He loves LA: Condon preparing for draft in Los Angeles

• Alex Condon is preparing for the NBA Draft at the facility of his agency, Excel, in Los Angeles
• Condon is 'treating it as if I'm going to declare' for the NBA Draft, even though he can withdraw and return to Florida
• He is focusing on extending his shooting range to the 3 point line for the NBA game

Deep in the heart of Los Angeles, Perth-born 2025 NCAA Men's National Champion Alex Condon is working tirelessly to expand his game and prepare for the NBA Draft. Rising early at 7am each day, Condon has established a rigorous routine focused on physical preparation, additional shooting practice, and recovery.

The Daily Grind

"I've been enjoying it. Just coming out here to Excel in LA, I've been working really hard on my game and trying to expand, be more of a perimeter player," Condon explains to Draft Express about his current training regimen.

His typical day begins with early morning body preparation before hitting the court for his first session. After that, he fits in strength training, extra shooting practice, and treatment before heading home to rest and recover for the next day's work.

Expanding the Game

While already possessing strong interior skills, Condon recognises the importance of perimeter versatility in today's NBA. His current focus is clear: developing confidence in his three-point shooting.

"Expanding my game more, especially my perimeter shooting. Being confident with my three-pointer, I think I can shoot it. I just need to be confident in myself and shoot it," he shared about his development priorities.

The transition from college to the NBA presents unique challenges, including adjusting to the official NBA basketball and the different three-point line distance. Despite these adjustments, he’s pleased with his shooting progress.

"I'm in a really comfortable place where I'm shooting it, just getting used to this NBA ball and a new three-point line that's different in college. I'm really happy with my progress so far. I think I'm just getting better and better every day, and it's just a confidence thing for me."

‍The Florida Brotherhood

Being an NCAA champion has created a lifelong bond with his Florida teammates after their 65-63 win over Houston in San Antonio in April. His sophomore season at Florida was a special one, not only winning the title and being named to the Third-Team All-SEC, but also seeing his name fly up NBA draft boards.

"It was a special season. I mean, I had a really unique bond with all my teammates. I think we were a really special team and that's the reason why we won. We had a brotherhood," he reflects. This connection continues beyond the court, as he recently met up with former teammates and members of the coaching staff while in Los Angeles.

While looking back on his championship season, it struck the 20-year-old how it all happened so quickly.

"I was playing footy (AFL) up to when I was 16,'' Condon said.

"I didn't know a lot about March Madness while I was in Australia.

"The first game I watched was the San Diego State versus UConn (University of Connecticut) championship game two years ago, but it's obviously become a really big part of my life."

A Unique Skill Set

What Condon believe sets him apart is his multifaceted game. At Florida, he served as a facilitator for a talented backcourt, focusing on getting them the ball in their most efficient spots. Defensively, at 211cm, his size allowed him to pressure the rim, finish inside, block shots, and be able to switch onto smaller player, all skills he believes will transfer well to the NBA level.

His passing ability, though something he's working to refine by reducing turnovers, has developed significantly, especially during his final college season. Drawing inspiration from elite NBA passing big men.

"I've just been watching a lot of film of NBA guys like Şengün and Jokić. They're some really good passers that I watch in the NBA. I see how they look at the play early and make reads out of that. They have special connections with their teammates and know what they're gonna do certain things."

AFL Influence

Perhaps most intriguing is how his background in AFL has shaped his basketball identity. This unique foundation has instilled a physical toughness uncommon among basketball-only prospects.

"Obviously I've got an Australian Rules football background. I haven't been playing basketball for the longest time compared to a lot of guys. It's full contact, and you gotta be tough to play that," he explains.

"Just transferring that into my game in basketball is something that I've tried to do. Going in hard from a young age really helped me out, developing my basketball toughness."

While the NBA is his goal, he has options, already being signed to Collingwood’s rookie list in the AFL.

"It is good to have a back-up option (Collingwood) if basketball doesn't work out.

"But that's (the NBA) been the dream since day one."

Full Commitment to the Draft

As the NBA Draft approaches, he's maintaining complete focus on the process, treating it as if he's fully committed to declaring and remaining in the draft pool, even though he can pull out and return to Florida.

"My mindset is that I'm fully in the process now and I'm treating it like I'm gonna declare for the draft and stay in this draft. I've got to treat it like that. I think that's the best way to get results out of this combine."

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