The Illawarra Hawks' Kiwi recruit Jackson Ball said his stint in the NBL is the perfect gap year before starting his college career in the US.

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The 17-year-old guard out of Napier on New Zealand's North Island has already put pen to paper to play NCAA Division 1 basketball for the Wisconsin Badgers.

But freshman year doesn't start for another 10 months, meaning Ball has plenty of time to shine in Australia.

"Obviously, this is a pretty amazing city to spend the summer in, and getting to do what I love, playing basketball at the highest level, i

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