‘He’s so unique’: Australian rookie soaking up Nuggets’ NBA finals run

Australian basketballer Jack White walks out on the Denver Nuggets’ practice court each day and knows he will see something unique from superstar teammate Nikola Jokic.

In the bright lights of the NBA play-offs, Jokic, a two-time NBA MVP, performs stunning feats with his passing, shot creation and ability to influence the game from all over the court.

Jack White has made the most of his first season with the Denver Nuggets.Credit: AP

White has his locker next to the Serbian superstar and admits even at training, he pulls out plays that repeatedly surprise his teammates.

“Like way, way too often. Every day. He’s making a shot that he shouldn’t make, like you haven’t seen before. It’s just what he does,” White said from Denver on Thursday morning.

“He’s just out there, having fun and making people better. It’s just crazy to watch but in such an effortless, graceful, controlled but in a mildly chaotic way. It’s special to watch it. He’s so unique.”

The Gippsland-raised White starred with Melbourne United and the Australian Boomers last year before earning a two-way contract with the Nuggets that has meant he switches between the NBA side and their NBA G-League side Grand Rapids Gold.

White starred in his games with Grand Rapids, averaging 20 points and nine rebounds per game, and he played 17 games for the Nuggets.

Since the Gold finished their season, he has been with the Nuggets working on his game, helping prepare his senior teammates and taking a front-row view as Jokic and Nuggets have chased their first NBA title.

The Nuggets and Miami Heat will open the best of seven NBA finals series in Denver on Friday, although White won’t be eligible to play for his team as he wasn’t elevated to the main roster before the play-offs began.

White would love to be taking part but instead will take in the experiences.

“For the most part I’m enjoying it and locking in on the experience and soaking it up,” White said.

“But at the same time, as a competitor, you do have that urge to get out on court, play and do more. That’s how I’m wired. But what I take away from that is motivation for the future.

“I like to think I have a lot of basketball left to play and making big runs in play-offs and competing for championships is something I want to do for as long as I can in my career.

“To get a taste of it as a rookie is an incredible thing that will hopefully assist me in doing that and taking this experience to other teams in the future.”

One of White’s season highlights came against the Chicago Bulls when he was able to play against star duo DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine late in a game.

“I was guarding LaVine and I saw he and DeRozan make a gesture to each other and I realised he was trying to score backdoor on me so I was able to steal it,” White said.

“It was a cool little thing. Having moments like that against guys I’ve loved to watch growing up. Even playing with Jokic, AG [Aaron Gordon], Jamal Murray – being on the floor with these guys, I feel like I belong and everyone here from top to bottom feels important and has a voice.

“That was highlighted by Jokic’s speech after the conference finals when he shouted out our equipment guys by name.”

If the Nuggets win the NBA title, it will be up to club management who gets a championship ring beyond the players on the finals roster. Regardless, White has loved his time in the Mile High City.

When the season ends, he will return home to try and make the Australian Boomers squad for the FIBA World Cup in late August while he also hopes he can extend his stay in the NBA once free agency begins.

“I’ve got the best job in the world,” White said.

“I get to do what I love every day, go out there, play basketball and meet amazing people.

“I’m hoping to do that for as long as I can. I would love to have 10 years in the NBA, play here until I’m 35 but, man, it’s tough to look to ahead when there is so much movement and uncertainty in this business. I will just do it for as long as I can and see what happens.

“I feel like we are exactly where we are meant to be. This might be the first time any of us are doing this, except KCP [Kentavious Caldwell-Pope] who has a ring, but this is an amazing group of people who have brought in.

“We are all ready to get this rocking.”

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