Can the Zouh survive in the jungle?

MELBOURNE (Paulo Kennedy's view from Downunder) - While most of this week’s talk in Australian basketball circles has been about big man Julian Khazzouh signing with the Golden State Warriors, an interesting follow-up might be the performance of young Adelaide centre Daniel Johnson.

Following a pair of double-doubles for the Sydney Kings in Round 10 of the NBL, Khazzouh – or “the big sneeze”, as he is known – flew out to California to try and make that contract a permanent position in the NBA.

Most followers of Australian basketball consider the 2.09m Khazzouh a special talent.

Best described as an Aussie Pau Gasol, he has perhaps the best touch of any big man to ever play in Australia. No sooner does the ball touch Khazzouh’s hands – whether left or right - than it is off the backboard for another score.

He also has silky post moves, a money mid-range jumper, excellent vision and passing, and an uncanny feel for the game.

“He reads the ball so well,” Perth big man Matt Knight said. “He always gets in the right spot at the right time, so that makes it even tougher to guard him.”

Despite all this, there was some surprise when Khazzouh inked his deal with the Warriors, and that comes down to his body.

Just weeks ago, former Australian junior coach Rob Beveridge said Khazzouh could play in the NBA “if he gets a better body”.

Despite putting on almost 10kg in the past six months, the lightly-built 25-year-old gets pushed around by some NBL centres, who certainly aren’t the physical specimens we see in the NBA.

The bonus for Khazzouh is he has never relied on strength, and has always found ways to overcome his lack of girth, as his 18.6 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game for the Kings show.

All hoops fans downunder are watching Khazzouh’s progress with keen interest, fascinated to know how their league’s best pivot goes in the cutthroat world of the NBA.

And while a successful stint would be a definite boost for the NBL’s street cred, possibly a bigger impact could be on how Australian and New Zealand players view their home competition.

A number of Aussies with designs on the NBA – AJ Ogilvy, Nathan Jawai, Aron Baynes, Brad Newley and Joe Ingles – are currently plying their trade in Europe.

Minutes have been varied for this quintet in their European careers, and it is possible a successful transition by Khazzouh could re-align the thinking of Aussies looking to make it to “the Show”.

Is playing limited minutes in Europe the best way to attract attention?

Perth’s 2.18m centre Luke Nevill is one Australian who has returned from Europe to develop his game at home. While the fast pace of the NBL can be tough on big men, his work under coach Beveridge has brought out an all-around game he hadn’t previously shown.

But the young big most grabbing people’s attention is Johnson, and he will be watching Khazzouh’s progress with eagle eyes.

In Round 11, the 2.12m Johnson nailed 14 points in the first quarter against Wollongong, including 3-of-3 triples, as his 36ers completed a rout.

The previous week he helped hold Khazzouh scoreless in the first half, before the Kings centre exploded after the break to finish with 20 points, 21 rebounds, four assists and four blocks.

Johnson wasn’t shamed though, compiling 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting, nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks of his own.

A raw 23-year old, he knows he must get stronger and improve his defence, the same crucial areas Khazzouh was told to work on to get a crack at the NBA. But a seven-footer who can shoot the triple, put the ball on the floor, rebound and beat most guards down the floor is sure to turn heads.

Johnson will also now see a clear pathway to the world’s best league, rather than the clichéd but unproven method of having to head to Europe to improve his chances.

It is an interesting balance players must strike. It is often more productive for players to be in their home country; in systems they are comfortable with, without a language barrier and the pressure to perform “like an import”.

Players like Khazzouh, Kirk Penney, Damian Martin and Tom Abercrombie have made huge strides playing in the NBL, which seems to be a similar standard to the first divisions in Italy and Turkey.

But what if offers come from the ACB or powerful Euroleague clubs, who offer the chance to play at a higher standard? Is that move good for development no matter what? Or is a player better to be playing a lot of minutes in a good competition like the NBL than sitting on the bench in these great leagues?

In the end, it is usually money that speaks. With top NBL players earning around US$200,000, good European offers become very attractive.

However, if Khazzouh can crack it in the States, perhaps we will see more Aussies chasing that dream through their local league and not on foreign shores?

As always, time will tell, and the first test of that theory relies on Khazzouh putting his best foot forward in the upcoming practice games. Australia watches with interest.

Paulo Kennedy

FIBA