In Australians In The NBA Part 1, I gave you the best Australian NBA players at each position; “the Starting 5′.

Before we get going, a couple of guys below may have you questioning The Hammer Shane Heal as the starting PG in Part 1. A lot of factors went into my thinking but the logic was:

If you were a pioneer who chest bumped and talked trash to Sir Charles during a game and you made Hubie Brown gush on live television, you got double bonus points and you start. So… the defence rests.

In this cheekier Part 2 are the guys that made it, the guys that got drafted and didn’t make it and an honourable mention that had to be squeezed in. He was amazing after all. Enjoy.

These are the rest of our countrymen. The Bench Mob

The Godfather

Luc Longley – “Luc” “Big Red” – 7’2 and 265 lbs.

1st Rd Pick 7 1991
1st Australian in the NBA
Teams – Minn 1991-94, Chic 1994-98, Phx 1998-00, NY 2000-01
Games – 567**

Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucc!

It’s only fitting that Luc Longley is first here. He was the first Australian to play in the NBA, the first Australian to be drafted and the first Australian to be a lottery pick.

My all-time favourite quote is from Charles Barkley; sometime from the 80s in a foamy, bubbling spa bath looking like the lovechild of Muhammad Ali, you might remember it:

“Someone had to be me… It might as well be me!”

Well, someone had to be Luc, it might as well have been the affable, laid back Luc.

If you asked Luc what his favourite achievement was, it wouldn’t be playing in a Chicago Bull three-peat with the greatest player of all time.

It wouldn’t be playing alongside that blonde haired charismatic bastard that now stalks the sidelines in the Golden State, while making it look all too easy. (Get well Steve, backs are no joke, you take it easy now ya hear?!)

It isn’t being coached by the Zen Master and being told to keep his legs underneath him all the time.

Luc would tell you, it was purchasing his hometown Perth Wildcats and continuing its soon to be unparalleled world run of consecutive playoffs.

He played two games for them way back in 1982 as a ginger-haired, freckle-faced teenager.

Think about that for a second.

Hometown hero makes good, becomes a millionaire star in a foreign land, plays with the greatest team of all time (the 72-10, 1995-96 Bulls), the greatest coach of all time (Chief Triangle) and the greatest player of all time, then comes back to little old Perth WA to own and run the local team he grew up with.

I love stuff like that, can yoiu possibly script it any better?

Until Bogut came along, Luc was most definitely the man.

He grew up in Fremantle, Western Australia and shattered the basketball inferiority complex we had. The notion we weren’t quite good enough to play in the NBA.

He played 567** games across 10 years and averaged a serviceable seven points and 5 rebounds.

Luc was a role player who became a champion and absolutely lived one hell of a dream.

Now, he has become the Godfather, offering advice to Dante, Patty and Ben Simmons whenever required.

“I had a lot of people that believed in me, but I had probably more that didn’t – including me at times – so to be the first Australian to play in the NBA is something that I hold dear and am very, very proud of and when I see other Australian players over there it makes me feel good”. As told to Rob White of the Guardian – October 2013

We salute you Luc Longley.

(**That was the most by an Australian until Andrew Bogut passed that total in a road game against Dallas 04.04.15)

The Sparkplug

Patrick Mills “Patty” – 6’0 and 183 lbs.

Second Rd Pick 55 2009

9th Australian in the NBA

Teams – Portland 2009-11 and San Antonio 2011-15

Games – 280*

Who doesn’t love Patty Mills?!

Besides Bogut, Patty is the little man chiefly responsible for ushering the next wave of Aussies into the NBA. A little dynamo, a pocket rocket of three point ballistics, he is the ultimate team man, but one still capable of conjuring memories of ‘the microwave’ and winning you championship games with his game changing streak shooting.

Patty was the unheralded reserve that taught us all how to properly towel wave. Despite what the Spurs and LaMarcus Aldridge tell us now, he was clearly the central reason that LMA wanted to go to the Spurs. He missed him. We (Aussies) have that effect on people.

Patty’s career game came against the Golden State Warriors in April 2012. 34 points and 12 assists in what one can only describe as a virtuoso performance.

Mills had been with the Spurs only one month but this game clearly left a glint in Pop’s eyes.

The 34 points are the most scored by an Aussie in an NBA game, surpassing Bogut’s previous record.

