The Josh Giddey comparisons are nothing new for Taran Armstrong.
The Cairns Taipans recruit is blissful to listen to them although, given he minimize brief his flourishing school profession to play within the National Basketball League in an try to hitch Australia’s newest breakout basketball star within the NBA.
The 196cm-tall guard comes from a powerful Tasmanian basketball household and, like Giddey, constructed composure and craft taking part in towards males from a younger age.
The pair, together with Dyson Daniels, have been teammates within the NBA Global Academy in Canberra earlier than Armstrong headed to California Baptist University.
In two years there he established a repute as one in every of school basketball’s greatest passers, earlier than opting out of a transfer to a powerhouse division one college and as an alternative suiting up for the Taipans.
In two video games at this week’s NBL Blitz on the Gold Coast the 21-year-old has performed his greatest Giddey impression.
The pair carry the ball with related composure and even share a resemblance due to their clean-cut look and darkish mop of hair.
“I get that a lot,” Armstrong informed AAP of his likeness to the Boomers and Oklahoma City star guard.
“We spent a lot of time together in the Academy and in Aussie camps.
“It is just a little bit bizarre as he’s one in every of my good mates and really youthful than me (by 9 months).
“But having a guy who plays a similar way to myself, it’s helpful to see their success.
“You can see your self there a bit simpler, moderately than doing one thing that no one’s ever performed.”
Giddey skipped college to instead play a season with Adelaide and has rewritten the NBA record books in two seasons since being drafted by the Thunder.
“Unreal. It reveals issues can change super-quickly,” Armstrong stated.
“One factor about him is he is at all times been actually sensible together with his selections, the place he is put himself and the platform, folks he is surrounded himself with.
“Going to Adelaide was awesome for him. To make those decisions at a young age and believe in himself is so impressive and he’s had a lot of success.”
Armstrong hopes he is performed the identical with a transfer to the tropics underneath coach Adam Forde.
“Competition, that was a big deal,” he stated of his mindset in opting to hitch the Taipans.
“I had opportunity to go to other colleges, but the platform of the NBL – it’s so highly touted by the NBA now. It’s the best available competition and I wasn’t going to be anywhere else.
“Fordey offers gamers perception, the inexperienced gentle to assault what they’re good at.
“As long as I just be myself I’m more than capable of getting where I need to go. I’m that level of player.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
