There's a basketball court at a typical Tasmanian primary school where children dream of making it big.

The court has a significant slope in a suburb where going fast downhill on a bike is set against the torment of inevitable hills on the way home.

Home garages and sheds and bedrooms and hallways remain full of basketballs; tripping hazard Buffalos and Spaldings and Wilsons with well-worn brands a reminder of games past.

Former Tasmanian Premier and basketball force, David Bartlett was a child of the courts. "Basketball was a very strong sport at Mount Nelson Primary School.

Some 20 teams competed in a roster at lunchtime. I was first selected in grade 4 and in the first game I accidentally dribbled the ball through another player's legs. The play was mentioned at school assembly that week - I was hooked," he recalled with a familiar chortle to finish.

The return of a Tasmanian team to the National Basketball League required a unified effort. And while other sporting codes continue to stumble when making the final step, basketball got it done, outshining the ambition for a Tasmanian AFL licence.

However, it hasn't always been that way. As a state, we became accustomed to supporting basketball teams who quickly found success and then, just as quickly, ceased to exist.

The 1981 NBL champions, Launceston Casino City, led by the late Ian Davies, the Hobart Devils with legendary US import and NBL Hall of Famer, Steve Carfino, the Launceston Ocelots including popular but homesick import, Louis "The Fly" Rodriguez, the Launceston City Tigers, and the Hobart Islanders in the WNBL who all gave us great hope before falling casualty to monetary constraints.

The re-emergence of an NBL team remained a dream since emotions overflowed following the demise of the Hobart Devils in 1996. "I cried openly the day the Devils died, having been a season ticket holder since 1990," Bartlett remembered.

Yet, in all the Tasmanian basketball heartache and turmoil, there has been one constant: the Launceston Tornadoes.

The 1995 South East Association Basketball League champions have delivered a loyal following since their inception in 1994.

Popular American imports Debbie Black and Kaui Wakita complemented local players Mandy Bonney, coach and former player Sarah Veale, and Sallee Hardman.

Head Coach and former school principal, Michael House brought the '95 "Torns" together, forming a bond that will never be broken. The Tornadoes willingness to embrace a boutique stadium and create a home court advantage emboldens their supporters who pass on the passion from generation to generation.

City of Launceston councillor and former mayor Janie Finlay has been chairwoman and, now, president of the Tornadoes since 2012. It has been a significant and high-profile leadership role that has seen her guide the club to success, set against the challenge of leadership in difficult times including a revolving door of coaches. Finlay remains as passionate as ever about her beloved "Torns".

Sporting leadership across local communities in parochial Tasmania is tough street politics. The journey to NBL re-entry has required commitment, dogged determination, and a steely resolve to get the job done. Since resigning as premier in 2011, Bartlet lept at the chance to assume the roles of "benchwarmer" for the mighty men's third grade team.

Coaching junior teams involving his son, Hudson who now stands six foot, five inches tall, and as a member of the NBL Tasmania Advisory Board.

Finlay has been a basketball mum to her son Zac since under 10s, along with driving the "taxi" to Basketball Tasmania Future Development Program sessions, and school competitions. She also joined Bartlett as a member of the NBL Tasmania Advisory Board. Both understand the importance of civic leadership and what is required to overcome hurdles that stand in the way of sports in pursuit of national recognition.

"For me, having a role within the community that connects you with people from right across Tasmania in a neutral environment is gold," she said. "Everyone loves the "Torns", and we see firsthand how they, as a women's club, inspire future generations of boys and girls and bring families together in a great environment. Supporting the push for our very own NBL team was about bringing the spectacle and the atmosphere that could show our kids what dreams are made of.

That our boys and girls could see what's possible. That we could have the best of the best from across the country and the world - right here in Launceston - that was everything to me," Finlay declared.

Bartlett began the push for national basketball recognition with his friend and deeply admired former Devil, Anthony Stewart in 2008. For Bartlett, it remained unfinished business. When Finlay joined the Tornadoes, she was excited to lend a hand. The camaraderie and jovial competition (Hobart Chargers vs Launceston Tornadoes) between the two was crucial for success.

It meant that there were two proud Tasmanians, at either end of a parochial state, uniting for a common sporting cause. The last time we saw this type of leadership was when Cricket Tasmania paved the way, delivering consistent success.

An NBL licence required storytelling to capture the public's imagination, and it also required the support of competition owner, Larry Kestelman, the state government, and Glenorchy City Council. Regular media coverage with a pack hungry for local content, combined with clever use of social media made the opportunity too good to resist for the astute business leader, Kestelman.

As Finlay said, "I have learned the joy of collaboration and competition all woven into one. We had fun and I think it helped create outcomes. This has helped relax me as a leader and recognise that you can always find positive ways to work together even when we are competing against each other".

In what was, at times, an uphill battle with well-worn protagonists, Bartlett and Finlay deserve credit for their tenacious leadership, which has engendered support across the Tasmanian sporting community.

Their passion for a game, often as much show business as a sporting contest, will mean that children who dream of making it big under the hoops can watch their heroes in both Launceston and Hobart. Basketball mad children often begin their journey on the courts of public primary schools where accessibility is free and a worn ball will do.

The new NBL franchise will strengthen participation levels, inspire a generation, and assist to develop junior talent across all corners of the Tasmanian court. The final word belongs to Bartlett who responded to the inevitable inference that the government should be spending the money on the Launceston General Hospital instead of a basketball team.

"Governments are always charged with making tough decisions. We could spend the entire $5 billion state budget on health and still have waiting lists. One of the most transformational things that has happened in Tasmania over the last 20 years is that we have become a highly desirable place.

The best places to live on the planet have three key ingredients: their own food and beverage culture, their own art and heritage culture, and national sporting franchise that the whole state embraces.

I believe this franchise will be transformational for the entire state," Bartlett concluded, driving home the points with a twinkle in his eye.