As they put together to sq. off within the first all-Melbourne Throwdown of NBL25, there’s an air of familiarity between opposing star import guards Derrick Walton Jr and Ian Clark.
Name it six levels of separation — and possibly just a little sliding doorways.
They’re linked on this planet of basketball by friendship linkages on and off the court docket, most notably by way of former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kay Felder.
Watch each recreation of each spherical this NBL Season LIVE on ESPN, through Kayo. New to Kayo? Begin your free trial as we speak >
“Kay Felder and I are like brothers after which him and Ian are actually shut and so there was instantly a mutual respect,” Walton Jr, in his first season with the Phoenix, mentioned.
“He’s (Felder) most likely my first ever teammate in organised basketball, my dad and his dad grew up collectively. His mum and my mum had been actually shut and me and him, we grew up collectively.
“Kay advised me about Ian and his relationship. I performed towards Ian two years in the past when he was in Adelaide and it nonetheless didn’t come up till this yr.”
Every was as soon as a title-winning Sydney King, Clark’s in 2022 and Walton Jr’s one yr eliminated — laced with the grand ultimate collection MVP.
It’s the primary time the Phoenix have hosted the season-tip-off Throwdown — and Walton Jr’s first style of the burgeoning rivalry, however Clark warned it received’t simply be inexperienced jerseys packing out the John Cain Area stands.
“Throwdown, for us, it’s type of like a house recreation,” Clark mentioned.
“We nonetheless have our followers there and It’s nonetheless our court docket that we play on, so it’s going to be enjoyable.”
For Walton Jr, he’s nonetheless getting as much as full pace after a calf harm hampered his NBL25 prep however warned it might not take him lengthy to refine the elite abilities bundle that makes him top-of-the-line gamers within the NBL.
“I’m attempting to not make an excuse however I want I’d have hit the bottom operating,” he mentioned.
“(Phoenix basketball boss) Simon (Mitchell) has been tremendous useful to me, permitting me to only spherical again into type and being a frontrunner of the crew and being across the camaraderie of men that’s attempting to do one thing with a standard aim.”
D-WALT: HOW CREEK CHINA MEET PLANTED NBL SEED
Throughout his latest stint in China, Walton Jr, 29, mentioned he had an inkling he’d be again in Australia this season.
“I wouldn’t say I knew that it was going to occur, but it surely was simply recent on my thoughts what I used to be capable of accomplish right here,” Walton Jr mentioned.
“Simply because I nonetheless had the connection, I knew I most likely wouldn’t have been ready to return to Sydney.
“Then I used to be simply pondering of different locations the place basketball was large, after which the life-style of issues was only a combination.”
An opportunity assembly with the Phoenix’s most adorned participant Mitch Creek, who was enjoying in China on the similar time, started a series response the place the pair would have been teammates — till membership and Creek mutually parted methods.
“I bumped into Creek in China after considered one of our scrimmages, simply telling him I used to be concerned with coming again, if he was coming again,” Walton Jr mentioned.
“And, clearly it didn’t, type of, come full circle in that method.
“However I pinpointed Melbourne for the life-style — after we got here right here for the (NBL) awards ceremony (two years in the past) I simply knew it was lots totally different than another metropolis I visited.”
IC: SWITCHING OFF — WITH A UNITED PLAN
Clark, 33, has NBA championship pedigree and that provides the veteran the posh of taking his time to resolve his future every year.
After late arrivals for the Kings, then Adelaide, the Tennessee Triple spent final marketing campaign with United and, after the heartbreak of grand ultimate defeat, determined to come back again for a second marketing campaign.
“Final yr was my first full season abroad, so I actually tried to disconnect and, , be again with my household and be Ian, not the basketball participant, however Ian, the son and the brother and the accomplice,” Clark mentioned.
“Behind my thoughts, I knew I’d be again (at United), however, on the similar time, I simply needed to provide myself some readability and ensure it was the suitable factor I needed to do.
“I ended up coming to Vegas (for NBA Summer time League) and seeing coach (Dean Vickerman) and seeing (chief government) Nick Truelson and simply watched (ex-United males) Ariel (Hukporti), Jo (Lual-Acuil Jr), and LT (Luke Travers) play.”
The pursuit of extra silverware is all of the gas Clark wants.
“Getting one other one,” he says when requested why he continues to pursue basketball excellence.
“Truthfully, that and I simply really feel good.
“I like the sport, I like to compete, and so long as my physique’s feeling good and I nonetheless have that pleasure for it, I’ll maintain doing it till it’s gone.”