Flynnsanity?
MELBOURNE (Paulo Kennedy’s View from Downunder) - The Melbourne Tigers’ signing of former number six NBA Draft pick Jonny Flynn has been all the talk in Australian hoops this week. The previous highest draft pick to play in the NBL was Todd Fuller, taken 11th by the Golden State Warriors in 1996. But by the time he arrived in Australia in 2006, ...
MELBOURNE (Paulo Kennedy’s View from Downunder) - The Melbourne Tigers’ signing of former number six NBA Draft pick Jonny Flynn has been all the talk in Australian hoops this week.
The previous highest draft pick to play in the NBL was Todd Fuller, taken 11th by the Golden State Warriors in 1996. But by the time he arrived in Australia in 2006, even the modest talents the Warriors had overestimated were well and truly on the wane.
In contrast, Flynn is just 23 and determined to get back to the best form that saw him dominate for Syracuse and make the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2010.
He made a good impression on the local media by - rather than talking up his last NBA performance that yielded 18 points, 11 assists and five rebounds last April – proclaiming that “the cheerleaders got more time on the court” than him.
He made it clear he wanted to reinvigorate his love for the game and improve himself, something he hadn’t been able to do at the end of an NBA bench.
So how did he go in his first game against the Adelaide 36ers?
Well he didn’t draw many more fans - with another healthy crowd of 5,283 heading to Hisense Arena, similar to Melbourne’s first two games – but those there enjoyed watching him play.
His first half reminded everyone why NBA clubs had baulked at him this year, shooting 1-of-10 instead of getting the red-hot Chris Goulding (24 points, 75%) more shots.
Flynn was frustrated by the physical and relentless defence of Olympian Adam Gibson (and his back-up Jason Cadee) and got caught up trying to prove he could better it.
One great passage of play saw Gibson lose Flynn backdoor for what looked like an easy lay-up, only for the 1.82m American to fly from behind with a huge block. Gibson then tracked down the ball, backed Flynn in and hit a sweet, arching jump-hook.
The tongue-wagging between them went to a new level after that!
Thanks to Goulding and Seth Scott the Tigers blew Adelaide away, and with the pressure off Flynn started to find his feet, concentrate on finding teammates and getting loose in transition. He finished with eight rebounds and seven assists to offset his 4-of-17 shooting.
When the 36ers, who were pitiful for most of the night, made a brief run he also showed some genuine nous by milking the shotclock on three straight possessions and ensured their momentum was stalled.
So the early verdict on a young man looking to get a career once bound for stardom back on track?
Flynn definitely has talent but has a lot of work to do. He will get much sterner tests than tonight, and it will be interesting to see how close he can get to his dominant NCAA form.
Behold King Cole
While Flynn has the chance to do some great things for the Tigers, a man who provided more than two decades of greatness is finally getting just recognition.
Ken Cole’s list of achievements is greater than my word limit, so here’s a few:
- member of the 1964 Boomers Olympic team
- head coach of the Adelaide 36ers 1986 ‘Invincibles’ NBL championship team which still holds the single-season record of 24-2
- member of the first-ever Boomers team to compete at a FIBA World Championship in 1970 in Ljubljana
- represented four different states at the highest level in the pre-NBL era
- as a player and a coach, Cole won at the Australian National Championships
Of course, anyone who ever came across Ken would know the effect his larger-than-life personality had on the game in Australia as it was growing out of small suburban sheds can never be captured in words.
Renowned journalist Boti Nagy led a relentless campaign to get coach Cole inducted into the Basketball Australia Hall of Fame.
To be honest at times it was over the top, but ultimately Cole, who has been struck down by cancer, will receive a well-earned and overdue honour in person. The end well and truly justifies the means – well done to all who campaigned for this.
Fittingly, Cole will be inducted at a special ceremony before the NBL All-Star Game in Adelaide. Worth waiting for!
Where’s Jacko?
Fans of women’s basketball have been hanging out to see Olympic legend Lauren Jackson make her return for the Canberra Capitals in the WNBA.
Originally that was penned for Round 2, then Round 3, then…well you get the point.
Turns out the hamstring Jackson injured in London is still giving her grief and the Capitals’ medical staff have ordered indefinite rest until it is right.
Given she is now 31, it isn't the time to be risking further injury, so that decision is to be applauded. But let’s hope she is back on court before too long, because women’s basketball in Australia gets infinitely more attention when Jackson is involved.
Paulo Kennedy
FIBA
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