Josh Giddey making big waves in the NBA

Josh Giddey making big waves in the NBA

Google Advertisements

Despite sitting one place off the bottom of the Western Conference table, there has been a shining light for the Oklahoma City Thunder this season. Josh Giddey has exploded in his NBA rookie season and has been a real standout for the Thunder this season. He leads the way for the Thunder in a number of categories including rebounds per game and assists per game and is in their top three players for points per game, field goal % and steals per game.

His form has drawn plenty of praise from across the game in his rookie season but perhaps none bigger than from Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.

Talking to The Sporting News, James had nothing but good things to say about Giddey, “He’s really, really, really good,” James stated plainly before diving deeper into his answer. “He has a great pace about the game. Great vision.

Giddey’s form this season has been exceptional. He became only the second rookie in history to record three consecutive triple-doubles and this came after he became the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double, a record James once held up until 2017.

All-Star Weekend

James’ comments came in the build-up to All-Stars weekend and Giddey got the opportunity to participate in the Clorox Rising Stars game, representing Team Worthy. 

This was the first year of a new Rising Stars format, with four teams of seven players – made up of 12 rookies, 12 sophomores and four players from the NBA G League Ignite team – playing in a three-game tournament. The semifinals were each played to 50 points, while the final was played to 25.

Sadly for Giddey, Team Worthy lost their semi-final to Team Isiah in a narrow 50-49 defeat, at one point coming back from a 10-point deficit. Giddey also impressed at the All-Star Weekend in the Skills Challenge, drawing more praise from commentators.

Giddey is the Western Conference’s undisputed best rookie so far this season and he continues to go from strength to strength. Prior to the All-Star Weekend, Giddey had closed the gap in the Kia Rookie Ladder where he finds himself behind Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Scottie Barnes from the Toronto Raptors.

Big opportunity for Giddey

Signed as the sixth pick in the 2021 draft, Giddey has impressed Thunder coach Mark Daigneault, “He’s a really good player. He’s just getting better and better every month,” Daigneault said.

His form to date so far this season has led to Daigneault giving Giddey more responsibility on the court.

Daigneault explained that when Giddey and the Thunder’s other starting guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander share the court on offence, the Aussie can now expect to have the ball more often.

Giddey himself is excited by his growing partnership with Gilgeous-Alexander, “I love playing with him. I think our chemistry is getting better. I think in a few years we could be one of the best backcourts in the league.

Sadly for the blossoming partnership, they have only managed to play together once since Gilgeous-Alexander came back from an ankle injury that kept him out for a month before Giddey himself was ruled out with a hip injury. The injury is set to keep Giddey out for another couple of weeks and he is not expected back until late March, threatening to end his run of Western Conference Rookie of the Month awards which he has a clean sweep of up until February.

The Thunder will be relying on Giddey and Gilgeous-Alexander to form the foundation of their rebuilding project. It has been a tough season for the Thunder who sit at the bottom of the Western Conference table and are the rank outsider to life the Western Conference title at 751.00 with Betway Sports. If Giddey and Gilgeous-Alexander get to spend some more time on the court together, we can expect a change in those odds next season.

The future looks bright

There is no doubt that Australian Giddey will be a major talent in the NBA for years to come, and he is already been mentioned with some of the greats of the game. At 6’8 and 200 pounds, Giddey is not especially long or explosive and has room to get stronger, but at just 19 years old, he has tremendous size for a primary ball-handler.

Giddey continues to break records in his rookie season in the NBA and if he can recover from injury, he still has time to knock off a couple more before the season ends. He now owns the three youngest triple-doubles in league history and owns eight double-digit assist games, the third-most ever by a teenager behind LeBron James (11) and Stephon Marbury (9). If he can manage another three games this season, he might well fancy knocking off another of James’ records.

Back home, Australian basketball fans have been quick to get behind Giddey. Whilst Patty Mills from the Brooklyn Nets continues to lead the way when it comes to shirt sales in Australia, Giddey has pushed his way up to fourth on the list behind Mills, Steph Curry and LeBron James with Giannis Antetokounmpo rounding out the top five.

If he continues to set the league alight, he may not have to wait too long until he sees his name on a lot more shirts when he makes the trip back home to Australia.

Dan Boyce (836 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.


