Norton keen for NBA showdown
IT’S an opportunity Mitch Norton could have only dreamt of while shooting hoops in Townsville as a boy.
And the Perth Wildcats guard has declared he wants to enhance the NBL’s legitimacy as one of five clubs to play in seven pre- season clashes with NBA teams.
The concept has been expanded after its success last year, including Melbourne United’s agonising one- point loss to the superstar- laden Oklahoma City Thunder.
After a stint with Illawarra, former Townsville Crocodiles skipper Norton signed a threeyear deal with Perth in April and will kickstart his tenure by going head- to- head with Utah Jazz stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, plus countrymen Joe Ingles and Dante Exum, on September 29.
The Wildcats will then take on the Denver Nuggets on October 5, and while he knows the challenge is extreme, the 25- year- old didn't rule out Perth pulling off a shock upset against its more- fancied US opponents.
“Seeing how Melbourne went against OKC ( was encouraging), and there have been European teams who have beaten NBA teams,” Norton said. “We’re going to go over there and play hard and hopefully it results in a tight game where something can happen and we might win.
“To get to play against the likes of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert is pretty incredible, they’re household names in the NBA.
“It’s crazy the NBL has been able to pull this off, it’s amazing what they’ve done.
“The fact we’ve got seven games against NBA teams says a lot about our league, and how it’s come and bounds.
“Playing against some of the best guys in the world is going to help you individually, and we’re going to learn a lot as a team. Obviously it’s going to be tough to come away with some wins, but it’s going to help us.”
Norton believes Australian basketball is in the midst of its biggest boom yet, highlighted by Philadelphia 76ers superstar Ben Simmons winning the NBA Rookie of the Year award this week.
“The number of guys we have in the NBA says it all and they’re not just there to make up roster spots, they’re in key roles,” he said. “It’s a huge chance to show what we can do against the best.” on in leaps