The NBA Score: OG Anunoby on growing up in London, guarding James Harden and British basketball

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Rookie rise | Anunoby has made an encouraging start to his NBA career
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James Benge23 November 2017

The roll call of British NBA greats is not a particularly lengthy one but OG Anunoby hopes to be at the vanguard of a new generation of basketball talent from these shores.

Born in Harlesden, Brent, the 20-year-old has been one of the stand-out rookies of the early NBA season, starting the Toronto Raptors last five games, averaging 18 minutes, over six points and shooting the ball at a very effective rate.

Anunoby might not remember much of his childhood in London, but he got the gist of life in Britain, even if his defection from Arsenal loyalty to Manchester United might constitute an unpardonable sin on these shores.

“I don’t remember too much as I was pretty young, I remember it raining a lot!” Anunoby told Standard Sport.

“My family is still there now so I’m going to go back next summer as I haven’t been in a while.

“It’s definitely a goals of mine, to inspire kids in Great Britain to want to play basketball and show that they can make it to the NBA from Britain.”

OG is not the only member of the Anunoby clan to have made it in the American big leagues. His older brother, Chigbo, has spent time with the Cleveland Browns and Minnesota Vikings in the NFL.

Equally impressive the defensive tackle also earned a place at medical school. The youngster OG credits the childrens’ remarkable achievements Stateside to the influence of his father.

“My dad always taught me discipline and to do everything with my best effort, to always do things on time and be respectful in everything I do, my whole family is big on that so it’s very important to me and I try to do in everything,” Anunoby says.

“At elementary school I played every sport and then I started to like basketball more but then again I had phases with every sport where I wanted to play professionally, baseball, basketball and football.

“But then in middle school when I started to grow and I got better, I knew I wanted to play basketball.”

British basketball fans tend not to have too many compatriots to root on in the NBA, though Luol Deng has been flying the flag with great credit over 12 years at the peak of the league.

I like OG Anunoby from Toronto. He plays hard, he can shoot it, he rebounds well."

Kevin Durant

As time catches up with the Los Angeles Lakers small forward Anunoby already looks ready to step up and do Britain proud.

Certainly he is already proving to be a smart acquisition midway down the 2017 draft by the Toronto Raptors, who gambled that a player who needed knee surgery whilst at Indiana University was a steal at number 23.

Though less than 20 games in is far, far too early to project an entire NBA career, Anunoby is already showing the key skills required for a rookie.

Offence may be a work in progress, though his passing and three point shot are already more than good enough for a rookie, but it is on defence that the 20-year-old is proving himself to already be a valuable rotation player.

Anunoby works hard and that brings rewards on that end of the court. It might not always draw attention but when you’re able to (partially) slow down one of the NBA’s most formidable offensive forces, Houston Rockets guard James Harden, people notice.

OG Anunoby guards James Harden on his first career start

“[I was] trying to force him to his right hand and trying to contest all of his shots,” Anunoby says.

“Then if he drives I would take to my teammates like Serge or JO [Jonas Valanciunas] behind me who can help me to block a shot and help contest and then picking him up full court to tire him throughout the game and make him lose his legs so it effects his jump shot.”

Anunoby is not just catching the eye of Raptors fans and League Pass obsessives though.

“Rookies that caught my attention? I like OG Anunoby from Toronto. He plays hard, he can shoot it, he rebounds well,” Golden State Warriors’ Finals MVP Kevin Durant said.

“He’s going to be really good in the future.”

Well Kevin, he might just be already.

Five things for NBA fans to be thankful for this Thanksgiving

The streak

Don’t be sad it’s over, smile because it happened. Yes the Miami Heat ended Boston’s winning run at 16 but what a ride we had. A comeback win over the Warriors that announced the Celtics as title contenders. That win over Charlotte that came with a roster of 50 per cent rookies. Clutch Kyrie.

Their season looked over when Gordon Hayward went down in the opener. At the moment it looks like they’ve got a long way left to go.

Thunder beating the Warriors

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Russell Westbrook finally got a modicum of revenge on Kevin Durant for abandoning him in the summer of 2016. Seven losses later he had a victory that not only gave him bragging right but offers hope that the MVP, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony can offer a serious test to Golden State come playoff time.

Oh and by the way, it isn't only Westbrook and Durant digging each other out.

A night off

The NBA is a brilliant blur of a league with a ceaseless banquet of games from east to west. But eventually it all gets a bit hectic and you need a night off. Let the NFL have its Thanksgiving feast, we’ll settle for pumpkin pie.

Kristaps Porzingis

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Basketball in New York is no longer a joke! It probably won’t last so let’s enjoy it while we can. And while there’s plenty to admire in the hustle and energy of Tim Hardaway Jr, Jarret Jack and company let’s be honest. We’re all here for the Kristaps Porzingis show.

LeBron

Because there’s no-one quite like the man who, 15 years in, is quite possibly enjoying the best season of his career. Carrying the worst Cavaliers team since his return on his own LeBron James is third in the NBA in scoring, fourth in assists and has a player efficiency rating almost exactly equal to MVP frontrunner Giannis Antetokounmpo. All that with 1,278 NBA games in his legs.

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