Mills magic, brilliant Boomers and Simmons struggles: The 2021 Logue Down basketball awards
Undrafted in 2018, Jock Landale’s rise has been a true story of persistence which Aussie basketball knows well. Matt Logue names his top talking points of the year in hoops.
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Vote 1 Patty Mills?
The Boomers captain finally claimed the medal Australia craved so badly in 2021, next year he could add an even bigger title – if he wanted it.
Instead, he might have to settle for another gong courtesy of the Logue Down annual basketball awards.
From Mills’ magic in Tokyo to Ben Simmons’ sad trade saga, it’s time to recognise the best and worst in a massive year for Aussie basketball.
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The Joe Ingles never give up award
Boomers star Joe Ingles has crafted out a highly successful career, but he had to take the long road via Europe and an initial knock-back in the NBA to achieve his dreams.
Rising Aussie big man Jock Landale has followed a similar path after going undrafted in 2018.
Landale has had stints in Serbia and Lithuania before joining Melbourne United last season, and producing an MVP-calibre season as United won the NBL championship.
He helped the Boomers win a historic bronze medal at this year’s Tokyo Olympics, opening the door to sign a deal with the San Antonio Spurs.
Landale initially received limited minutes as he juggled injury and Covid protocols, prompting the Spurs to send him back to the G League.
He didn’t complain and just got on with business, dominating in the second tier to earn an NBA reprieve, where he is now excelling.
Rose Gold Logue award
Patty Mills. I mean, if Mills ran for PM, I reckon he’d give Scott Morrison a run for his money.
From carrying Australia’s flag at the Tokyo Olympics to leading the Boomers to their first men’s medal after six decades of near misses, the much-loved guard has had quite the year.
Mills’ remarkable performance to score 42 points in the bronze medal game against Luka Doncic’s Slovenia will go down in Australian basketball folklore.
A relived and emotional Patty embracing teammate and close friend Joe Ingles at full-time after beating the Slovenians is a sight that will endure.
Mills has continued his Olympic form with his new NBA team, the Brooklyn Nets, dropping career-high numbers and even starting in the absence of guard Kyrie Irving.
Mills continued his standout NBA season on Christmas Day with a shooting masterclass in Brooklyn’s win over the Lakers in Los Angeles.
The Boomers star equalled his career-high with 34 points, including eight threes and seven assists.
Mills’ eight three pointers made were the most in a Christmas Day game in NBA history.
The way the Nets are playing, led by the world’s best scorer in Kevin Durant, Patty is every chance of adding another NBA championship to the one he won with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014.
Add Mills’ extensive and genuine off-court contribution, especially in the Indigenous community, and it’s easy to see why there is a push to have Patty one day immortalised in bronze or based off this year’s Tokyo Olympic success: Rose Gold.
Adopted Australian of the year
It’s fair to say there were a large chunk of Australians who didn’t know much about Matisse Thybulle before this year’s Tokyo Olympics.
It didn’t take the Sydney-raised guard long to win over the Aussie fans with his brilliant performances for the Boomers at the Tokyo Olympics.
Thybulle was a breath of fresh air with his dogged defence, Inspector Gadget-like reach and explosive athleticism.
But most of all we fell in love with the Philadelphia 76er’s affable and funny personality, as shown through his personal YouTube series documenting his journey with the Australian men’s Olympic team.
Thybulle was born in the US, but he is as Aussie as the Harbour Bridge, Vegemite and Cold Chisel – and we love it.
Biggest let-down
Liz Cambage pulling out of the Australian Opals squad on the eve of the Tokyo Olympics was a disastrous result for our women.
Cambage’s poor behaviour during a private scrimmage against Nigeria is one thing, but the biggest disappointment was the fact she let down her teammates.
The WNBA star had been suffering from mental health issues, which need to be taken seriously, but her actions against the Nigerians had a major impact on her Opals teammates.
As a result, the Aussie women struggled in Tokyo without their best player.
Hopefully the Opals can regroup and redefine themselves in Cambage’s absence at next year’s home World Cup in Sydney.
