As a wave of ball-playing big men has swept across the NBA, with Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the charge, Joshua Dent hopes to one day emulate his NBA hero.
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Like Antetokounmpo, Dent is a versatile big man who can play a number of positions, from centre to power forward to point guard.
This versatility, and his skill on both offence and defence, has led to Dent’s selection in the Australian Country under 14s team.
Dent, and fellow Illawarra junior representative Tobias Delaney, will travel to New Zealand over Easter for the Mel Young Easter Basketball Classic.
They will be joined in Tauranga, New Plymouth, by Illawarra junior girls representative Zoe Roulston.
Dent’s father Simon coaches the boy’s Illawarra side and he said the two were deserving of their national selection after putting in a lot of effort throughout the past season.
“I’ve coached them for four years now and they are great boys to coach,” Simon said.
“Joshua is quite versatile, he’s usually point guard, but he’s pretty tall, so he moves depending on the coach.
“Tobias is a guard and always plays with lots of energy. His best qualities are his speed and tenacity.”
Dent’s selection marks the continuation of a journey that began as a six-year-old when he was plucked from the sidelines of the Snakepit to fill in for an under-manned team. From that moment he was hooked and his love of basketball has grown with each passing day.
That growing love for the sport has been fostered by the connections he has made off the court and the role those personal connections play on the court.
“I love how it’s a team game and you have to be able to work with others,” Dent said. “Just the fact that you’re playing for your teammates, not just yourself.”
“I’m excited to travel with boys I know from NSW Country and meeting the other kids, hanging out with them. It should be a great time, I’m proud of my selection and looking forward to playing in the tournament.”