Patty is one of four Aussies that have become an NBA champion, along with Andrew Gaze, Bogut and Longley.

He will go down as one of our best ever players, without question.

The Mullett

Mark Bradtke “Mrs Provis” – 7’0 and 253 lbs

Undrafted
4th Australian in the NBA
Teams – Philadelphia 1996-97
Games – 36

Another of the frontier men, a real pioneer of Australian basketball and one of MY most despised players in the NBL.

Bradtke dominated the NBL for 20 years but unfortunately played during an era when overseas players were barely given a look-in at NBA level. Certainly when compared to today.

A bruising rebounder who could step out and hit the 15-18 footer with regularity, he was similar in style to a young Arvydas Sabonis, including the hairstyle. (Think 80s Agassi mixed with Billy Ray Cyrus and a sprinkling of Macgyver)

Mark played a total of 36 games with a Philly team that went 6-30 in games he played.

His best game came against the Charlotte Hornets on the 15th March 1997, a whopping tally of eight points and 10 rebounds, just missing a double double.

After returning to the NBL he went on to win an MVP in 02 and numerous rebounding titles. Infact, he retired in 2007 as the all-time leading rebounder in NBL history, a record that still stands.

Mr Potential

Dante Exum “X”– 6’6 and 195 lbs.

1st Rd Pick 5 2014
14th Australian in the NBA
Teams – Utah Jazz 2014-15
Games – 82*

Dante was scared last year.

A frightened bambi in the headlights, seemingly by himself in a cold, unfamiliar place with beasts twice his size and age, ready to cut him down and gobble him up at any moment.

I can’t imagine what that feels like for a 19-year-old but it didn’t look like he was having much fun last year.

Was it understandable? Completely!

Is all hope lost? No way man! Not with some of the plays he made.

The Jazz traded Kanter and stuck Exum and The Stifle Tower – Rudy Gobert into the starting line-up. Whoah, did this team become a defensive beast!

There is so much to like about Dante. He has supreme length, elite speed, first team all-defence potential and surprising durability (until his knee gave out).

To go from playing high school ball in Australia all the way to the Association and still be one of only four rookies to play in all 82 games!

That’s a supreme effort worthy of praise and should not go unheralded.

I want to see Dante comeback with a “last day on earth” type attitude next year. You know what I mean?

No settling for 3’s and spot up jumpers because you are afraid of the lane!

I want ‘unrestrained fury’, a Dante hell bent on being a force that just attacks, attacks, attacks at every opportunity, like a Russell Westbrook.

I want him to come back with the realisation that it could be over before it begins, there’s only so many chances and you only get one NBA career… so “to hell with it”, just go for it!

Mr Handsome

David Andersen – 7’0 and 253 lbs

Second Rd Pick 36 2002
10th Australian in the NBA
Teams – Houston 2009-10 Toronto 2010-11 and New Orleans 2010-11
Games – 103

The Chandler Parsons of the Australian team in terms of looks.

Actually not that bad a player. He did pretty well with the Rockets in limited action as a rookie, scoring in double figures 12 times despite averaging only 14 minutes per game.

Has a penchant for the outside shot, with pretty solid deep range, shooting just under 35% from three over his 100+ games.

This is obviously why D Morey was attracted to him. It wasn’t the dreamy blue eyes guys! C’mon! He was D-Motiejunas before D-Motiejunas.

Has claims for being Australia’s most successful basketball player ever… a big claim I know but it could be true.

Andersen has won three Italian Championships, 3 Euroleague Championships, four Russian League Championships and a Spanish Championship. Nice!

The Scrapper

Matthew Dellavedova “Delly” – 6’4 and 200 lbs.

Undrafted
12th Australian in the NBA
Teams – Cleveland 2013-15
Games – 139**

I have to say this again out loud!

Delly is not a dirty player, he’s just not! That whole thing last year was laughable and completely over the top.

He is like Donny from the Big Lebowski though… he’s out of his element!

Delly displays everything synonymous with Australian sportsmen out on the court. All heart, grit, determination and never-say-die attitude. He’s a bit like Shane Heal but without the skill.

For a time last year, he was the second best player in the F=finals for Cleveland. How in the world did that happen?

It seems a bit surreal but the greatest Australian performance in a championship game probably belongs to Dellavedova. Game 3, at Cleveland, all square, one game apiece, fighting exhaustion he clearly hadn’t read the finals script. Instead he was writing his own, to the tune of 20 points, five rebounds and 4 assists.

