Let me get this straight. LeBron James says this of Matthew Dellavedova:
“He defended. He rebounded. He made timely shots. He gave us everything and more.”
But ESPN personality Colin Cowherd tweets this:
To be fair, Cowherd added a later tweet calling Dellavedova the Finals MVP, but in many ways, we’re right back to square one.
When the Cavaliers closed out the Atlanta Hawks, the debate was whether or not Delly was a dirty player. Now, even after he’s once again stepped in for Kyrie Irving and shut down MVP Stephen Curry in Game 2, plenty of American fans and journalists still don’t believe.
Why?
Because Delly doesn’t fit the NBA mould.
First of all, let’s address the elephant in the room. He’s white in a league that is 75 per cent African American.
He doesn’t have tattoos. He doesn’t have an entourage.
While his teammates show up for postgame press conferences in designer clothes, Delly usually sports a jacket that looks like it came from General Pants or The Gap.
He’s the anti-JR Smith.
And although he makes better decisions and better clutch plays than Smith, I doubt many kids are running around inner-city playgrounds with a basketball, saying, “Look, at me, I’m Matthew Dellavedova.”
By coming from Australia, Dellavedova is already a different breed of cat from an NBA perspective.
We love to think that Americans know all about Australia – and many do – but there’s still a large proportion of the population that believes Andrew Bogut when he tells them he has a koala for a pet and that kangaroos run rampant in Melbourne streets.
An Australian in the NBA means something else too: unselfish, team-oriented, not flashy.
The Wall Street Journal recently published an article entitled ‘Why every NBA team needs an Australian’. The sub-heading was ‘Andrew Bogut and Matthew Dellavedova reinforce Australia’s reputation for producing industrious, selfless role players’.
When you think of a guy like Joe Ingles in Utah or remember the contributions Luc Longley made to those Bulls’ championship teams this makes perfect sense. Aussies are team-first guys, bound by a code of mateship and ready to do anything for the cause.
That is, however, a bit of a quandary for many American fans and journos who think – and in many ways may be right – that the NBA is more about glitz and glamour than role players and hard working average Joes.
Witness the craziness that ensued after Delly had the gall to dive on the floor for a loose ball.
But not only is Dellavedova is white, Australian and an unspectacular role player – who some think is dirty – he was also ignored in the NBA draft.
And although he was a star in college, he played in the West Coast Conference (WCC), a relatively obscure league of small, mainly Catholic schools in the western US.
So the actual number of NBA fans who really know what Dellavedova is capable of is probably minuscule.
And yes, I know that two of the NBA’s greatest point guards – John Stockton and Steve Nash – came out of the WCC, but they were outliers. Dellavedova is not Stockton, he’s not Nash, but keep in mind, those guys had their doubters as well because they didn’t fit the mould either.
Basically, what we have is a guy who is unknown to the majority of NBA fans (outside of Cleveland, of course) stealing some of the limelight from the true superstars of the game. And some people can’t handle it. If you don’t believe me, check the comments section beneath any article about Delly: at least half the responses are negative.
There is some good news. Dellavedova’s defensive performance in Game 2 was so great that people had to start looking past things like the clichéd ‘worst player to get major minutes in the Finals’ line. Any time you shut down the league’s MVP and force him into a terrible shooting night, you’ve done a remarkable job.
The NBA Finals have been full of non-sexy heroes. Bruce Bowen, Craig Hodges and Robert Horry all made huge contributions to title teams despite being relatively unspectacular players. You could even throw Warriors’ coach Steve Kerr in there when he played for the Bulls and Spurs.
Dellavedova has made a big impact so far, but we’ve only played two games. If Stephen Curry comes out in Game 3 and lights it up, the media will undoubtedly take their shots at Delly.
And I’m sure he’ll accept that, take the bad with the good, and get back to work – just as he’s been doing all season long, whether people know who he is or not.
Royal
Guest
After a game 5 close-up picture of Dellavodova, I have arrived at his new nickname: Matt 'The Delly Rat' Dellavadova (and it fits how he plays) (scrappy little sucker, isn't he) (but just not quite up to par with the higher order mammals on the court) (when grit is all you have, you BETTER exude it) (and if you don't like 'The Delly Rat', we could always go with 'Greg-Foster Jr.'…your choice) (ps…enjoy your new stadium…you don't deserve it) (pps…it would be like naming a stadium after JR Smith in his hometown because he hit five 3-pointers in one half) (ppps...you body of work is repulsive...you exist because of an injury to a far superior player...have fun, get yours, you probably won't be in the NBA for long...enjoy this) Imagine if talented people hustled. Of course, they actually have something to lose. (like a career) So there's that to consider.
Niall
Guest
It was actually Floyd Mayweather that made the comment regarding Jeremy Lin.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Skip Bayless annoys the hell out of me. So uneducated. So belligerent. So arrogant. So stupid. And he's actually paid to be all these things, because it gets a response out of people - good or bad.
