{"id":274697,"date":"2025-11-10T04:37:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-10T04:37:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/274697\/"},"modified":"2025-11-10T04:37:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T04:37:11","slug":"could-hickey-be-ready-for-nba-stage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/274697\/","title":{"rendered":"Could Hickey be ready for NBA stage?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The rise of Will Hickey has been one of the best stories of the past two seasons, and fresh off the first triple-double of his career, the NBA dream might not be too far away.<\/p>\n

When asked whether he had a chance of being the next NBL player to make the leap, Pete Hooley didn\u2019t hesitate.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The 26-year-old is playing career-best basketball and was rewarded for his outstanding Championship Series last season with an NBA Summer League opportunity with the Chicago Bulls.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a triple-double threat every night. The size he has, the self-belief \u2026 the one thing I think he needs to keep working on is his outside shot. But he\u2019s showing that he will continue to step up and knock it down,\u201d Hooley added.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe poise he plays with \u2026 he defends as well. There is absolutely an NBA chance.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

NBL legend Lanard Copeland knows what it takes to make it to the NBA, and he doubled down on how Hickey\u2019s self-belief can take him to the next level.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you have a head coach that wins a championship and says, \u2018he\u2019s my man’, that\u2019ll give you all types of confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Hawks\u2019 leading man is in the sixth season of his career, but it\u2019s his rapid growth that has raised eyebrows around the league.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou look at how dominant he can be \u2026 with where he\u2019s at in his career, with so long to go. I think he\u2019s got a massive chance,\u201d Hooley noted.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was there at this year\u2019s Summer League, so if he gets more of a chance there, then a two-way deal is definitely not out of the question if he continues on this trajectory.\u201d<\/p>\n

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