Image from NBA
The word "brand new" to describe the Australian team is in many ways most appropriate.
This year, the team will play in the fiba Asian Cup for the first time. There are also some new players, even NBA players, who are struggling to join the Australian men's basketball team. One such person is Thorne-Mark, a large Man born in Sudan who moved to Australia at an early age and continued his basketball education in Canada.
Now he has his first season with the Milwaukee Bucks and is partnered with Australian national team starting guard Matthew Delavedova. Although Mark has not yet officially joined the national team, the final result is almost in suspense. [Joining the national team] is his (Thornmark's) primary goal.
Image from espn
"Yes, there's no doubt (I want to join the national team)," Mark said in an interview with FIBA. "What I want to say is that I can represent the country and I am proud to play for the national team. Basketball is a fun but intense sport, and when it reaches world-class levels, it contains more. I think of competing on a world-class stage. I want the whole world to see that I have the ability to represent my country and that I'm doing really well. ”
Playing well in the NBA can contribute to Mark's national team career. He hadn't played much until the last 4 games, when he averaged 17.5 minutes per game. Mark has averaged 7.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in the last three Bucks- win games, which also shows that he is adapting to this high-level league.
"So far everything has been going well," Mark says, "and I hope every day I try to get better, and I do that now." My playing time is increasing and I want to perform better and enjoy the game. ”
Image from sportal
One of Mark's housekeeping skills at 2.16 meters tall is the jump shot, not only the mid-range jumper, but his three-point shot will also become an important weapon for clubs and national teams. This season, Mark hit 16 of his 32 three-pointers. If he can continue to keep his 3-point shooting percentage, he will open up huge space for his teammates.
The 26-year-old Dela Vidova helped him a lot. "Della helped me a lot," Mark said. "I got more playing time and he kept telling me he was always there for me and supporting me. He was a true leader, a mature man, a champion. I learned a lot from him. He knows how to win. I asked him a lot of questions both on and off the pitch. Although he is very young, he is definitely experienced. ”
Delavedová won the championship with the Cavaliers last season, and before this season, he joined the Bucks as a free agent. At this year's Olympics, some also called him the best point guard in the group stage. Mark saw Australia's performance on television, including the heartbreaking match that left them with a one-point deficit to Spain in the bronze medal battle.
"I've watched all the games that the team has played at the Olympics and they've done a great job," Mark said, "and for some of the players, this may be their last Olympics, but they've been moving toward victory." The players are working very hard, and now that the new people are about to join, we will take over their responsibilities as well. ”
Image courtesy of Fox Sports
The Australian team has been actively in touch with him, along with the Jazz's Dante Exam and Ben Simmons from the 76ers.
"Potential rising stars do matter," Mark said. "As an NBA player, everything is not so easy. As a rookie, we have a very full schedule, which also makes things even harder. On the national team side, they want you to play everywhere; on the NBA side, they want you, as a rookie, to grow up as soon as possible. The Australian Basketball Association knows this, and they have given us a lot of freedom. They would give us the whole arrangement and let us join in whenever we were ready. ”
There are a lot of Australians in the NBA right now, and Australian fans are hoping that their golden generation will be able to perform better at the Basketball World Cup and the Olympics. Many of them likened him to the next Kevin Garnett.
"When people compare me to him, I think it's too much. He's going to be in the Hall of Fame," Mark said, "and he's an incredible player, an NBA champion." He's a winner, he plays very hard, he's very competitive, and he's passionate. Like him, I respect the game. ”
"Whether as a player or as a man, I have a lot of respect for him. He's definitely one of the greatest players in history, like Jordan, 'Magic' Johnson and Kobe Bryant. They all have a clear purpose, which is what I want to do. I want every game to be passionate. ”