Dribble Podcast: Perth Wildcats GM Danny Mills on impact of Luke Travers, Alex Sarr and Alex Ducas playing NBA

Former Perth Wildcats stars Luke Travers and Alex Sarr along with WA’s Alex Ducas rise to the NBA this season is proof that players can now choose their own pathway to the top instead of feeling compelled to follow the traditional college route according to Wildcats’ general manager Danny Mills. Travers made his NBA debut on Saturday after being called up by Cleveland Cavaliers more than two years since he was drafted at pick 56. He avoided the college system, preferring to stay in Perth, then spent one year playing for Melbourne United to experience a different lifestyle before moving to the US. Sarr shifted from France to America as a high school student, then came to Australia as part of the NBL Next Stars program and joined Washington Wizards as the second pick in this year’s draft. Ducas grew up in Geraldton and spent five years playing college basketball for St Marys, was overlooked in the draft but signed a two-way contract with Oklahoma City Thunder. Mills said players now had the option to follow whatever path they felt would give them the best chance of success. “The choices that young players have today have never been better,’ Mills told The West Australian’s The Dribble Podcast. “There’s multiple different pathways you can go down. There’s so many options for you to develop. It’s just about making the right ones that are for you. The Australian pathway and the NBL might not be for everyone. College might not be for everyone. “NBL1 is becoming a pretty relevant league now in the off-season. Every player is different. Every player needs something that is more unique to their path.” The Wildcats have two NBA hopefuls on their roster this season with WA’s Ben Henshall and Spain’s Izan Almansa already being spoken about as draft contenders. Henshall, 20, signed with the Wildcats instead of going to college while Almansa, 19, is a NBL Next Star. Mills worked as an international scout for the Philadelphia 76ers before returning joining the Wildcats. Having watched young talent around the world he said Travers had always displayed the commitment required to maximise his talent. “From a young age, you look at all these phenoms in any sport, a lot of kids show potential and have potential. To actually take advantage of that potential is a different thing and not everyone can do it,” Mills said. “Not everyone has the drive, the passion, the love because it takes hours of unseen work to actually get to where you want to get to. Luke is within the top 450 players in the world. It’s an incredible thing for a kid from Rockingham that he’s got there this quick.”