Support comes for Maker
Longley says Boomer did ‘right thing’
BASKETBALL: Australian basketball legend Luc Longley has defended Milwaukee Bucks star Thon Maker amid calls from US commentators for the NBA to punish the Boomers forward for his role in Monday’s ugly brawl against the Philippines.
Maker attracted global attention for raising his knee in a bid to protect himself and his teammates as chairs and fists flowed.
The actions of the Sudaneseborn big man prompted criticism from former NBA guard turned ESPN commentator Jalen Rose.
Rose called on NBA commissioner Adam Silver to punish Maker for his involvement in the brawl, which led to the ejection of nine Philippine and four Australian players.
“For Thon Maker, it is going to put Adam in a unique spot because it didn’t happen in the NBA or the United States,” Rose said.
“But he has got to be disciplined. I think that is something that the commissioner’s office is going to rule on swift, fast and in a hurry.
“He wasn’t throwing his hands, because he knows how valuable they are to him making money in the NBA. So he threw a couple of Bruce Lee kicks and got up out of there.”
In theory, the NBA could punish Maker for his role in the FIBA brawl. The NBA constitution lets Silver punish players for “conduct that does not conform to the standards of morality or does not comply with all federal, state, and local laws … or is detrimental to the NBA.”
Longley, though, believes the NBA should be proud of Maker for defending his teammates.
“It was his first time playing with us and the first time meeting a lot of those guys, yet he put his body on the line and I believe he did the right thing,” said Longley, the Boomers’ assistant coach and winner of three NBA championships at the Chicago Bulls in the mid-1990s.
“If I was putting together an NBA club and I was looking for guys that competed, played hard and cared about their teammates, which is clearly an important asset in the NBA, I would say that Thon’s actions reflected well on who he is.”
Yesterday at Brisbane Airport, contrite Boomers forward Daniel Kickert expressed regret for his actions that sparked the ugly all-in brawl.
Kickert elbowed Roger Ray Pogoy in the head after the Philippine agitator shoved Boomers guard Chris Goulding to the floor late in the third quarter.
“I obviously made an action which is regrettable and unfortunate,’’ Kickert said.
“I think I’ve overstepped a little bit with my response to the escalation in the game. And I regret those things.”
Photo: Michael Dodge/Getty