Share:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • 2024–25 NBL Salary Breakdown: Cap vs Cash for Every Team

    NBL25: Salary Spend Revealed for Every Team ESPN has compiled detailed salary and spending data for the 2024–25 NBL season, giving fans and analysts a unique look at how teams managed their budgets on the road to a championship. While some clubs leaned into the NBL’s flexible salary rules and pushed their spending past the cap in pursuit of success, others stayed conservative — with three franchises failing to even hit the league's salary floor. Understanding the System The NBL operates under a soft salary…

    READ MORE
  • Nick Horvath on the 2009 Dragons vs Tigers Championship and Becoming the Author of an Action Hero

    Nick Horvath joins the podcast to reflect on a one-of-a-kind basketball journey—becoming the only player to ever win a NBL, NZNBL and NCAA championship. Horvath opens up about writing his debut novel Sledge Vs, the highs and lows of his pro career, and what it was really like playing under legends like Mike Krzyzewski and Brian Goorjian. We go deep on the South Dragons’ fiery 2009 Grand Final clash with the Melbourne Tigers, including the now-infamous Game 3 brawl and Chris Anstey’s ejection. Horvath shares…

    READ MORE
  • NBL Teams Eye Chinese Star Lin Wei Amid NBA Draft Buzz

    Chinese basketball standout Lin Wei is emerging as one of the most intriguing international prospects ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft—and he's already drawing serious interest from NBL heavyweights. The Sydney Kings and Melbourne United are currently leading the race to sign the dynamic guard should he not land on an NBA roster this offseason. Wei, a 191 cm, 85 kg combo guard, recently declared for the 2025 NBA Draft and is viewed as a borderline second-round candidate. While he’s intent on chasing his NBA…

    READ MORE
  • NBL Free Agent Tracker

    Below is an up-to-date roster for each NBL team and a list of rumours and potential signings derived from discussions with NBL staff and media. Players listed as contracted come from information supplied by the National Basketball League. * = Denotes import player ** = Naturalised Australian DP = a member of the team's development roster SRP = the previously named Asian player exception denoting an Asian player who qualifies as a local in the NBL. MP = Marquee players listed as known Click here…

    READ MORE
  • Adam Caporn’s Vision for the Boomers: Merging Goorjian and Lemanis’ Success

    With Adam Caporn taking over as head coach of the Australian Boomers, the national team enters a critical phase in its evolution. A student of both Brian Goorjian and Andrej Lemanis, Caporn intends to build on their foundations, blending their distinct philosophies to create a balanced, adaptable, and high-performing team. In a recent interview with Aussie Hoopla, Caporn outlined his vision for the Boomers, his approach to coaching, and how he plans to shape the roster heading into major tournaments like the 2027 FIBA World…

    READ MORE
  • Luke Kendall on developing basketball in India, 2006 FIBA World Champs & Sydney’s 2005 NBL Title

    Former NBL player and current Casey Cavaliers head coach Luke Kendall joins the podcast to share his journey—from his junior basketball days to professional success and now a rising coaching career. Kendall developed under legendary coach Mike Dunlap at Metro State, where he won a national championship before moving to the NBL. He played for the Sydney Kings, Melbourne Tigers, Perth Wildcats, and Gold Coast Blaze, winning a championship with the Kings before injuries forced an early retirement. Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of…

    READ MORE
  • Larry Kestelman Says Geelong Deserves an NBL Team But Is Missing a Real Estate Component

    The possibility of an NBL expansion team in Geelong has gained momentum, with league owner Larry Kestelman confirming the city is a strong candidate—provided it can secure a suitable venue. However, much like we outlined in an article a number of years ago, How the Geelong Supercats could return to the NBL within 3 years, the missing piece isn’t just a stadium, but a real estate-backed development plan to make the project financially viable. Kestelman recently acknowledged Geelong’s growing basketball scene, citing record participation numbers…

    READ MORE
  • The Wollongong Hawks’ 2001 NBL Championship: The defining moment of an underdog’s rise

    There have been championship runs in the NBL defined by dominance and the sheer weight of talent that could overwhelm opponents before the ball was tipped. The dynasties of Perth, the star-studded reign of Melbourne, and the rise of Sydney’s financial muscle all tell tales of powerhouses that knew how to stay at the top. But there has only ever been one championship like Wollongong’s in 2001—a title won through sheer resilience, a team that had no business being there until they forced their way…

    READ MORE
sekolahtoto

SITUS TOGEL

depo 5k

sekolahtoto

situs togel

Fitur dan layanan dari toto togel 4D difokuskan pada kemudahan bagi pengguna untuk mengakses dan bertransaksi

sekolahtoto merupakan situs gaming provider lengkap terbaik yang dimainkan secara online.

sekolahtoto sebagai situs togel ruang bermain penuh keseruan bagi pemain yang sedan menikmati permainan togel online.

sekolahtoto merupakan situs pemersatu bangsa yang menyatukan pemain togel online.

sekolahtoto sebagai tempat hiburan toto slot online resmi.

menyediakan pasaran-pasaran toto togel yang dapat dijangkau secara international.