There were boom boxes blaring, hoopsters wearing their caps backwards, and some tense moments over lineball foul calls.<\/p>\n
In the middle of it all, the AFL\u2019s games-record holder was in anonymous basketball mode, wearing one of the biggest smiles of his adult sporting life.<\/p>\n
Unsurprisingly, organisers made the man who led Collingwood for nine-straight years captain of his new street ball team, picking players he\u2019d barely met from the schoolyard-style line-up.<\/p>\n
It was one of the many unforgettable moments on a dream Los Angeles trip for Pendlebury to Amazon Prime\u2019s studios to meet former NBA superstar Blake Griffin, swap notes on training methods, deep dive on the NBA Cup and witness the future of sports broadcasting on their immersive court.<\/p>\n
![\"Inside](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/78753e75d3c36c1dd291a272662d4ded.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
At Prime, analysts Dirk Nowitzki, Udonis Haslem and Griffin not only break down the big moments, they recreate and re-imagine them with ball in hand.<\/p>\n
The floor and walls are eye-popping LED Screens as part of one of the most high-tech, custom-designed and expensive studios in the world.<\/p>\n
For Pendlebury, this was a week of basketball heaven for a man who narrowly picked the leather Sherrin over his own hoop dreams.<\/p>\n
He sat courtside to watch back-to-back 40-point games from Lakers superstar Luka Doncic, and a buzzer-beater from new Miami Heat sharpshooter, Klay Thompson. <\/p>\n
Doncic, 27, and Thompson, 36, were both traded from their clubs against their wishes in controversial fashion.<\/p>\n
Thompson was perhaps seen as a bit too old and washed, and Doncic a handful.<\/p>\n
Pendlebury\u2019s situation is markedly different as he makes his way from Collingwood to Gold Coast \u2013 after two premierships, six All-Australian selections and five best and fairests \u2013 for his 22nd AFL season next year.<\/p>\n
It was an enormous call for Collingwood\u2019s greatest player.<\/p>\n
But the fire still burns for the new Sun.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am going (to Gold Coast) to win. Their list is incredible. I think outside of Collingwood in 2010-11, it might be the most talented group I have been a part of,\u201d Pendlebury said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I wouldn\u2019t be going there if I didn\u2019t think we could compete (for the flag).<\/p>\n
\u201cI was never going to just stick around and try to play just to get games or anything like that.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I\u2019m going there to a team that I think is good enough.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I know I can still play at a high level and perform. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut there needs to be cohesion and acceptance of role, too. So that is the exciting part.<\/p>\n
\u201cCan I go up there and help Rowelly (Matt Rowell), Noah (Anderson), and \u2018Trac\u2019 (Christian Petracca)? Guys like that. Everyone.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about the whole team.\u201d<\/p>\n
MORE LEFT<\/p>\n
It\u2019s why Pendlebury was up early pounding the LA pavement every day from sunrise last week, climbing up Runyon Canyon, swimming in rooftop pools, acclimatising in the California heat, and hooping whenever he could in preparation for the big family move. <\/p>\n
Even on holiday, every training detail is carefully-crafted and planned the night before, and tracked by distance, time and intensity.<\/p>\n
He has more than a decade\u2019s worth of his own performance data captured by artificial intelligence to help sharpen his daily needs to the finest point.<\/p>\n
So it was two-to-three hours of work every day under cloudless skies for the 38-year-old.<\/p>\n
No sleep-ins and zero cheat meals. He averaged 30,000 steps a day.<\/p>\n
On the Venice Beach courts, where the competitive juices flowed, the hustle was real. <\/p>\n
Pendlebury, who represented Australia as a junior, wound back his basketball clock. <\/p>\n
\u201cI came here 15 years ago and said to (wife) Alex, \u2018I would love to play here one day\u2019,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost people would have seen \u2018White Man Can\u2019t Jump\u2019, so getting to play here and just the whole experience was super-nostalgic for me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI could just have fun and do something I love. No expectations. Not that I really worry about expectations.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the sunset, the palm trees. And picking players I had barely met for my team. It was magic. I loved it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were some heated moments and some interesting characters starting to pop up everywhere, and some trash talk.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was some arguing. So I had to make some wise business decisions.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut people talk about my basketball background, and along with my family and footy, obviously, this is a true passion for me.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo it was amazing to actually play at one of the most iconic courts in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pendlebury shone in the game, nailing some sweet mid-range jumpers, a two-on-one drive to the basket, and a no-look pass down the middle.<\/p>\n
But there was one problem.<\/p>\n
One of his teammates, Kobe Zhye, kept slipping over on court.<\/p>\n
His old shoes had no grip left. He said he was saving up for some new ones.<\/p>\n
So Pendlebury gave him his new basketball boots. They were both size 13.<\/p>\n
\u201cI needed new shoes and he helped me. They fit super well,\u201d Zhye said.<\/p>\n
PRIME TIME<\/p>\n
Back at the Prime Studios, the buzz was the NBA Cup.<\/p>\n