ProfVonSchrodinger
Guest
Cowherd, Skip Bayless et al are just tabloid hacks whose primary goal is clickbait. I remember Cowherd imploring Portland to not draft Durant ahead of Oden because Oden get this, could bench press more.
Tigranes
Guest
Looking at the title, of course Delly isn't your typical NBA player. The NBA is dominated by African-Americans, to the extent that when Jeremy Lin had a great game for the Knicks, a former NBA player (who was black) said that if Lin was African-American his performance wouldn't have been noticed. I dont live in the US, but the impression I get is that NBA is not dominating US sport the way it was in the mid 1990s, obviously soccer has come a long way since then (and threatens NBA), and the NFL is now the top dog of US sports (along with college football). Baseball was supposebly on its knees back then as well, but it is still more popular than basketball. I can't help but feel that the dominance of African-Americans in NBA maybe the reason its not as popular. There are white guys in the NBA but a lot of them are foreigners. There are probably more African-Americans in the NFL than NBA, but plenty of white Americans are still your stars there (Brady, Manning brothers, JJ Watts) plus an increasing number of Polynesians.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
There's the Oceania game in August I think, rod laver arena
JGK
Roar Guru
For what it's worth, Australian soccer players had a similar reputation in the EPL and other leagues in the 90s and 00s. You could always rely on an Australian to bust his gut despite not being the most talented one on the pitch. As it turns out, fans who pay a lot of money to watch live sport like to see the players put in an effort, rather than prima donnas. Robbie Slater still doesn't have to buy a beer or wine if he's in Lens or Blackburn.
The Prize_Man
Roar Pro
I just love the htpocrisy of the american media, in game three the where all lauding him for being the first man on the floor and two weeks ago they were complaining about him getting on the floor. Delly makes me proud eveytime he steps on the floor, more so than the other australians simply because he playe the way basketball should be played. My junior coaches would be loving everything delly is doing out there.
Kaks
Roar Guru
American sport is a different world, full of money and advertising,
Brando Connor
Guest
Yes I think that part of his "dirty" player tag is about. As a bench player the stars should be allowed to push him around. But he has shoved them right back. Al Horford's elbow drop looked to more out of outrage at Dellavedova's audacity to fight back, than any fear for his knees.
pete bloor
Guest
Bird was incredibly cocky about his ability and wanted to be the focal point of the offence (and justifiably so on both accounts) outside of being white from a regional area it's an incredibly long bow to draw.
Perry Bridge
Guest
He's a good country boy who played footy and basketball - and wont' put up with anything but a real contest. Was funny the other day with ch.9 was it putting the Aussie NBA playoffs map of Australia with Della transplanted from Maryborough Vic to Maryborough QLD. 1 minutes worth of google not bothered with.
jamesb
Guest
"dellavedova is just a pest of a defender." Yet, he scored 20 points in an NBA finals game.
Pat
Guest
Well Game 3 proved that Delly is currently playing out of his skin. That heart, grit and determination!
Johnno
Guest
I was talking more in the personality and style, which is what I thought this article was about, Bird wasn't exaclty athletic, or flashy which is what made him so remarkable, he had none of the athletic attributes to make him such a great player, but he was so good and persistant, like a pest, Delly is like that but not as good. Is he another Bill Wennington,Luke Longley, or Ronny Seikley maybe. And what about this, if Delly played in the NBL would he be favourite to get the MVP. Many go on about Delly's lack of talent, theres been some hot American imports to have played in the NBL, with more natural talent than Delly, and better resumes. Or along the lines of who is better Andrew Gaze/Copeland/Ricky Grace , or Delly?
astro
Guest
Great example...
Ed Wyatt
Expert
Bird had WAY more talent. No offense to Delly at all, but Bird was an unbelievable player. And unlike Delly, Bird didn't mind a little trash talking!
Jared
Guest
Barkley ripped into Delly prior to Game 3. Delly has no respect in the States outside of Cleveland, they all whinge about guys being soft in the association and when a guy goes hard at the ball they all whinge and criticise him for being dirty. Plus the LeBron hate transfers across the team and every call made on court in Cleveland's favour is 'the LeBron factor'. I would pay good money for a chance to see Bogut, Patty, Delly, Ingles, Baynes, Dante in a friendly series down here and in China against the dream team or tri-series with China during the US summer...surely some savvy business man can make this happen?
u serious
Guest
I'm sorry. did you just compare matthew dellavedova to larry bird??? larry is one of the greatest players of all time, and dellavedova is just a pest of a defender. if he went and played the way he does on any other basketball court around the world without a referee, he would last 2 minutes cos someone would punch him out!!!!! he is a grub
Johnno
Guest
Is Delly the modern Larry Bird? Food for thought. Larry was as working class and as unflashy as they came. Didn't they use to call him the hick from French Lick.