Central Districts’ Jimma Dau now a rising hoops star – four years after switching from soccer
FROM South Sudan to soccer to basketball – Jimma Dau is a rising star of Premier League basketball in Adelaide.
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IF IT was not for the wise words of a soccer coach, Jimma Dau might never have found his way to basketball.
The emerging Central Districts star has exploded onto the Premier League scene this season to become the Lions’ leading man, averaging a double-double.
But the 18-year-old, who was born in South Sudan and moved to Australia at four, only took up the sport at 14.
“I always just played soccer growing up until I was about 14 when I had a big growth spurt,” Dau, 200cm tall, says.
“My soccer coach at the time recommended I go and try basketball. ... I enjoyed it so just kept at it and started working hard and haven’t really looked back since.”
Dau is one of the surprise packets of the men’s Premier League season so far, averaging 17 points per game (16th in the league) and rates third in rebounds at 10.2.
His round five performance against Southern Tigers, where the wing scored 21 points and hauled in a massive 25 boards, earned him player of the week honours.
The Trinity College student says his fast start is the result of hard work and the opportunity handed to him by Lions coach Ricky Simpson.
“I’ve been training for a while leading up to this moment and Ricky (Simpson) gave me the opportunity – I’m really grateful for that,” Dau says.
“I just have to keep training and working hard.”
Dau has regularly caused headaches for opposition sides so far, with his height and mobility a difficult combination to defend.
“The physical part of this league is a big difference but I’ve got weapons I can use on those players who try to play me physical, like my speed,” he says.
Simpson says he could not be happier with the way Dau has adapted to his first senior season.
“He’s been fantastic,” Simpson says.
“Jimma is a really good kid and as a player he just has a natural instinct for scoring and is just a natural basketballer.
“His mobility at his height is special and he’s really starting to take advantage of that on offence and defence.”
The Lions are 1-6 to start the season after a complete turnover of the roster and an injection of young talent.
Dau believes the team is on the right track.
“We’re young and don’t have much experience but the team is progressing we’ve been stepping up our defence – so it’s looking bright,” Dau says.
Dau is hoping to take his career to the next level once he finishes school and wants to play college basketball in the US.
He credits the Lions, trainers Game Time Moves and his first club, Adelaide Warriors, for helping him develop.
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