The starring hand played by Australian basketballer Matthew Dellavedova during the NBA finals hasn’t escaped the notice of his home town, Maryborough, with the local basketball association calling for a stadium to be named in his honour.
Maryborough, with a population of around 8,000, about 60km north of Ballarat is where the Cleveland Cavaliers guard grew up, a long way away from the camera bulbs that accompany team-mates LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.
CEO of Central Goldfield Shire, Mark Johnson is supportive of plans for the local stadium to be renamed the “Dellavedova Dome”.
“That’s where Matt Dellavedova learned his craft and the Maryborough Basketball Association have suggested that the stadium, which is a two-court stadium, ought to be renamed after Matthew,” Mr Johnson told 3AW Breakfast.
Cleveland Cavaliers currently lead fellow Australian Andrew Bogut’s Golden State Warriors 2-1, with Dellavedova’s efforts in Game III especially earning rave reviews in the United States.
Dellavedova finished with 20 points, but it’s his tough, no-nonsense fighting qualities that have earned the respect of coach David Blatt.
“[He’s the] most Cleveland-like Australian you’ll ever seen. If you’re from Cleveland, this blue-collar town, you know exactly what I mean”, Blatt told media post-game.
Even the star Dellavedova was tasked with marking has offered begrudging respect for the scrappy Australian, who was left undrafted, and often maligned or overlooked during his professional career.
“He’s an NBA player. He’s here for a reason, so there is a reason he’s able to impact the game,” said Golden State’s Steph Curry. “He has made some plays the last couple games that helped them win, so there is no discrediting him as a player just because of where he’s come from and his background.”
And now, it’s the people from his humble beginnings that are returning the favour.
“He’s certainly put Maryborough on the world map, it’s just fantastic”, said Johnson. “He’s done an amazing job.”
