Grandson of basketball great Michael Ah Matt chases sporting dreams

MALACHAI Ah Matt-Lovett never met his famous basketballing grandfather, but is using him as inspiration while he chases his dream in two sports.

24/04/2015 Malachai Ahmatt-Lovett is the grandson of former Australian basketballer Michael Ahmatt - one of two of the first indigenous Australians to go to an Olympics. Malachai is in the state u/16 indigenous basketball squad, an extended Australian u/16 indigenous squad and also Australian u/16 indigenous football squad. Pic Mark Brake

MALACHAI Ah Matt-Lovett never met his famous grandfather, but is using him as inspiration while he chases his dream in two sports.

A state junior basketballer and an all-Australian under-15 indigenous football squad member, Malachai is the grandson of Michael Ah Matt – one of the three first indigenous athletes to represent Australia at an Olympics.

Ah Matt was part of the Boomers basketball team at the 1964 Tokyo Games.

He died of a heart attack in 1983, aged 40.

Malachai, who plays under-16s for Central District Football Club and Central Districts Basketball Club, hopes to one day play in the NBA or AFL.

“If I could, I’d feel like I’ve achieved something and followed in my grandpa’s footsteps,” Malachai, of Craigmore, says.

“I’ve always looked up to him.”

Some basketball experts compared Ah Matt, a member of Australian basketball’s Hall of Fame, to Los Angeles Lakers champion Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

Both were guards with exceptional vision, passing ability and a sense of flair.

Malachai, 15 and also a guard, is emerging in a similar mould.

“People say Magic Johnson played a lot like him,” the Trinity College student says.

“And people say I play a lot like my grandpa played – just the passing and that we’re both left-handed.”

Basketball is very much part of Malachai’s family.

His mum Kirsty Ah Matt played state league for South Adelaide and his sister Shanika, who was born with the rare genetic disorder Kabuki syndrome, has competed at the Special Olympics.

But Malachai’s future may be in football after making the state junior indigenous team this month and getting selected in the all-Australian indigenous under-15 squad, the Boomerangs.

He slightly prefers Aussie Rules and enjoys showing flair on the field.

“I try to do all the fancy stuff I see on the TV – checksides and selling dummies.”

A choice between the two sports looms but not just yet.

“My mum and her partner keep telling me I’ll have to make a decision soon but I keep trying not to because I like both.”