Kings stars could return after pandemic, says retiring Lisch
Former Sydney Kings captain Kevin Lisch believes players who have walked away from the club amid the COVID-19 crisis could return when the pandemic is over.
Lisch’s retirement announcement on Tuesday is another blow to the Kings, who have already lost star players Andrew Bogut, Casper Ware and Xavier Cooks amid the global crisis.
The 34-year-old said he was not concerned for the future of the club and believed players who had walked away would likely return.
“Those who opted out could be coming back,” he said. “There’s a possibility there.”
The NBL great injured his ankle early in the Kings’ stellar 2019-20 season. After surgery, multiple medical specialists advised him to avoid activities that would cause further damage. As a result, he decided to call time on his career.
The former guard, who has a degree in marketing, is set to continue with the club in a staff capacity. His job title has yet to be decided.
“I just said ‘throw me into the fire and let me help out’,” he said. “I feel like I have a lot to offer basketball-wise still. The Kings have just shown a great initiative to help me develop and they’ve shown they cared about me in transitioning into my next career.”
Lisch played for three NBL teams over 11 years and was called up by the Boomers at the 2016 Rio Olympics. He helped the Kings win the minor premiership this year before the Perth Wildcats were controversially handed the premiership after COVID-19 cut short the finals series.
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