SAN ANTONIO — Congratulations to San Antonio Spurs' Jock Landale as Basketball Victoria has awarded him the Alan Hughes Medal Male Player of the Year 2021 for all his recent accomplishments on the court.
Landale received the award based on the success he had in his pro-career, including signing with the Spurs, winning the bronze medal with Team Australia, making his Olympic debut, winning the NBL Championship with Melbourne United as well as being named the Grand Final MVP.
Past Victoria winners include Andrew Bogut, Ben Simmons and Matthew Dellavedova.
With the Spurs, Landale averaged 4.9 points per game including 2.6 rebounds per game and 33% shooting from the three-point line.
He also scored an NBA career-high 26 points against the Pacers last season.
“When I got to the Spurs, there was a moment there I felt lost,” Landale said. “There is obviously still some frustration, but that’s part of the league; you’re expected to be a man about it and I got good at that in the end."
"I wish I could have been out there a bit more, but that stuff, I can’t really control," he said. "That’s what I was most proud of during the season down the stretch. I just honed in on controlling what I could control."
It will be an important offseason for the Australian big man. Landale has a non-guaranteed deal with the Spurs heading into next season at over $1.5 million.
Twitter: @KENS5, @JeffGSpursKENS5