies securing US scholarships

The number of young Australians going to study in America on sporting scholarships is increasing "year on year", according to the Australian Institute of Sport.

There are different organisations that govern college sports, the biggest is the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

After a dip during COVID-19, figures up to 2023 show the Australian interest is rebounding.

Elizabeth Thompson from the NCAA says student numbers from Australia are now at an "all-time high".

"Australia in particular is one that continues to grow and move its way to the top of the charts," she says.

Australia provides the fifth highest number of international student athletes competing in the NCAA.

There are a variety of pathways young Australians are taking to get a sports scholarship, but Ms Thompson says social media has been a game changer.

"The coaches use social media just as much as the student athletes do, and I think that lends to the increasing number of student athletes that you see on rosters."

There has been a notable jump in Australians joining the gridiron ranks, in particular as punters, and women's basketball has also been surging.

While the US pathway is clearly a popular choice, it's not the only one.

Australian basketballer Jade Melbourne shunned the US collegiate system, before going on to play in the WNBA and the Olympics.

Twenty-five scholarships in one year

On the court in Dandenong, one of the young players, Jamaal Duhovic, has a simple answer when asked what he wants to get out of Red Roo.

"In the future, I'd really like to go to America, get a scholarship, and play," he says.

He says seeing older teammates, like KC, succeed is "inspiring".

"I really look up to KC, and in the future, I hope I can be as good — or maybe even better than KC," he says while glancing in the direction of the more than 2-metres-tall KC and grinning.

KC will be moving to Montana in June, to pull on a singlet for Dawson Community College, replacing former Red Roo players Justin Asi and Kur Maler.

After completing their two years of junior college, both Asi and Maler are going through a recruiting process to hopefully get a spot in an NCAA school.

"It was just a thought, a dream, but I never thought I'd actually do it," KC explains.

"It was really challenging, but I took on the challenge and I got it done."

He is one of 25 Red Roo players to receive US scholarships last year, in a record year for the club.

It was established by an American expat, he says as a way giving back to the community.

"Our formula is quite simple, it's excellence over time, with discipline, equals success," James Kerr explains.

"If you can maintain that excellence over time, there's a good chance you can advance in life."

The program is designed to offer a different way to higher levels of the sport, particularly for young people who may not fit the usual representative pathways.

The Red Roo players compete in competitions and showcases that are watched online by scouts in America.

The first players who went to the United States have since returned and some are working with the next generation, coaching at Red Roo.

Mr Kerr is now also running AAU, the Amateur Athletic Union — Australia, one of several agencies promoting US sporting scholarships.

"With AAU and a national presence, we think that we can do 100 (scholarships) this year," he says.

'Brings the community together'

While some may aspire to a future as a professional athlete, for many of the young Red Roo players the opportunity to study and have new experiences is just as motivating.

KC says while he is looking forward to playing, he is also excited to earn his degree and "further (his) education".

Year 11 student Chibuikem Anyadoro is also eyeing a scholarship, perhaps to an ivy league school.

"I think it's really important to emphasise the student in student athlete," he explains.

"I believe it's really important not just to have the basketball side of things, but also the academic side of things — it's a link, you can't have one without the other."

Aside from its US exports, the Red Roo program is having broader benefits in the community, according to one former player.

"It brings community together, a lot of us young people like to be together and so when we're around one another and we get to do it in a positive environment, we excel," Mamuch Chol says.

He now runs an NGO called NextGen Unite, which works with the local South Sudanese community and says it is looking to partner with Red Roo.

"Red Roo is already doing pathways at the moment, but we'd like to expand some of its programs around mentoring.

"We'd also like to be able to find ways for young people to be able to find employment."

As the program keeps expanding, so too are the goals.