Part 1: 7 standouts from the U20 Men's National Championships
A deep dive into seven men you should be keeping an eye on.
Picture this; a packed stadium going wild, World Cup-like drums drowning out your thoughts, a 6’5 wing splitting a hard show and then monstering a thunderous dunk over the outstretched hands of an athletic 6’10 big.
You think you’d be watching professionals, right?
Well, almost. At the recent U20 National Basketball Championships, I had to remind myself; these players were teenagers. Still, with stepback threes, switch-heavy defensive schemes, and lobs being thrown in modern spread offences – it was hard not to get caught up. The level was intense, the physicality was very FIBA-esque (ie, a foul in today’s NBA). While Western Australia ended up running away with the gold, there was serious talent from all states.
Unfortunately, film for the event —along with that aforementioned thunderous dunk— is not publicly available (for now). But we’ll definitely be seeing plenty of these names in the years to come.
Joel Foxwell – Victoria Navy
I sat next to a scout from the US during Victoria Navy’s game against their (supposedly) superior sparring partner, Victoria. As Joel Foxwell —a lithe, lightning-quick 6’1 point guard— eviscerated Victoria’s more established defenders, we chatted about why Joel hadn’t made the top side. “Australia just doesn’t like scoring point guards,” I was told. “Big mistake.”
As the event progressed, and as Joel continued to prove he could completely change the complexion of a game upon entering, that seeming oversight only magnified.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to The Pick and Roll to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.