Dellavedova tips Thon to be a star
NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has set the blueprint for Australian rookie Thon Maker to scale similar heights, Milwaukee Bucks teammate Matthew Dellavedova says.
The 20-year-old Maker impressed in his debut season as the Bucks returned to the Eastern Conference playoffs, where they were eliminated in the first round by the Toronto Raptors.
A first-round draft pick in 2016, Maker was part of the Bucks’ starting five in 34 games, including all six playoff appearances.
Much of the Bucks’ success was due to a magnificent sea- son from 22-year-old Antetokounmpo, who earned his first All-Star selection and was named the NBA’s most improved player.
The 211cm “Greek Freak” became only the fifth player in NBA history to lead his team in every major statistical category — points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.
Dellavedova, who last year became the sixth Australian to win an NBA championship when the Cleveland Cavaliers downed Golden State, sees parallels between Maker and Antetokounmpo.
Like his star teammate, the 216cm Maker boasts remarkable athleticism for a big man and has shown he’s more than capable of draining shots from beyond the arc.
“I think it gave Thon a blueprint to follow,” Dellavedova said at a promotional event in Melbourne on Thursday.
“Thon is a great kid, works extremely hard and has an unbelievable attitude. For someone to have his size and athletic ability but also the skill and the shooting stroke, it’s going to be exciting to see what he does.
“Giannis came in raw and athletic but he’s really improved. You’ve seen the growth from year to year, and I think that is the perfect person for Thon to look up to and try to follow.”
Australia’s representation in the NBA is set to grow further next season, with last year’s No.1 draft pick Ben Simmons poised to make his long- anticipated debut for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Simmons, Maker and Utah Jazz point guard Dante Exum are among the next generation of stars set to feature in a formidable Boomers line-up at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The Boomers had one of their best campaigns at last year’s Rio Games, with Dellavedova and fellow NBA stars Patty Mills and Andrew Bogut falling one point short of a bronze medal.
“We gave it a really good crack last year … but that’s the best Boomers team I’ve played on,” Dellavedova said.
“When we continue to incorporate guys like Benny and Thon and Dante into that, I think the future only gets brighter.”