THERE was a moment in the Sydney Kings’ most recent game that was enlightening, and had an almost visceral effect on myself and those around me.

Early in the second quarter, Greg Whittington, a Maryland boy, cut to the basket and rose up for a one-handed poster on his 6’11 opponent. Now, this wasn’t just a ‘that’s good for the NBL’ kind of dunk. I’ve covered the NBA on the ground during my time living in Chicago, and Whittingon’s jam was spectacular, no matter the league.

Only a few minutes later, it was Whittington again, getting on the end of what looked like an errant pass from the league’s reigning MVP, Kevin Lisch; the wing throwing down the athletic alley-oop slam. Watch both of the dunks below.

It proved to be a catalyst for the Kings in a convincing win over the New Zealand Breakers, and also for my desire to write this piece; because Whittington’s double dose of dunks don’t come in isolation.

Jerome Randle has been breaking ankles and tearing up defences from the very first game of the season, Casey Prather’s jams in transition are a thing of beauty, Chris Goulding pulls up from 30-feet with regularity, Rotnei Clarke has the ability to go through unbelievable three-point shooting stretches, and Kevin Dillard runs the point like he’s still on the streets of Homewood, Illinois.

I could go on and on.

The talent is evident, entertaining, and has brought life to a league that nearly disappeared just a few years ago.

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But, of course, talent alone isn’t enough to lure the regular basketball fan. How about the opportunity to support your home team, in a competition that’s as fierce as ever?

We’re in the penultimate round of action, and there’s no telling who’ll round out the top-four teams.

The Adelaide 36ers are comfortably leading the NBL, but the next three spots are up for grabs, and six teams are vying for one of them.

Sans Tasmania, the ACT, and the Northern Territory, every state has a team that has the opportunity to qualify for post-season action, so it only makes sense that you get around your home side.

If you’re from NSW, you have a run-and-gun Hawks side in Illawarra, or a Kings team that boasts three Olympians. Head up to Queensland, and the Cairns Taipans are playing a beautiful brand of basketball, under an NBA-calibre head coach in Aaron Fearne. The Perth Wildcats are the hottest show in Western Australia, while Melbourne United has been lifted by the addition of former Philadelphia 76er, Casper Ware. If you’re way out East, in New Zealand, the Breakers are in the midst of an impressive stretch of games, and need your support in a crucial point in their season.

And yes, if you’re from Adelaide, you should already be over the moon as the 36ers continue to click on all cylinders, led by the NBL’s MVP-favourite, Jerome Randle.

Jerome Randle. Source: Getty Images

Sure, it’s trendy to walk around wearing a Lakers snapback, but I guarantee that most of those people have never even been to Los Angeles. Yes, it’s cool to wear any vintage Michael Jordan jersey, but most of them probably don’t even know what The Bean is.

The reality is, we’re fortunate to have quality athletes playing for ever-improving franchises, in a league which is seeing its prospects rise by the minute, on our doorstep. This is coming from someone, who, in 2015, wouldn’t even think about turning on an NBL game. I was an NBA fan, through and through, but, as a basketball purist — and a fulltime, working basketball journalist — I owed it to myself and my employer to give it a chance.

Now, there’s no going back.

The NBL is easy to scoff at because it’s not the NBA; and it never will be. If anybody tells you it is, he or she is lying.

But, I’m fortunate enough to be able to speak with NBA executives, scouts, agents, and coaches on a daily basis, and I’ve yet to find one who isn’t laudatory of the league we have here in Australia.

If it’s good enough for them, then it should be good enough for you.

Olgun Uluc covers basketball for Fox Sports Australia. Twitter: @OlgunUluc