Matt 1Is Jawai ready for the NBA?
December 13th 2007 04:42
After a high-scoring and crowd-dazzling NBL All-Star Game in Melbourne last night there appears to be a new Australian big man bound for the NBA. No matter which way you look at it, Cairns Taipans forward/centre Nathan Jawai stands out in the national league. The likeable 21 year-old's popularity is undeniable, having received the most fan votes of any player for the All-Star game.
However, have we seen this all before? What makes anyone think that Jawai will be different from names like Matt Nielsen, Paul Rogers, David Andersen, Mark Bradtke and Ben Pepper. Those big guys that looked destined for the NBA until their ships sailed elsewhere, most often, back to our shores and the NBL.
Don't get me wrong, I like the kid, and the 6-10 monster delivered the stand-out MVP performance of the night featuring 24 points, 15 rebounds and 4 assists. Fans, team-mates and even national coach Brian Goorjian have fallen in love with the big guy, pumping him up like a pair of Reebok Pumps even before he tries out for NBA teams. Goorjian even called him the best talent that's entered the NBL in "a long, long time". It's amazing how quickly Goorjy forgets former Townsville Sun Brad Newley.
Like Newley, who after being a Second Round selection in this year's NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets is now plying his trade in Europe, I have a sense that Jawai is a long way away from even a bench spot on an NBA roster. His court savvy, scoring and size stand out in our league but at 6-10 he's hardly a weapon against 7ft plus centres in the NBA - think Yao, Shaq, Zyrdrunas Ilgauskas and even Chris Kaman. Jawai would be a power forward at best, where his lack of true quickness, average outside shot and reliance on his dunk would be exposed night-in-night-out.
I wish the kid all the best. I really do. But if experts think he can cut it in the NBA at the moment just because he's dunked on Shawn Redhage and backed down on Larry Abney, they only have to look at former draftees Pepper (Boston 1997), Rogers (LA Lakers 1997) and Andersen (Atlanta 2002)...
Dominating locally means nothing.
However, have we seen this all before? What makes anyone think that Jawai will be different from names like Matt Nielsen, Paul Rogers, David Andersen, Mark Bradtke and Ben Pepper. Those big guys that looked destined for the NBA until their ships sailed elsewhere, most often, back to our shores and the NBL.
Don't get me wrong, I like the kid, and the 6-10 monster delivered the stand-out MVP performance of the night featuring 24 points, 15 rebounds and 4 assists. Fans, team-mates and even national coach Brian Goorjian have fallen in love with the big guy, pumping him up like a pair of Reebok Pumps even before he tries out for NBA teams. Goorjian even called him the best talent that's entered the NBL in "a long, long time". It's amazing how quickly Goorjy forgets former Townsville Sun Brad Newley.
Like Newley, who after being a Second Round selection in this year's NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets is now plying his trade in Europe, I have a sense that Jawai is a long way away from even a bench spot on an NBA roster. His court savvy, scoring and size stand out in our league but at 6-10 he's hardly a weapon against 7ft plus centres in the NBA - think Yao, Shaq, Zyrdrunas Ilgauskas and even Chris Kaman. Jawai would be a power forward at best, where his lack of true quickness, average outside shot and reliance on his dunk would be exposed night-in-night-out.
I wish the kid all the best. I really do. But if experts think he can cut it in the NBA at the moment just because he's dunked on Shawn Redhage and backed down on Larry Abney, they only have to look at former draftees Pepper (Boston 1997), Rogers (LA Lakers 1997) and Andersen (Atlanta 2002)...
Dominating locally means nothing.
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