threeball
Years ago
Kevin White re-signed by Wildcats
Announced by the club:
The Perth Wildcats are pleased to announce the re-signing of veteran point guard Kevin White for another season.
White joined the Wildcats prior to the 2021 season, providing additional leadership and hard-nosed defence to the roster.
He's thrilled to be returning to Perth for a second season.
"We felt a little short-changed with how last season ended. We put in all that work and just had injuries at the wrong time. It was pleasing to make the Grand Final but not pleasing to go down in three games," he said.
“I’m excited to be coming back for year two, and hopefully getting to another Grand Final and bringing the championship trophy back to where it belongs.”
When the Wildcats suffered numerous injuries during the recent 2021 NBL Finals campaign, White stepped up, averaging 7.5 points per game in the post-season - significantly above his career-average.
His three-point shooting kept the Wildcats alive on multiple occasions as he went 12 from 28 over the six games.
Jesse Wagstaff praised White’s performance at the time.
“A lot of what Whitey brings is off the court as well. He’s a great leader and a great voice in the locker room. He’s a great team guy,” he said.
“He was phenomenal throughout the year and really showed his true colours in the Finals. He’s a gutsy player and he’s well-respected among the group.”
Associate head coach Mike Kelly said White embodies the qualities the Perth Wildcats have become known for.
“It’s great for us to have another backbone-of-the-club type of guy. A great team guy who has shown he can still do it, like he did in the Finals,” said associate head coach, Mike Kelly.
“I could see from the outside looking in that he was good with the group last year. When you can defend like he can, and you’re ready to step up, you’re an important guy in any group.”
Across his 39 games in 2021, Kevin White averaged 3.4 points, 1.4 assists, 1.3 rebounds and 0.4 steals per game.
The upcoming season will be the 276-game veteran’s 11th in the NBL, having previously represented the Sydney Kings, Illawarra Hawks and Adelaide 36ers.
He’s captained both the Hawks and 36ers.
Kevin White joins Jesse Wagstaff, Bryce Cotton, Mitch Norton, Todd Blanchfield, Luke Travers and Majok Majok on the Perth Wildcats 2021/22 playing roster, with Corey Shervill signed as a development player.
Looks like a one-year deal. Thinking his morphing into Steph Curry during the Grand Final series helped heaps – but I don’t expect that to continue over the course of a regular season. On the one hand have appreciated his workman-like effort and hustle, but on the other, still have memories of being wide open and shooting long-range airballs in crunch time.
