Josh Giddey: Aussie NBA star to host junior clinic at Knox’s State Basketball Centre

Australian basketball’s hottest name is set to come straight from his breakout season in the NBA to Knox for a junior clinic.

Melbourne-born NBA star Josh Giddey will host a two-day junior clinic in Knox in April. Picture: Ned Dishman/Getty.

Australian basketball’s hottest star will return home to Melbourne and hold court in Knox, fresh off a remarkable breakout rookie season in the world’s biggest league.

Josh Giddey will host a two-day junior clinic at the State Basketball Centre in Wantirna South on April 20 and 21, for players aged eight-to-17.

Budding ballers will pay $320 to rub shoulders with the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA player, with organisers Champions League Basketball stating “giveaways, prizes and special items” will also be given out over the two days.

The number of positions available at the clinic is unclear, which will coincide with the end of the NBA regular season and the school holidays.

Josh’s father, former Melbourne Tigers NBL legend Warwick Giddey, told Leader he would have a lead role running skills sessions, and his son would definitely attend the clinic in some capacity.

“We can’t wait to be able to put something back into the community and looking forward to inspiring the next generation of young hoopers,” Giddey said.

Warwick and Josh Giddey at the NBA Draft in New York.

Josh Giddey has been in amazing form in his debut NBA season with Oklahoma City. Picture: Alex Goodlett/Getty Images

The 19-year-old has been in remarkable form in his debut year with the Thunder after the team took him as the sixth pick in last year’s NBA draft.

Last week, he broke a 60-year league record by becoming the first rookie player to record a triple-double in three consecutive matches.

A triple-double is when a player records double-digits in three of five categories in a game, being either points, assists, steals, blocks or rebounds.

Giddey also recently took part in the Rising Stars mini-tournament as part of the league’s all-star weekend in Cleveland.

He was praised at the event by the league’s most famous player, LeBron James, with the superstar saying Giddey has been playing “beautiful basketball” and has “great vision”.

“I’ve always loved past-first guards... Josh is one of those kids who can definitely see the game a lot quicker than a lot of guys out on the floor,” James said.

It is the second time a Melbourne-born NBA star will stage a junior clinic in Knox fresh from wowing fans in their debut season.

Ben Simmons, who was recently traded to the Brooklyn Nets, held a clinic with 400 young players at the SBC in August 2018, not long after he was named the league’s Rookie Of The Year.

Giddey is set to be a serious contender for the same award this season, having been named the Western Conference’s Rookie Of The Month in November, December and January.

Details: clb.com.au/camps/josh-giddey-camp/