{"id":82451,"date":"2025-08-20T12:51:09","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T12:51:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/82451\/"},"modified":"2025-08-20T12:51:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T12:51:09","slug":"hunter-targets-big-impact-with-phoenix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/82451\/","title":{"rendered":"Hunter targets big impact with Phoenix"},"content":{"rendered":"

Photo: SEM Phoenix. <\/p>\n

Josh King has taken a clear approach to building a versatile roster, bringing in players who can adapt across multiple positions, with point guard Hunter Maldonado emerging as a standout example.<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard a lot of good things about the NBL, especially on the international stage as it\u2019s continuing to get more and more viewers,\u201d the American recruit said on NBL Now.<\/p>\n

\u201cTalking to Josh King\u2026 the role he saw for me, as well as the facilities here\u2026 it\u2019s great. I\u2019m making sure I make the most of every minute, every one of everything I\u2019ve got.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maldonado spent last season in Germany\u2019s top league with Ludwigsburg, averaging 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs with anything, there\u2019s growing pains. My first two, three weeks, I was feeling good, but then you actually hit the season, and you realise what it really is.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a slow start, and it picked up at the end, but I think that\u2019s just figuring out the game.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got going at the end, so coming here I plan to pick up where I left off.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Before heading to Europe, the 26-year-old captured a G League championship with the Oklahoma City Thunder’s affiliate and earned a spot representing the team at the NBA Summer League.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy first summer league I was playing with Chet (Holmgren) and J-Dub (Jalen Williams), and just how hard and fast they played, it showed me the scale they\u2019re at\u2026 how good those guys are,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen obviously the G League championship was crazy. It was surreal\u2026 I learned a lot from all of them, because each opportunity is different.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maldonado is now intent on doing everything he can to help the Phoenix chase their ambitions. Still early in his professional career, he feels his recent experience has him well-prepared for the challenges ahead.<\/p>\n

\u201cGermany is one of the most physical leagues over there\u2026 so coming here, it\u2019s a different type of physicality. It still takes some getting used to, but it\u2019s definitely not like when I went from G League to Germany where I had to learn about it all.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s still early days. For me, I\u2019m just going out there and trying to make sure I get to know the guys, how they like to play, where they like the ball, all those sorts of things.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019re continuing to figure it out as the weeks progress and get better each day.\u201d<\/p>\n

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