We’d all kill for a game like that on the national stage in the most pressured environment.

For one brief, absolutely unfathomable shining moment, Matty turned the script and the basketball planet on its head! No one can ever take that away from him! Ever.

I’ll probably get crucified for this, he is a divisive character ol Matty boy, but will he still be on a roster in three years?

If I’m proved wrong and he brings this up… from one Matt to another, I’ll absolutely take whatever challenge you want me to Matt.

The Brick Sh*thouse

Nate Jawai “Outback Shaq” “Big Nate”– 7’0 and 253 lbs

Second Rd Pick 41 2009
8th Australian in the NBA
Teams – Toronto 2008-09 and Minnesota 2009-10
Games – 45

Nate is one big drink of water and the best nickname did belong to him, Outback Shaq. As he is not a fan of it and I don’t want to upset a very large man who plays for my beloved Wildcats, I will cease and desist immediately.

You may be familiar with the term Brick Sh*thouse. That’s Nate, he is one helluva solid man.

Big Nate, coming off a deserving Rookie of the year campaign in the NBL in 2008 where he averaged 17.3 points and 9.4 rebounds, was drafted by the Indiana Pacers and immediately shipped to the Toronto Raptors in a deal involving Roy Hibbert.

His best game came early in 2009 when he scored a team high 16 points against the Trailblazers. Never took hold in the NBA but I sure am glad he is back in the NBL!

The Cuddly/Grizzly Bear

Cameron Bairstow “The Bear” – 7’0 and 253 lbs

Second Rd Pick 49 2014
15th Australian in the NBA
Teams – Chicago 2014-15
Games – 18

I honestly do not know what to make of Cam Bairstow. He is a Thibs kind of player… not sure about the fit with Hoiberg though.

Look, it’s early days, but he appears to be batting way out of his league in the NBA. Could, should and probably will have a long and illustrious Euro/NBL career though and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that!

The Big Stiff

Luke Schenscher “Schensch” – 7’0 and 253 lbs

Undrafted
7th Australian in the NBA
Teams – Chicago 2005-06 and Portland 2006-07
Games – 31

How did Luke Schenchser get here? I call him Big Dufus, but seriously, how did he make a final NBA roster and then play in 31 games across two seasons with the Bulls and Blazers?

Wow, I wish I was 7’0 sometimes.

This man is exhibit A of the changing NBA attitude towards foreign players.

Opportunities, particularly for big guys from 2000 onwards were now more plentiful. Could expansion be the main reason for that? Or is it just being a bad GM, jumping on the latest trend without really knowing?

Our greatest player (Gazey) played 26 games and Paul Rogers who was a million times better player than Luke, never played a single game.

Put it this way, if you youtube search “schenscher NBA highlights” ABSOLUTELY NOTHING comes up about Luke.

This leaves me perplexed.

I’ve said it before folks, timing and opportunity is everything in this game!

The Traitor

Kyrie Irving – 6’3 and 185 lbs.

1st Rd Pick 1 2011
Technically Australian
Teams – Cleveland – 2011-15
Games – 139*

C’mon, I was only joking guys, but once Kyrie was seen wearing that practice Team USA jersey and by the time he had made the final USA roster, reality had set in that the World Championship MVP would never suit up for the country he was born in.

You know what, I am totally cool with that.

His career NBA averages to date are impressive.

I have included him only on a technicality.

While he has citizenship, he lived in Melbourne for only two years before returning to the US.

He is no more Australian than Serge Ibaka is Spanish, or Shawn Bradley and Chris Kaman are German.

He wasn’t raised in Australia, so it’s a long bow to draw in my opinion and certainly not enough for him to supplant Hammer Heal in the starting 5.

The Drafted

(but never played)

Seriously, why did the below happen in 1997? Anyone?
Perhaps something to do with our showing in the 96 Olympics or the way Heal stood up to the Yanks?

Calvin Bruton Jnr “CJ” – 6’2 and 194 lbs.

Second Rd Pick 52 1997 by the Vancouver Grizzlies
Never played in the NBA

I went to High School with CJ and I got my butt kicked every other day for two years going up against him. (it’s one of my claims to fame)

We were both point guards and I was fighting a losing battle. Think Steve Kerr against Michael.

