NBL news 2023: NBA prospect Ariel Hukporti reveals he plans to stay with Melbourne United next season

Melbourne United coach Dean Vickerman had Ariel Hukporti pegged for NBA workouts if he could recover from Achilles tendon surgery in time. But plans have changed.

Ariel Hukporti bears the scars of a surgically repaired Achilles tendon.

Achilles-stricken NBA prospect Ariel Hukporti is set to return to Melbourne United next season after his sophomore NBL campaign was wrecked by injury.

As he navigates an arduous path back from surgery to repair the ruptured tendon, the beloved German-Togolese Next Star has already decided his next move.

“So, I’m planning to stay here, I’m coming back, man,” the 20-year-old 213cm man-child revealed to News Corp.

Hukporti might have been drafted to the NBA last year but decided to continue developing his game with another season in Melbourne before the disastrous pre-season rupture.

G League and European teams have been sniffing around the prodigiously-talented centre and the NBA is the dream but Hukporti says he still has more to prove in Melbourne.

“I want to stay here at Melbourne United,” he said.

“For myself, that I can get over to the states and the league (NBA) and be ready, that I can bring this team a championship.

“I just want to go home and bring something with me, a championship, prove to my mum, my friends back home.”

Ariel Hukporti bears the scars of a surgically-repaired Achilles tendon.

Ariel Hukporti is helped from the floor last September after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon. Picture: Getty Images

Soon after the injury, even United coach Dean Vickerman had the young gun pegged for NBA workouts if he could recover in time, but Hukporti says his agent and family are supportive of his plan to stay put — chiefly due to how the organisation has aided his recovery.

“I talked to my agent and said ‘you know what, I want to stay here’ and he loves it,” Hukporti said.

“He knows the organisation cares about their players. Some organisations overseas, they don’t care about players, for real. It’s weird, some places they don’t even treat us like humans anymore, money over us, but here, it’s the other way around.

“They take care of me 24/7.”

Details and contracts will be thrashed out “when the time is right” but it’s news that will warm the hearts of United fans and Vickerman, who had designs on building around the rapidly improving big man before he was struck down.

Hukporti was poised for a big season in Melbourne. Picture: Getty Images

Hukporti admits it’s been hard to watch from the sidelines, pushing himself through rehabilitation without being able to enjoy the fruits of his work on the court.

At 15 weeks after surgery, he’s walking, jumping, doing the integral calf raises necessary for recovery and even juggling a football with both feet — which is not something United father figure Nick Truelson is overly keen on.

“I love soccer, it always brings me good feelings back to my childhood and just being able to juggle the ball with both feet is amazing,” Hukporti said.

“The doctor said ‘ain’t nothing can happen to the Achilles anymore’ he’s like ‘it’s fine’, he’s done it a thousand times.

“But whenever I do it, Nick be like ‘don’t do it, don’t do it’.

“He’s the father figure of the whole organisation, he’s like the dad who watches everybody and makes sure they’re straight and feels like they’re at home.”

KINDRED SPIRITS

Melbourne’s fitness staff and medicos are well-versed in helping athletes return from an Achilles rupture, an injury that typically takes a year to recover from.

Former United star Jack White, now on a two-way contract in the NBA with the Denver Nuggets, took the court just eight months after his own rupture and the pair has remained in contact throughout Hukporti’s rehabilitation.

Former United man Jack White won an NBA two-way contract after a successful return from an Achilles rupture. Picture: Getty Images

Hukporti’s athleticism is a key feature of his game. Picture: Getty Images

“He’ll reach out and he’ll be having a moment where it’s not feeling as good or he’s had a s**t day, whatever it is, and I’m just like ‘man, I got like seven months in (to recovery) and everything was going great and then I felt like I’d popped my calf and I freaked out’.

“You take a step back, it’s never going to be a perfect process.

“He’s got his head screwed on right for a young man, so I have no doubt, even if we didn’t know each other and didn’t have that connection he’d still be fine.

“He’s not going to be the same player when comes back — it will be a better version of Ariel.”

DIRK’S ADVICE

Hukporti enjoyed a moment with German countryman — and NBA great — Dirk Nowitzki when he was in Melbourne recently.

The former Dallas Maverick took notice when told Hukporti was a compatriot, the pair conversing in their native tongue.

A brilliant inner sanctum event last night thanks to @ChrisAnstey13 & Chris Feeney who brought out former @NBA & @dallasmavs championship legend @swish41 to Melbourne. It was great for us at @MelbUnited to present Dirk with a personalised jersey. Hats off to @nathanstrempel as MC pic.twitter.com/yZPRD68W2J

— Nick Truelson (@nicktruelson) January 11, 2023

“He was like ‘why you walking so weird’ and I’m like ‘yeah, I tore my Achilles’ and he like ‘Oh, s**t’,” Hukporti said.

“He was like, ‘make sure you do your job’. I told him I had a bad two years with injuries and all that, he said ‘make sure you keep going, don’t give up’.”

Sage words from a guy who never gave up.

NEXT FOR UNITED

Big A admits he can’t sit on the bench injured and watch his team — he just wants to be out there.

He prefers to watch from the other side of the court, sitting with United staff.

After a horror start where all seemed lost, he’s loving what he’s seen from a four-game winning streak that has his team primed to sneak into the top six.

“I’m happy for them, I hope they make the playoffs and this is their goal,” he said.

“I be seeing it. They transition what they do in practice to the game, they’re working their arses off.

“Deano is happy man.”

He’ll be happier if his squad can win each of its last three games, starting with Adelaide on Saturday night