Giddey Returns to NBL Roots

Friday, August 26, 2022

"It’s good to play against any NBL team, but for it to be the team I played with makes it a lot more exciting."

After a two-year hiatus the long-awaited return of NBLxNBA has been confirmed, with the Adelaide 36ers set to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns in pre-season action.

While the games will act as a good tune up for the upcoming season for all three sides the clash will take on a little extra meaning for exciting Thunder guard Josh Giddey, who launched his career with the 36ers in 2021.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">NBL ? NBA IS BACK!<br><br>The <a href="https://twitter.com/Adelaide36ers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Adelaide36ers</a> are heading to ?? in October to take part in two <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBA</a> preseason games!<br><br>First up they take on the <a href="https://twitter.com/Suns?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Suns</a> on Oct 2 followed by their old mate Josh Giddey and his <a href="https://twitter.com/okcthunder?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@okcthunder</a> squad on Oct 6.<br><br>Full details at <a href="https://t.co/5ikawismSd">https://t.co/5ikawismSd</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBLxNBA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBLxNBA</a> <a href="https://t.co/Siqg4kMHrE">pic.twitter.com/Siqg4kMHrE</a></p>— The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1562893007455924224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

After winning the NBL Rookie of the Year in his only campaign with Adelaide, Giddey has taken his game to the next level since entering the NBA. All-Rookie second team honours in his debut campaign for the Thunder has seen him establish himself as one of the brightest young talents in world basketball.

“To play against any Australian team I would’ve been happy with but for it to be the team which essentially helped me get to the NBA makes it that much more special,” Giddey told the 36ers' website.

“It’s good to play against any NBL team, but for it to be the team I played with makes it a lot more exciting.

“To play against familiar faces who I have played against and who I have been teammates with, guys I’ve known a long time, so it’s going to be fun.

“But I’m going to tell my guys not to take them lightly because these Australian teams are very competitive and can really play.”

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNRxKiSFyhD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNRxKiSFyhD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; 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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNRxKiSFyhD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Josh Giddey (@joshgiddey)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

Giddey isn’t the only player with NBL links set to take on the 36ers, with former New Zealand Breaker Ousmane Dieng also signed up with the side.

Dieng, like Giddey, was an NBL Next Star – part of the pathway to help young talent reach the NBA – and was selected with the 11^th pick in the most recent NBA Draft.

The Suns also have a strong NBL link in their ranks, with former Melbourne United big man and NBL Grand Final MVP Jock Landale recently arriving in Phoenix.

Landale, like Giddey, used a strong NBL 2020-21 season to catapult himself into NBA calculations.

He was acquired for San Antonio last season and provided an impressive burst of energy off the bench for much of the season, however he was traded to Atlanta as part of a blockbuster Dejounte Murray trade before moving onto the Suns.

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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CfsBi3fPa3N/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Jock Landale (@jocklandale)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

Giddey and Landale were among 14 players in the NBA last season who boasted NBL experience.

The 36ers play Landale’s Suns on October 2 before heading to Oklahoma to take on Giddey’s Thunder on October 6.

Click here for the full story >> Giddey 'can't wait' to play 36ers

Josh Giddey during his time at the Adelaide 36ers.