'Jockeying greatness': Landale's historic season

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From no role to the honour roll has been the story for Jock Landale this season.

While all the talk around Aussies in the NBA, and fair enough, has been about the star Boomers backcourt of Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels - there should be more talk surrounding the career-best form of Landale.

Everyone knows he's having a career-year since moving from the Houston Rockets to the Memphis Grizzlies, but are we underestimating just how good the 30-year-old no-nonsense big man is having?

The former St Mary's Gaels star is officially etching his name alongside the top Australian bigs to step on the floor in the NBA. Names including champion Andrew Bogut, three-time champion Luc Longley and another man with a title ring in Aron Baynes.

Going from playing in just 42 games last season with the Rockets and 'DNP Coaches Decision' a regular occurrence, Landale has already played in 37 games for the Grizzlies with many of those starting at the centre position due to persistent injury issues for teammate Zach Edey.

And Landale hasn't let anyone, and in particular, the Grizzlies front office down - becoming just the fourth Aussie big man (Ben Simmons not included) to average more than 11 points and five rebounds in a season. His season numbers of 11.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game put him in illustrious company as far as Aussie big men go.

Bogut, who was a star centre for the Milwaukee Bucks before he suffered a career-altering elbow injury, did it in six of his first seven seasons - putting up stats of 12.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in more than 32 minutes per game. The 2005 No.1 draft pick was well on his way to becoming an NBA All-Star before the elbow injury but then went on to become a star role player after being traded to the Golden State Warriors, kickstarting the franchise's dynasty alongside Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

Green gave credit for Bogut's role in the Warriors dynasty and the role he played in his career on 'The Draymond Green Show'. But it's clear no Aussie big comes close to Bogut as far as numbers or the impact they had on the league - the former Utah college star was on a whole other level.

Longley, who started on the best NBA team of all-time, did it in the 1997-98 season averaging 11.4 points and 5.9 rebounds in almost 30 minutes per game as the Chicago Bulls completed their second three-peat, beating the Utah Jazz in the finals.

While he won a championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014, Baynes had more opportunity to shine as an individual later in his career with his career-high coming with the Phoenix Suns in the 2019-20 season. The North Queensland product put up numbers of 11.5 points and 5.6 rebounds in 22 minutes per game.

Landale sets himself apart from that iconic trio with his marksmanship from the three-point line, shooting the ball at a tick over 39% from distance with Baynes the only one to get close at 35% in his career-year with the Suns.

In his fifth season in the league, the Melbourne product has found his calling, and it's come down to his fit with the 'grit and grind' Grizzlies as well as his persistence to battle through numerous tough situations throughout his career.

"They’re gritty. They compete. It fits my play style," Landale said on 'The Howie Games' podcast before season tip-off.

"There’s a new coach. It’s a young roster. There’s energy. I’m excited to be part of it.

"At this stage of my career, I’m comfortable with uncertainty. I’ve learned that nothing is guaranteed. You just control what you can control.

"(My advice you young athletes would be to) fall in love with the process, not the result. If you love what you do, the hard work doesn’t feel like work. I found what I loved at 15, and I chased it with conviction. Figure out what you love and go and do it."

He spoke to HoopsHype about what his fit in Memphis has meant to his career.

"Opportunity. Opportunity is everything. Coach Tuomas Iisalo has provided me with such, and I've really enjoyed the opportunity of playing with guys like Santi Aldama. Just the ability to have a coach that kind of has faith in me and allows me to go out there and make mistakes and learn from them and continue to grow at 30 years old is something that's kind of unique to my situation here," he said.

"And I think I always had confidence in the fact that I was going to be able to provide this kind of impact off the bench or even in a starting role at times this year. I think it was just whether or not I was going to get that opportunity that I might have been losing hope a little bit.

"So, at 30 years old, to be able to do this and provide impact, and probably the best year of my career has been reinvigorating, and I always knew that I'd be able to do so if given that chance."

His season has also earned the praise of experts around the NBA, including a member of the famous Redeem Team in 2008 in Milwaukee Bucks legend, Michael Redd, who said Landale would be a great trade addition for a playoff-bound team.

"This is a deep cut, but Jock Landale really is a decent bench big," Redd posted on X on December 8.

"I enjoy the way he plays. I haven't done the front office work -- salary, eligibility, etc. -- but would theoretically be a nice bench addition for a playoff team that needs a little punch for a few minutes."

One thing's for sure, Landale has all-but guaranteed himself a larger contract next season and also boosted the Boomers chances at next yea's FIBA World Cup because of his career-best play.