Quick-Whitted Rollers boast Wildcat weapon in title hunt

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The Gold Coast Rollers and coach Anthony Petrie couldn't believe their luck when US import Jimmy Whitt called them, desperately wanting a chance to prove himself in Australia.

It's not the way star talents usually go about getting an NBL1 deal but it couldn't have worked out better, both for the Rollers and for Whitt.

After stints in Mexico and the G-League before a ruptured achilles turned his career upside down, Whitt has found a home in Australia and on the Gold Coast, helping the Rollers to second place in the regular season, a home NBL1 North Grand Final series while becoming a member of the league's All-Star Five First Team and the Defensive Player of the Year.

His dominant form, where he's averaged 23 points as well as 6.5 rebounds and 6.1 assists, also landed him a gig with the Perth Wildcats as a Nominated Replacement Player.

"(Signing Jimmy) did actually did come out of nowhere to be honest," Petrie told basketball.com.au on the eve of the NBL1 North Grand Final series against the Ipswich Force.

"He had an outstanding college career at SMU and Arkansas and was unfortunately one of those Covid babies in his college career and came out and went down the G-League path. He played a season in Mexico and had outstanding numbers and then came back to go again with Santana Cruz Warriors before he unfortunately ruptured his Achilles.

"Since that point in time he hadn’t played any competitive basketball. His agent in America had asked (Gold Coast-based against) Tony (Richter) if they knew of any places that might be a great fit for Jimmy to resurrect his basketball career and Tony thought he had just the place at the Gold Coast Rollers.

"After speaking with both on a phone call, I hopped off the phone and Jimmy rang himself again to essentially plead his case of how desperate he was to prove himself and to help our program be better. I also at this point realised that Jimmy had played with Tom Wilson and Harry Froling at SMU. After speaking with Harry Froling he couldn’t believe someone like Jimmy was looking for the opportunity to come out here and play in Australia.

"He said he obviously hadn’t seen him since he’s post Achilles tear but if he was like the teammate he was as a person and as a player, he said he would be a perfect fit for us here the Rollers.

"Having ruptured my own achilles during my career, I understand how hard and difficult that process is to get back from so I was also really keen to be part of helping someone try and reach what they want to get to again after such a horrific injury. The cool part of the story is Jimmy backed himself and actually paid for his own flights out to Australia to have the opportunity to try and prove his mettle that he was worthy of playing for us.

"There’s so much more to the story that I’ve already given you a long answer but when someone has time to sit down and talk to him about it it’s a wonderful example to all aspiring basketball players about facing adversity front on and backing your own abilities.

"I’d seen what I’d seen, watching copious amounts of tape, we just needed to know the person matched, and he even exceeded what people were already saying in that area. Good bloke, good player equals a Gold Coast Roller."

Petrie, who has seen thousands of imports come through both at state league level and the NBL during his time in the game, said Whitt has all the skills but his willingness to blend in with his team is what made him stand out.

"His IQ, game awareness, length, knows his game, athleticism, competitiveness, defence, the list goes on, it's all there, we all see tha," he said.

"Where Jimmy is smart, he has shown he can blend, so many try to stand out.

"Jimmy knows he’s in a good team and a good system and one people take notice of. He has uplifted others and elevated them, just as he promised he would.

"He has gears, but never at the expense of what’s best for the team. Coaches at the next level know, they know what’s transferable and what’s not. Jimmy has shown the ability that he fits as a competitor and as a teammate. People undersell that quality so much when they are aspiring for the next level. They always just think buckets, there is so much more to it.

"It's been fun coaching him. He’s an incredible human being first and a dog of a competitor. We laugh as a team, you could give Jimmy the longest instructions ever, and he will just look back at you and say 'bet' and you know he’s going to execute whatever you said to the best of his ability. He’s the opposite to his coach, he doesn’t waste words, he is honestly the ultimate professional."

After all those words, it's easy to see why Petrie was probably just as excited as Whitt when his NBL dream became a reality with the Wildcats.

"Anytime we can elevate a player through the Rollers we take great pride in that as teammates and as a coaching group. I was honestly so happy, I kept checking in on him like a worried dad when he was going through the process," he said.

"(Wildcats coach John Rille) tried to get Jimmy when he was coaching at Boise State, it has a great back story to it as well, I just can’t wait to see the answer. The jump to NBL level can be significant at times, but there are definitely players in NBL1 I see that I know, given the opportunity in the right space, could thrive.

"I feel like that will be Jimmy's story. The way Jimmy spoke to the group once he signed in Perth, was a special moment."

Following his dominant rookie season in the NBL1, Petrie expects Whitt to stand up in a big way as the Rollers try and win a second NBL1 title on their home floor this weekend.

"He has an incredible knack of figuring out in games early what the team needs from him and he zeroes in on that and attacks it. I expect it to be the same from him all weekend and I know he will do whatever it takes to help get the result we are after," he said.

While the Rollers boast several NBL talents, headlined by Whitt, new New Zealand Breaker Preston LeGassick and Melbourne United development player Jensen Bradtke, the team also features a list of up and coming talents and what they have achieved this season has given petrie a great sense of pride.

"They are honestly one of the closest groups I have ever coached," he said.

"A lot of teams say it, but they genuinely care for each other. When they look across the sheds, they don’t want to let that person down that is looking back at them. That's a powerful thing."

And while they'll head into the NBL1 North Grand Final series as favourites. Petrie and the Rollers know they're in for their toughest task of the season when they take on the red-hot Force, who have come from sixth place to be just 80 minutes away from the championship.

"I expected (to see Ipswich at some stage) to be honest," Petrie said.

"We played Ipswich late in the season and I walked away from that game and I said we will see them again somewhere. Colby (Stefanovic) has done a terrific job in an interrupted season to narrow their focus late in the season and has continued to take scalp after scalp.

"With the help of his leaders in LP, Lachie and Ralphy, they have done an incredible job of driving that group.

"They are very similar to us, blokes that care about the singlet and each other. They are a high IQ group that are lead by a bloke I love in (Lamar Patterson). Lachie Anderson has been sensational on their run and tie in a string of talented role players and they have found the perfect mix.

"We all know it’s going to be a dog fight and we can’t wait to get it started. We have lots of respect for that group."

The series tips-off at The Southport School tonight.