Dexter Kernich-Drew has played basketball in America, Brazil and Australia and grew up playing against immigrants from Eastern Europe so he could be forgiven for considering it’s a world game to rival football.
“Soccer fans like to say it’s theirs, but I’d like to say that basketball is pretty much the world game as well,” he said.
“There’s nowhere that has too much dominance besides the United States.”
The 25-year-old is also a member of the global community with a father from Trinidad and Tobago and an Australian mother.
“[Dad] was a decathlete, he did track and field for a while … he was pretty athletic back in the day,” he said.
Kernich-Drew signed a two-year contract with the Perth Wildcats earlier this year and has been making an impact.
The guard started the season slow, but was two-for-two from the three-point line for the Cats against the Sydney Kings in their win on Thursday night.
“The guys and the coaches have that much confidence in me to go out there and bring energy and knock down my shots when I’m open,” he said.
Wildcats coach Trevor Gleeson said the Wildcats’ injuries woes, including captain Damian Martin with a torn knee ligament, had given Kernich-Drew an opportunity to step-up.
“He’s been putting pressure on everyone else and saying, ‘I want to play minutes’ and he’s shown that he can play in this league and can be a good weapon for us,” he said.