Most hyped dunk in history
Mitch Creek’s monster dunk on Matthew Dellavedova during a heated Melbourne derby has been hailed the best in NBL history, but is this accurate?
Sure, Creek’s poster on Dellavedova has dominated global basketball discussion.
The play has attracted upwards of 10 million views, making it officially the NBL’s most seen dunk, but is it the best?
Respected voices, including three-time NBL champion Chris Anstey, believe Creek’s dunk was brilliant, but Anstey says he has seen better.
“It was an incredible dunk, but it wasn’t the best in NBL history,” Anstey told me.
“I’ve been around a long time, and I’ve seen Sam Mackinnon do better, Casey Prather do better on bigger defenders and the same with James Crawford.”
Most underrated performer
The Tamworth terrier, Nick Kay. Seriously, every team needs a reliable player like Kay. He isn’t the best athlete, but his consistency, toughness, and basketball smarts well and truly makes up for it.
Kay was the unsung hero for the Boomers at this year’s Tokyo Olympics.
Best doco
Sure, the Last Dance featuring the mercurial Michael Jordan’s remarkable career was awesome, but it was missing one key ingredient: Luc Longley.
Thankfully, the ABC delivered us some Longley love that we’d been craving with a fitting insight into the big man’s personality and unprecedented success as a three-time NBA champion with the all-conquering Bulls.
If you haven’t already done so, check out Longley’s Australian Story documentary: One Giant Leap.
Most memorable match
The Boomers beating Slovenia to finally end the Australian men’s six-decade Olympic drought.
Mills was magnificent, but every player contributed to ensure there wasn’t a dry eye back home in Australia.
Biggest future
Josh Giddey, hands down. The boy from Melbourne has enjoyed a stellar year and he deserves every bit of praise coming his way.
Giddey displayed maturity beyond his years in the NBL with the Adelaide 36ers last season to pick up the league’s rookie of the year award.
He then shocked by going at No.6 in the NBA draft to the rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder.
We all knew Giddey had the potential to excel in the world’s best league, but the start to his rookie NBA season has been something else.
Blessed with brilliant vision, pinpoint passing and a special ability to make others better, the rising guard has the basketball world at his feet.
Throw in the fact that the NBA’s bright lights won’t result in a big head and Giddey is destined for a long and successful hoops career.
Worst performance
The Sydney Kings’ lack of effort in their record 42-point loss to Melbourne United on Thursday night was embarrassing.
The Kings simply had no answers for a red-hot United side, who blew their arch rivals off the floor with a 26-0 run to start the game.
Melbourne led 34-5 after one, the biggest quarter-time lead in NBL history, and from there the Kings were done and dusted.
Let’s just say, a host of Sydney legends were filthy watching the lack of intensity.
Best quote
“It’s time to bring an Olympic medal home back to our country Australia, so I can hang it up at mum and dad’s house” – Patty Mills shortly after winning the historic bronze medal for the Boomers at the Tokyo Olympics.
Best interview
The legendary Andrew Gaze — the Boomers’ leading scorer and five-time Olympian — wiping tears away as he spoke about the significance of the Australian men’s historic bronze medal on Channel 7’s Tokyo Olympic coverage.
Gaze declared Australia’s maiden medal as having the DNA of so many hardworking people on it.
He referenced countless players and officials, but specifically his 85-year-old father, Lindsay Gaze, the godfather of Australian basketball, and how he built hoops Down Under on a base of only 200 registered players.
Gaze Sr also devoted endless hours to developing basketball courts and stadiums across the country to help build the sport.
Today, Lindsay’s legacy has resulted in more than million registered basketballers in Australia.
Gaze senior’s involvement as a Boomers player and coach is equally revered for paving the way for the sport’s current success.
Saddest story
Ben Simmons’ ongoing trade saga with the Philadelphia 76ers. Simmons is a three-time NBA All Star for a reason, so it’s sad seeing him sitting on the sidelines as he works through a bitter trade fallout with the 76ers.
Let’s just hope the messy situation can be resolved as soon as possible so we can see Ben back on the court and doing what he does best.
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