Perth’s NBL rivalry with Melbourne is about to accentuate subsequent season after Luke Travers confirmed United as his subsequent basketball dwelling.
Travers on Monday inked a three-year take care of the Victorian membership, with an opportunity for an even bigger function and United’s current file of serving to produce NBA expertise as key components in his swap east.
Having been stashed within the NBL to work on his sport by the Cleveland Cavaliers, the 21-year-old will look to observe within the footsteps of Jock Landale, Jack White and Matthew Dellavedova in incomes an NBA call-up after thriving with Melbourne.
“It’s a super exciting opportunity. I’m just looking forward to getting there and getting to work,” Travers stated.
“Learning from guys like Dave Barlow, Chris Goulding and the vets that are in this group, I just can’t wait to get together with this team.
“It’s an opportunity for me to take my game to the next level… United have sent guys to the NBA and that’s where I’m trying to get to.
“Playing in front of our fans at John Cain Arena as a United player is going to be amazing. I’ve played there plenty of times against Melbourne and seeing how that place gets… I just can’t wait to be a part of it.”
Travers surprised the Wildcats final month by saying his departure, with the Rockingham product desirous to progress his profession in a special atmosphere to spherical out his sport for the NBA.
The ahead’s addition at Melbourne offers United a robust native contingent forward of recruiting imports, with Travers becoming a member of Goulding and final week’s signing Jo Lual-Acuil to type a promising core.
United coach Dean Vickerman stated Travers would spend time at energy ahead, with the versatile athlete plotting to enhance on final 12 months’s NBL averages of 10 factors, six rebounds and three assists per sport.
“He can come in and play the 4 for us which is a crucial position in this league,” Vickerman stated.
“It starts our defence and initiates our offence, which is a massive strength for Travers. He’s a guy that can grab it off the rim and start the break or someone we can flip it to in the halfcourt to create for others.
“The shooting is really developing, we saw that this year and then he’s a crazy athlete. Someone who can be a lob threat and a dangerous cutter.
“I think with the ball movement that we can generate, people like him are going to have opportunities to attack mismatches and play at a higher pace than he has in the past. This is an opportunity for him to take his game to the next level.”
The Wildcats made a signing announcement of their very own on Monday, confirming younger guard Ben Henshall would be a part of Keanu Pinder and David Okwera as WA merchandise to return to Perth subsequent season.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
