NBA: Australia’s winners and losers during the 2021 calendar year
Australia’s NBA winners and losers during 2021
Another year plagued by COVID-19 brought upon another crazy first-half of the NBA season. 2021 was full of highlights and craziness, but here are how the Aussies in the NBA did over the past year.
WINNERS
Josh Giddey, Oklahoma City Thunder
The teenager out of Victoria started off his year by winning the NBL Rookie of the Year award with the Adelaide 36ers, after being the first player to record back-to-back triple-doubles. Josh Giddey was drafted with the sixth pick in the NBA draft and joined the Oklahoma City Thunder where he has already broken numerous records including the youngest player to record a triple-double, recording 17 points, 14 assists, and 13 rebounds against Dallas Mavericks.
Throughout his NBA career in 2021, Giddey averaged 11.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1 steal, and 0.5 blocks in just 30 minutes per game.
Jock Landale, San Antonio Spurs
After three years playing around Europe, Jock Landale singed with Melbourne United for the 2021 NBL season where he led them to the NBL title and won the Grand Final MVP award. He then played a big part in Australia’s bronze medal-winning team at the Olympics.
His big 2021 caught the sight of San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich who signed him on August 20th. In just 9 minutes so far off the bench, Landale is putting up 5 points, 2 rebounds, and starred in the Spurs game against Detroit on December 26th, putting up 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Patty Mills, Brooklyn Nets
In August 2021, Mills left San Antonio to team up with Melbourne-born Kyrie Irving, and the rest of the Brooklyn Nets. Mills started off his time at the Nets on a high by shooting 7-of-7 from 3 in his debut against the Bucks, setting the new league record for most 3’s made in a debut game for a new team.
In November, Mills overtook Andrew Bogut’s NBA record for most points scored by an Australian in their career. Mills averaged 13.3 points, 2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists to start the 2021 season.
Josh Green, Dallas Mavericks
During his first two seasons in the NBA, Green has been a role player off the bench for the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs decided to pick up his option for the 2022-23 season, giving Green another year to prove himself worthy in the NBA. In 39 games in 2021, Green averaged 2.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in just 11.4. minutes per game.
Joe Ingles, Utah Jazz
In 2021, Joe Ingles played some of the best basketball that he has played throughout the entirety of his career. Ingles started 2021 by scoring his 846th 3-pointer, to surpass John Stockton for the most 3-pointers made in the Utah Jazz franchise history.
He finished the 2020-21 season as the runner-up for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. In 67 games played in 2021, Ingles has averaged a career-high 12.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists, shooting his best splits from the field at 49 percent, a career-high 45 percent from 3, and a career high 85 percent from the free-throw line.
Matisse Thybulle, Philadelphia 76ers
In just his second season, Matisse Thybulle was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, which includes defensive superstars Kawhi Leonard, Joel Embiid, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo. In just 20 minutes per game, Thybulle led the NBA with 3.8 steals per 100 possessions and 5.6 blocks per 36 minutes.
This led the 76ers to extend his contract through the 2022-23 season. Thybulle also played a major role in the Boomers winning the Bronze medal at the Olympics.
LOSERS
Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
Ben Simmons started off 2021 by playing in his third NBA All-Star game, but by the time playoffs rolled around, his poor shooting was thrown into the spotlight, and the 76ers bad playoff run was blamed on the Aussie.
This led Simmons to pull out of the Olympics and to request a trade away from the 76ers. To date, he has missed the first half of the season and is waiting to find a new home in the NBA. It is rumored that he has lost around $10 million as fines for not playing for the 76ers.
Aron Baynes, free agent
Baynes averaged six points, five rebounds, and one assist throughout the first half of 2021 with the Toronto Raptors. Baynes was selected as a starter for the Boomers for the Tokyo Olympics.
During the Olympics, the 34-year-old Aussie big man slipped and suffered severe nerve damage in his neck. This injury ruled him out of the 2021-22 NBA season and ultimately led the Toronto Raptors to waive his contract.
Matthew Dellavedova, free agent
Delly played just 13 games in 2021 with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he suffered a variety of injuries including a concussion, whiplash, a neck strain, and an emergency appendectomy all within the first few months of 2021.
On July 9th, Delly signed a three-year deal with reigning NBL champions Melbourne United.
Dante Exum, free agent
On the 16th of January 2021, a four-team blockbuster trade occurred sending James Harden to Brooklyn and Jarrett Allen to Cleveland. As part of the trade, Exum was sent to the Houston Rockets but never appeared in a game for the Rockets due to injury.
He re-signed for another season with the Rockets but was waived on the 16th of October. Early in December, Exum signed with Spanish powerhouse Barcelona of the Liga ACB and Euroleague, where he has averaged around 4 points through five games.
Thon Maker, free agent
Through the eight games Thon Maker played for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first part of 2021, he scored a total of 30 points and collected 18 rebounds. He was waived by the Cavaliers and decided to play overseas.
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Maker joined Hapoel Jerusalem of the Israeli Basketball Premier League in August but parted ways on the 12th of December after averaging just 2.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Maker was teammates with former number 1 overall pick Anthony Bennet while playing in Israel.