NBL news: Adelaide 36ers’ Mitch McCarron praises Next Star Trentyn Flowers ahead of Rememberance Day game

Mitch McCarron has praised teen Next Star Trentyn Flowers after a rocky initiation into the world of professional basketball, as the Adelaide 36ers prepare for a Remembrance Day clash.

Adelaide 36ers veteran Mitch McCarron says teen Next Star Trentyn Flowers has handled his rocky initiation into the world of professional basketball with a maturity that might surprise those outside his inner circle.

Before the Remembrance Day clash against Tasmania on Saturday, when the Sixers will honour the people who have served in the Australian Defence Force, McCarron opened up on the club’s roster rollercoaster, his own form, why Flowers has impressed him and the unique conversation that hit home.

Trentyn Flowers caused a storm in the US, when he decommitted from Louisville to join the 36ers in Australia. Picture: Getty Images

GIVE THE KID HIS FLOWERS

Coach CJ Bruton’s declaration that Flowers, who caused a storm in the US when he decommitted from NCAA college Louisville to come to Australia, would begin NBL24 as the club’s starting point guard was met with widespread scepticism.

It soon became evident the 18-year-old wasn’t ready to run a pro team at the elite level and it is understood that Bruton’s decision to shift him to a wing midgame was met with agreeance, rather than resistance.

McCarron said there had been no sulking from the 206cm Maryland-born athlete.

“I think there was a bit of a knock on his resilience and ability to cope with change but I’ve found him to have a great level of resilience,” McCarron said.

“It’s been a massive adjustment for him moving over and living in a foreign country and what he believed he would be doing.

“I know a lot of other guys who probably would have spat the dummy and left already, so you have to give credit to him.”

36ers coach CJ Bruton has turned heads when he announced Flowers would begin NBL24 as the club’s starting point guard. Picture: Getty Images

Flowers played with pure joy in his 18-point, fourth-quarter explosion against Illawarra this season. Two games later, he didn’t get off the bench but McCarron said that regardless of the circumstances he had maintained the rage.

“We know this is a tough league,” McCarron said. “There are going to be ebbs and flows throughout the season, especially for young guys.

“He had that big game and then he didn’t play much in the next couple, but his effort and energy didn’t change.

“If he plays zero minutes, he still rocks up with the same energy.

“He’s still learning to be a pro but he has some good veterans around him, other American guys who have done this and lived their life on the road who can help him through that.”

SIXERS FIGURING IT OUT

Aside from Flowers’ shift, the Sixers began the season by dumping import Jamaal Franklin and bringing in gun scoring guard DJ Vasiljevic.

They will consider a third import if the right big man emerges.

It’s not an ideal situation for a squad to develop chemistry and role clarity but McCarron said the group had galvanised behind a belief they could still give the top six a shake.

Sound silly? Nope. Nine games in, the Sixers are just one win outside the play-in.

“We’ve had nights where we might have played 35 minutes of really good ball and then we’ve had a horrific five-minute patch,” McCarron said.

“We’ve had games where we’ve defended extremely well and we couldn’t score or we lose a game to a team on the road by a couple of points.

“The group knows we’re right there, we just needed to be more consistent in putting the ball in the hole and our effort in some areas and we might have been sitting 6-3 or 5-4.

McCarron is a 36ers veteran. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

MACCA HUNTING BEST FORM

By his own standards, McCarron hasn’t quite hit the mark this season, which is the last of a blockbuster three-year deal that brought him from Melbourne United to Adelaide.

He’s averaging a career-low 6.9 points per game and the fewest assists (2.2) and steals (0.7) since his 2016-17 debut.

Part of that is it’s the first time since his rookie year in Cairns he’s averaging fewer than 30 minutes a night (24.2).

The other part, he said, was adjusting to an evolving role as the Sixers tinker with the roster and rotation.

“We’ve had a lot of moving pieces this season in terms of positions and roles and moving guys around and I’m not unique to that situation,” McCarron said.

“Myself, though, I’m not really looking at stats.

“It’s more about how I feel on the court. I know I can do better, I know I can help us more on both ends of the floor, so I need to stay aggressive.

“Wins all look great and if I’ve played a great role on a team that’s winning games, that’s what I care about most.”

FLY-ON-THE-WALL REALISATION

McCarron caught up with three servicemen and women at Henley Soldiers Memorial and was fascinated by the conversation between Kate Jennings (navy), Marc Bryant (army) and Fred Sabijon (air force).

Listening as they spoke about where they had deployed, how long they had been away from family and friends and some of the difficult things they had encountered in their careers drove home how lucky Australians were to have people with the will to sacrifice so much for our security.

McCarron caught up with three servicemen and women ahead of the 36ers Remembrance Day game. (L-R) Kate Jennings (navy), Mitch McCarron (36ers), Fred Sabijon (air force) and Marc Bryant (Army) at the Henley Soldiers Memorial. Picture Matt Turner

“The most interesting part for me was just hearing them talk to each other, going back and forth talking about their roles and their lives,” McCarron said.

A father of two — Oslo, 2, and Kora, 9 months — one story hit home for McCarron.

“It puts things into perspective when one of them was talking about being gone from their family and friends for seven months,” he said.

“The sacrifice that they make to serve and protect our country makes you realise we’re very lucky to do what we do.”

On game night an official pre-tip-off ceremony will include The Ode, a minute’s silence, a bugler and national anthem.

The Adelaide Entertainment Centre will feature a display of army and navy vehicles and the army band will perform at halftime.

Adelaide 36ers v Tasmania JackJumpers, Saturday, 7.30pm ACDT, Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Watch on Kayo Sports and ESPN.

Originally published as NBL news: Adelaide 36ers’ Mitch McCarron praises Next Star Trentyn Flowers ahead of Rememberance Day game