From nbl.com.au :
With free agency underway, NBL Media’s Liam Santamaria is taking a look at each and every signing and breaking down what it all means ahead of #NBL21.
SIGNING SNAPSHOT: KEVIN WHITE TO THE PERTH WILDCATS
Signed by: Perth Wildcats
The deal: One year
Age: 33
2019-20 team: Adelaide 36ers
2019-20 stats (per game): 1.7 points, 1.2 assists, 42.9 FG%, 44.4 3P% 100.0 FT% (3/3)
Projected role: Back-up point guard.
Quote: “Kevie’s a tough defender, hard-nosed and, while nobody can replace Damo, we want to fill some of that void and we think Kev’s toughness and willingness to put the team first is a big tick for us.” – Trevor Gleeson (Perth Wildcats head coach)
My take: This is how Trevor Gleeson does business.
With Damian Martin retiring, the five-time championship-winning coach was never going to hand the back-up point guard responsibilities to a youngster. That was just never going to happen. I mean, this is a grown man’s league and this team is going after a three-peat.
White is a very limited offensive player but Gleeson would not have viewed that as an issue. After all, the Wildcats are a team built around certain guys taking shots and everybody else playing a role. Bryce Cotton, Todd Blanchfield, Clint Steindl and whoever they bring in to replace Nick Kay… those guys are the scoring options on this squad. Mitch Norton has a licence to attack the rim and Jesse Wagstaff will pick and pop his way to open jumpers. But as far as Gleeson’s concerned, if you’re not one of those guys: play your role. Play some defence, set screens, grab some rebounds, dive on loose balls and get the rock to the guys who can put it in the basket.
That’s precisely where Kevin White fits in. An experienced, hard-nosed defender, White will ensure that opposition PGs don’t get off on the ‘Cats while Mitch Norton is catching his breath. He will hold it down. And that’s it – that’s all Gleeson will want him to do. And, when you consider that Gleeson has led his team to five of the last seven NBL titles, it’s safe to say he knows what he’s doing.