The in-season tournament games Prime showcase exclusively to Australian viewers to spice up the 82-game season, on top of the regular season action, the play-in tournament and the playoffs.<\/p>\n
The NBA Cup finals begin on Prime on December 4. <\/p>\n
The AFL is considering a similar in-season tournament concept for when Tasmania joins in 2028 with extra prizemoney up for grabs.<\/p>\n
Prime analyst Griffin says it works perfectly in the NBA to help increase the stakes amid a marathon season.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is giving teams, especially young teams that need that experience and playing in a simulated playoff game,\u201d Griffin said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not the playoffs, but it is something different. It is something very special.\u201d<\/p>\n
Griffin, 37, has surprised himself in the media, something he originally said he would never do when he was one of the game\u2019s most spectacular athletes and slam dunkers at LA Clippers.<\/p>\n
Griffin was a basketball powerhouse with springs for legs. His Clippers\u2019 team was nicknamed \u201cLob City\u201d.<\/p>\n
These days, there\u2019s the sharp analysis and fun behind the desk, but it is on Prime\u2019s flash new immersive court that the show goes to the next level in astonishing colour and detail.<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually, truly, was somewhat vocal about not wanting to ever do this (media),\u201d Griffin said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always felt like it felt a little bit critical. It didn\u2019t feel like there was a lot of teaching or uplifting or celebrating the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut when Amazon Prime partnered with the NBA, it aligned with how I felt and being a part of a show that entertains but also educates and, you know, uplifts because this game is hard enough.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the LED court has been so cool because if Steve Nash, Kyle Lowry is here, and then UD (Udonis Haslem) and Dirk, it\u2019s like, you\u2019re getting to hear from some of the best players of all time. And they\u2019re doing it.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo it\u2019s not just like, \u2018That player missed a number shots, he\u2019s terrible\u2019. No. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe break down the play on court because there is lots of moving parts to it all.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe try to zoom in on, like, what makes this play special or what makes this play work, or what could they do a little bit better?\u201d<\/p>\n
SUN RISE<\/p>\n
For Pendlebury, it was a chance to understand some of the things that made Griffin an unstoppable force in the key in his prime.<\/p>\n
This man played basketball above the rim.<\/p>\n
Griffin said he would lift weights immediately after games finished to maximise recovery time, even if it meant hitting the gym after midnight when he was already fatigued from the on-court battle.<\/p>\n
It was right up Pendlebury\u2019s alley, as he looks to squeeze everything possible out of his champion 442-game career. <\/p>\n
\u201cGetting to meet Blake, he\u2019s one of the greatest,\u201d Pendlebury said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was shocked at how humble and relaxed he was. And it showed on screen. Just how comfortable he was.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey could show their natural personality and Prime talk about a no di\u2014heads policy, and you could tell.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen with the court they can light up where they are missing the shots, why they\u2019re missing and all the analytics, the stats.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut he was also asking about AFL and then we drifted into his training and how he lifted (weights) after games to give him 12 more hours to recover as part of a 48-hour window between games.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen they can shoot between games. That interests me. I\u2019m thinking all the time about getting better.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd even pre-seasons, they (NBA teams) do three-week camps (to prepare for the season). We do four months.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo it\u2019s up to them to come back (from the off-season) in shape. In the AFL, I think we are \u2018babied\u2019 a bit in that regard.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe get back in November and we are monitored the whole way.\u201d<\/p>\n
The AFL\u2019s oldest player knows he is on the clock.<\/p>\n
He signed a two-year deal to help a club that has won only one final in 16 years gain some much-needed respect.<\/p>\n
Last year for the Suns was a disaster.<\/p>\n
But Pendlebury is ready to hit the ground running after using the LA trip as a mini training camp.<\/p>\n
And the conversations with his new teammates are already flowing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m moving in 10 days\u2019 time. I have got a heap on my plate and Alex was so supportive taking care of the kids,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I knew I had to turn up to a new club in really good shape.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn LA, the weather is great and similar to Gold Coast. There\u2019s gyms everywhere and getting a different training stimulus and my basketball fix as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cI couldn\u2019t picture a better week for what is next.\u201d<\/p>\n
TAKING OVER<\/p>\n
On the Lakers\u2019 home court, Pendlebury saw Doncic\u2019s star explode.<\/p>\n
The man who was seen as overweight, not professional enough and a distraction at Dallas, has become the No.1 player in the game in his third NBA season at the Lakers.<\/p>\n
Now that LeBron James has departed LA, the most famous franchise in basketball is Doncic\u2019s team.<\/p>\n
And he is in breathtaking form.<\/p>\n
