Feature image via: ShootnHoops
Roman Siulepa continues to go from strength to strength in the NBL1, but what will be his biggest areas of improvement before heading to Tasmania?
Averaging 19 points per game for the NBL1 North’s South West Metro Pirates, the NBL25 Next Star has transitioned from bench scorer last season to the team’s leader in points and rebounds in 2024 – the leading front-runner for the Youth Player of the Year award.
With Lamar Patterson’s availability hampered by injury, Siuelpa has been handed the keys to the offence and it has paid off – averaging a career-high and scoring over 30 points twice this season.
Assistant coach and son of NBA legend Patrick Ewing Jr., explained he believes Siulepa has true star potential.
“Guys like Roman have had to really step up, and I think that really solidified Roman’s status as one of those guys who is considered a ‘Next Star’,” Ewing Jr, said on the Aussie Hoopla podcast.
“You don’t look at per se Roman and think he’s going to be a freak athlete, and then all of a sudden you see him run the ball down the court while he’s dribbling, and he’s faster than all the point guards. Then he goes to jump and his head is over the rim.
“You go ‘Oh wow, this kid is like a freak athlete’, he would fit very well into that athlete profile in the United States.”
Comparing his career path to the likes of Mojave King and Josh Giddey, the former NBA big man said that Siuelpa has all the tools to become an NBA prospect.
“Roman is right there, he’s got all the god-given abilities. He’s 6’8”, he’s strong, he’s fast,” he said.
“With him, it’s really going to be, is his work ethic there? Is he going to work as hard as those guys and create himself a package offensively so he can get to that next level? How is he going to score when it gets to the NBL, I know everybody’s dream is to get to the NBA, but let’s take care of what’s in front of us right now.”
“And right now in front of him is NBL1 in the immediate future, but also the NBL. Having a game offensively and being able to fit his style into what they are doing down there in Tassie so that he can produce.”
While he still has some offensive questions to answer, the 17-year-old has been a monster defensively. Using his athleticism, he’s been able to create fast break opportunities, produce jaw-dropping blocks and swat away potential game-winning passes throughout the season.
Averaging close to 10 rebounds and just under a block and a steal per game, Ewing Jr said Siuelpa will be able to defend at any level with his skillset.
“Defensively, I think he has all the skills. He can guard so many positions, pretty much every position,” he said.
“Because he’s strong enough to guard the fives, he’s agile enough to guard four-through-two. He can honestly guard a lot of point guards too.
“Defensively, he’ll be okay as long as he’s able to adjust to the terminology and the schemes they have down there in Tassie. But if he can get himself a nice bag offensively, I think he’ll be a problem in the NBL in the years to come.”
The Pirates will take on the Northside Wizards on Saturday, streaming live from 7:00pm AEST via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.