We could all tell this guy was going to be special. It was so obvious. He lifted our whole school to basketball heights they never would have otherwise reached.

He never played in the NBA but retired last year a six time NBL Champion and an all-time Australian great without question.

Don’t believe me?

Youtube his first shot, in his first game for the Perth Wildcats as an 18-year-old.

See what I mean? A three quarter court, buzzer beater for his first shot in the NBL! t=The guy was blessed man.

Paul Rogers

“Big Rog” – 7’0 and 260 lbs.
Second Rd Pick 53 1997 by the Los Angeles Lakers
Never played in the NBA

Big Rog was better than Robert Sacre, Ryan Kelly and countless other big men that have played in the NBA since he was drafted.

Is a former NBL Champion and NBL MVP with the Perth Wildcats.
Injuries cut down his productivity

Timing and opportunity folks! Timing and opportunity!

Ben Pepper

“Benny” “BP” – 7’0 and 247 lbs.
second Rd Pick 55 1997 by the Boston Celtics
Never played in the NBA

Ben Pepper made it three Australians in just four picks late in the second round of 1997. It was a watershed moment.

I think we all thought we had arrived, the Tsunami was peaking and was about to hit the US shores, we were going to take over the 2000’s.

Sadly, not one of the three mentioned above played in the big show.

Every team needed a big stiff for six fouls I guess but how did Ben even get drafted?

The New Zealander

Aron Baynes “Big Bad Baynesie”– 6’10 and 260 lbs.

Undrafted
Not Australian
Teams – San Antonio 2012-15 and Detroit 15-16
Games – 139*

Despite being ‘claimed’ by us and playing for the Australian Boomers, he was born in New Zealand.

Therefore he is not one of the 15.

Which is a real shame because I am an unabashed Baynsie fan, the dude is not afraid to mix it up and bump and bang, doesn’t matter who you are.

He’s a role player. Guys like Baynes are absolutely essential ingredients in a Championship teams make-up.

They are selfless and do the right things for the team, think Cliff Levingston or Nick Collison.

They can help you win championships.

They’re not concerned about money or minutes or endorsements or accolades. They just help you win games.

My honourable mention

Mr Naturalised

Ricky “Amazing” Grace – 6’1 and 174 lbs.
3rd Rd Pick 67 1988
1st Naturalised Australian in the NBA
Teams – Atlanta 1993-94
Games – 3

“He’s so quick, he could steal the hubcaps off a moving car”

With those now immortal Cal Bruton Snr words in 1990, Perth was introduced to Ricky Grace and the Wildcats would never be the same again.

They promptly won back to back championships and four titles (90,91,95,00) out of six finals appearances (90,91,93,95,00,03) with him running the ship.

Perth was like the showtime Lakers during his career there.

Ricky was absolute sustained excellence and invariably he was the difference between winning and losing.

Grace made an NBA roster in 1993 when he was signed to a 10 day contract by the Atlanta Hawks.

I remember I was so pumped for Ricky, I just wanted him to score some points.
He was a hero to all of WA.

His stint was short-lived but he got the chance to team up with former Oklahoma Sooner teammate Mookie Blaylock at the Hawks.

Fulfilling every boys dream, Ricky played eight minutes and scored 4 points across three games then returned to Perth to dominate the NBL for many years to come.

He became a most welcome naturalised Australian in 1996 and played for Australia at the Olympics of 2000 in Sydney.

NBA owners and GM’s – do not ignore this!

More than a quarter (4/15)* of the Australians that have played in the NBA have becomes champions. I’m telling you, this is not a coincidence.

Nearly half (6/15)** that have played in the NBA were on teams that made the NBA Finals that year.

There has been an Australian in the last three NBA Finals series. A tied record heavily favoured to continue this year.

The Vegas bookies have the top rated teams and likely champions for 2016 as one of these three teams: Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Do you see what those teams have in common?

Do you have an Australian on your team?

If you don’t…. then make it happen and do it, do it now man!

Well that’s all but if you have any stories about any of the guys, have played with or against them, in High School, College, Junior College, down at the park or local rec center, please leave a comment below. I’d love to hear about it.

Thanks a mill.

*The four are Longley (96,97,98) Gaze (99) Mills (14) Bogut (15)

**The six are Longley (96,97,98), Gaze (99), Mills (13,14), Bogut (15), Dellevadova (15), Irving (15),