On consecutive nights, Pendlebury watched courtside as the MVP favourite sunk Toronto with 45 points and the Heat with 42 the next night.<\/p>\n
Doncic dazzled from beyond the arc, nailing 14 from 27 three-point attempts across the two games. He also dominated on the defensive end, despite some divisive carry-on with the referees.<\/p>\n
Pendlebury, who is a lifelong Lakers\u2019 fan, said Doncic clearly had a point to prove as he continues his historic run through the first month of the new season.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously getting punted (from Dallas) would have pi—- him off,\u201d Pendlebury said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut he has come back in shape this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat has been the question mark on him and for someone at his level \u2013 that should never be a question mark.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot on your preparation or presentation.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut now that he is in amazing shape, he looks quicker, and they can\u2019t guard him. And he looks good on defence.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou couldn\u2019t take your eyes off him and the numbers he has put up so far have never been seen before.\u201d<\/p>\n
Across town at Intuit Dome, the LA Clippers\u2019 light shows, massive replay screens, facial recognition systems, sound and in-seat tech is the best in world sport. <\/p>\n
It is one of the crown jewel venues of the 2028 LA Olympics.<\/p>\n
\u201cIntuit Dome is the best arena I\u2019ve ever been to in the world. That blew me away,\u201d Pendlebury said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s like the future of sport, probably everywhere. Everything\u2019s touchless. The tech, fan engagement.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just scans your face to pay. Everything\u2019s so easy for people. The number of bathrooms. <\/p>\n
\u201cAt Crypto Centre, or Staples, where the Lakers play, it\u2019s the history of it. The statues of Kobe, \u2018Shaq\u2019 and Magic Johnson. The feel.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt Intuit, it was just off its head. Like it was a game seven of the playoffs, but every night.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, the light shows, the tech, atmosphere and the energy. The steep wall (of fans) at one end.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had not seen anything like it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scott Pendlebury and Jay Clark travelled to Los Angeles as guests of NBA On Prime.<\/p>\n
FOR THE KIDS: PENDLES LEAVES NEW NUMBER CALL TO THE FAMILY<\/p>\n
New Gold Coast Sun Scott Pendlebury said he let his children pick the No.7 jumper he will wear at his new club next season.<\/p>\n
The champion midfielder has worn the iconic No.10 for two decades at Collingwood which is likely to be put on ice by the Magpies for the 2027 season.<\/p>\n
Steele Sidebottom\u2019s No.22 is also likely to be shelved by the Magpies for one year out of respect to the dual premiership superstars. <\/p>\n
Pendlebury said he was given a list of possible new numbers to wear at Gold Coast excluding the No.10 which is Charlie Ballard\u2019s.<\/p>\n
The veteran ballwinner said he put his new number selection to a family vote.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got sent a list of numbers and to be honest, I just said to my kids and (wife) Alex, what do you think? What number?\u201d Pendlebury said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were pretty adamant. They all liked seven.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I will be wearing seven next year and it has been something I\u2019ve been asked about a lot. Whether I will want to wear the number 10 again?<\/p>\n
\u201cBut that is clearly Charlie\u2019s.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like 10 and Collingwood is that chapter for me. It\u2019s a chapter I loved and I will be forever grateful for.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut now, it\u2019s seven and Gold Coast is my new chapter.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I like it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pendlebury said he had already circled in his diary his first clash against his former Collingwood teammates at Carrara under lights on Saturday, June 26.<\/p>\n
![\"Pendlebury](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/f23502031c1d853c9b9a54b9197cf58a.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
The 38-year-old signed a four-year deal at Gold Coast including two as a player and two as a coach in a similar arrangement to Luke Hodge\u2019s move to the Brisbane Lions.<\/p>\n
The six-time All-Australian said he was looking forward to the first meeting against his former teammates, and in particular, any amusing verbal exchanges. <\/p>\n
\u201cRound 15 I think it is,\u201d Pendlebury said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it will be maybe a bit weird at the start, but I know I will enjoy it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will be great fun. There will be a bit of lip and a bit of banter.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut when you start your career you actually compete with your teammates a lot for a spot.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I have played against guys I have trained with my whole life. I have actually played against them more than anyone, really.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018Bruzzy\u2019 (Brayden) Maynard \u2013 I have competed against him one thousand times.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I love those boys and I will always love the club.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will just be interested to see what jumpers my kids wear.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The courtside commentator called him \u201cthe Aussie\u201d. 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