NBL24, the time for Valentine

Photo: Sydney Kings Media

Mark the date for Valentine’s day - that's right, Denzel Valentine’s first appearance in the NBL24 is fast approaching, and according to the star Sydney import, this will be a season for him to reach his “maximum potential.”

The Kings' newest recruit has made himself at home in NSW, and says working with a back-to-back championship squad is already doing wonders for him.

“I feel fully comfortable to reach my maximum potential, walking into that building everyday, knowing that I got the help I need to become the player I can become,” Valentine said on SEN’s The Jimmy Smith Show.

<iframe src="https://omny.fm/shows/nbl-podcasts/denzel-valentine-on-sen-august-22-2023/embed?style=artwork" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write" width="100%" height="180" frameborder="0" title="Denzel Valentine on SEN - August 22, 2023"></iframe>


Thanks to the Kings’ training and coaching facilities, Valentine’s game this season is set to reach new heights, even after a six-year stint in the NBA.

“I have everything I need to be playing at my highest level with the Kings,” he said.

“You can tell their first class with how they approach things, how they handle everything. [They’re] super professional and super organised.”

Prior to joining the league for the first time this year, the 29-year-old import had eyes on the NBL from afar. 

“I’ve seen the league grow, not even knowing outside of coming here, I’ve seen the NBL grow these last two-three years,” he said. 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Listen to our guy <a href="https://twitter.com/denzelvalentine?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@denzelvalentine</a> on the <a href="https://twitter.com/JimmySmithSEN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JimmySmithSEN</a> show ? <a href="https://t.co/XLTtMWXxbX">https://t.co/XLTtMWXxbX</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeTheKings?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeTheKings</a> <a href="https://t.co/5jJKkTMxPK">https://t.co/5jJKkTMxPK</a></p>&mdash; Sydney Kings (@SydneyKings) <a href="https://twitter.com/SydneyKings/status/1693860936321568954?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Valentine played for the Chicago Bulls from 2016-2021, before taking up a roster spot with both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Utah Jazz.

And while the Kings' success has made its mark on the 29-year-old already, a fellow face is also playing a role - coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah. 

“He lets you play, he has his rules his regulations as a coach – which every coach has – but I like him too because he’ll let you play and he’ll talk about the mistakes after.

“He not too overbearing as far as being a coach. Obviously with his [NBA] experience, he knows how to push players to be their best.”

Valentine will make his debut with the Sydney Kings in NBL24 on Saturday September 30.