Kai Woodfall believes Launceston Lightning teammate Sejr Deans will follow his path to basketball success in the tough US college system.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
And he couldn't be happier that the teenage prodigy hails from the same school.
In a glowing endorsement of Deans after they teamed up to help deliver an overdue state title for their home town, Woodfall said: "He's twice the player I was.
"I've got a lot of time for Sejr. He's a really good kid and wants to follow my pathway to college in the US.
RELATED NEWS:
"He's a fantastic basketball player but more than that, he's a really good guy.
"He's really fantastic for his age and just so mature on court."
Launceston-born Woodfall was among a rich crop of players that claimed Tasmania's first ever medal at an under-18 national championship in 2013 and was in the Australian under-19 team for that year's FIBA Oceania Pacific Championships in New Zealand.
Along with the likes of Kyle Clark, Callum Barker, Tanner Krebs and AFL-convert Hugh Greenwood, the former Punchbowl primary, Riverside high and Launceston College student was among a glut of Tasmanian basketballers to profit from the US collegiate system.
The point guard, who played for City Rockets and Trojans in LSBL, landed a four-year basketball scholarship at Southwest Baptist University in Missouri playing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association alongside the likes of NBA sensations Dante Exum and No.1 draft pick Ben Simmons.
Returning to his home state, Woodfall top scored in Launceston Lightning's state grand final win over Penguin earlier this month when he was able to observe Tasmania's latest international basketball prospect.
Deans was in the Australian side that won the FIBA under-15 Oceania Championships in Papua New Guinea a year ago.
"He's phenomenal really," Woodfall said of the 16-year-old.
"He's playing with men and holding his own.
He's twice the player I was
- Kai Woodfall on Sejr Deans
"He listens and really cares about his own development and the teams he represents."
It was not lost on Woodfall that the pair had both attended Riverside High, who Deans helped to a Northern grand final earlier this month.
"I love it that we came through the same school. It's pretty cool carrying on Riverside's tradition as a good sporting school and Lachy Brewer in the grade 7-8 team looks like he will keep that going."
Woodfall, who turned 23 in September and plans to combine continuing his medical studies in Queensland with playing NBL1 in the state, is also a fan of Basketball Tasmania's embryonic state league.
"I think it's a great competition. BTas have done a great job putting together a senior comp and it's nice to play in that."
Subscriptions are available here.
Sign up to our Sport email here.
Rob Shaw
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
