Melbourne United's dynamic guard Casper Ware has a short message on the top of his Twitter page that says: "Just trying to make a dream come true ..."
That dream is to get another chance to play in the NBA.
"I'm always the underdog," Los Angeles-born Ware, who stands just 178cm tall, told AAP on Saturday.
"I love it when people say I can't do something."
Through a stroke of luck and a relentless global journey to make it back to the world's elite basketball league, Ware has the perfect opportunity to audition for NBA scouts on when Melbourne take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in the latest NBL-NBA experiment.
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Ware will line up inside Oklahoma's Chesapeake Energy Arena - one of the loudest in the NBA - against reigning NBA MVP Russell Westbrook who just signed a $US205 million contract extension with the Thunder.
"Oh man," Ware, trying to control his excitement, said.
"This opportunity to play against Westbrook is a step toward achieving my dream."
Ware and his United squad landed in Oklahoma City on Friday after two flights and more than 17 hours in the air.
They know they will have to shake off the jet lag to compete with All-Stars Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, New Zealand centre Steven Adams and former Adelaide 36ers guard Terrance Ferguson.
Ware achieved plenty of accolades playing US college basketball for four years with Long Beach State, but as an undersized guard has always been in a fight to prove himself.
He went undrafted in 2012, had NBA Summer League stints with the Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets and brief stops with the Philadelphia 76ers and Washington Wizards.
In between he played in Italy, France, Germany and China and has begun his second season with Melbourne as one of the team's US imports.
He loves Melbourne and his teammates and is in hot form after 23 points, eight rebounds and six assists in United's NBL season opening win on Thursday against the 36ers.
In Oklahoma he will not only be out to impress NBA scouts but in the crowd will be 20 family and friends - many who have not seen him play since college.
The Utah Jazz beat the Sydney Kings 108-83 in Salt Lake City on Monday in the historic first NBL-NBA clash and the Brisbane Bullets take on the Phoenix Suns in Arizona on Friday.
