Introducing Nathan Jawai

Ladies and Gentleman, I introduce to you... one of the greates athletes to ever play the game of basketball.... Chocolate Thunder himself... Daryl Dawkins !! At least that's who I thought I saw walking down Bay street in Toronto. Turns out it's the new rookie Nathan Jawai (pronounced Nathan Jaw-way) who just signed a 2 year contract with the Toronto Raptors. Jawai (6'10, 280 lbs) was part of the Jermaine O'Neal trade and becomes the first Australian indigenous player to make it to the NBA.

"We have agreed to terms with the Toronto Raptors on a guaranteed two-year deal, which is rare for a second round pick and certainly displays the promise they see in Nathan,” Jawai's agent Daniel Moldovan said Wednesday.

"We are thrilled that Nathan has gone to such a first class organisation and that he will be playing behind two of the true superstars of the NBA in Jermaine O'Neal and Chris Bosh. The Raptors are shaping up to be a truly formidable team."

Former number 1 pick and fellow Australian, Andrew Bogut says Jawai, picked at number 41 in the NBA Draft, is in a good position for the official season.

"He's got an NBA-ready body," he said."He is very athletic and he can jump. I think he's got a pretty decent work ethic too. I think he [Jawai] is definitely going to find himself an opportunity to play minutes."

Bogut has returned from America to train with the Boomers for the Beijing Olympics, and says he is pleased more Australians are getting drafted to the NBA. "It's just great to get more and more Australian players coming over there," he said. "The more the merrier I say. If in another ten years if there are 10 or 15 guys in the NBA, it'll be a big step for Australian basketball.

Jawai, by all accounts is a humble and motivated player who got into playing basketball very late in life. He has shown a lot of promise thus far, and could see some spot minutes in his rookie season. My vote for his nickname is "Jaws", although in Australia he was known as "Baby Shaq" and "Aussie Shaq." Personally I think he looks a lot more like Daryl Dawkins than Shaquille O'Neal. Now only if he could rip the rim down like those two...

JJ Freddy - Writer, Hot Jewlz Entertainment