Growing in Confidence: Why Will McDowell-White is Ready to Take the Next Step

Written for nbl.com.au by Tom Hersz

 

We all grow from the experiences we go through. 

Sometimes those experiences are planned. Sometimes they’re aspirational. Sometimes they come faster than we’d hoped or expected they could. But we’re usually better for them.

Will McDowell-White has just completed one of the best experiences of his basketball career and it’s only the beginning for him. Having been a major part of the Boomers team that went 3-0 at last week’s latest FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, McDowell-White loved every minute of it.

He learned a lot. He immersed himself in it and he’s come out of the other side with a renewed confidence that he’ll take forward with him into next week’s FIBA Asia Cup and then with the New Zealand Breakers as they try to re-establish a winning culture in #NBL23.

For McDowell-White, who was named to the initial Australian squad last year ahead of the Tokyo Olympics but didn’t make the final roster, he got his first chance to pull on that Boomers jersey last week and it was all he could have hoped for.

“It was pretty nerve-racking to be honest, making a debut,” McDowell-White admitted to NBL Media. 

“But honestly, I absolutely had the time of my life. To finally live the Boomers culture and be in that environment, it was pretty special and everything they talk about, it’s real. The culture, the ‘gold vibes only’ mentality – it’s all real.”

McDowell-White came in not knowing how he’d fare. Not sure how much he’d play or whether he’d feel comfortable on the floor, but left having been a key contributor to the Boomers’ victories.

He averaged 8.3 points, 4.0 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 22 minutes per game across their three games. In the first game against China, he hit a key three-pointer late in the fourth quarter to seal the win – his only basket of the game. Against, McDowell-White had 14 points, six assists and two steals as the Boomers put on a clinic in a big win. While in the last game – their second against China – he was on the floor in crunch time, making big plays on both ends as the Boomers outscored their opponents 26-3 in the final term. 

In all, he shot 53 per cent from the field, 46 per cent from three-point range and had 12 assists to just one turnover. He was a net +65 during his time on the court across the three games.

McDowell-White took a lot from the experience, but the biggest thing was in his approach to playing at that level.

“Just being assertive, being aggressive on court,” he explained. 

“I wasn’t sure how I’d do with all these big names on the team and if I’d be confident enough to play my style of basketball. And, I really credit Delly [Matthew Dellavedova] and Macca [Mitch McCarron] for always being on me about it. 

“Being me and being a playmaker – that’s just going to be the biggest thing for me going forward and after that I think I’m ready to finally take that next step.”

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">When it&#39;s late in the clock, call on William McDowell-White to produce! ??<br><br>? Watch live games + extended highlights<br>?? <a href="https://t.co/EZ6XZQ1Q9f">https://t.co/EZ6XZQ1Q9f</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIBAWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIBAWC</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinForAustralia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WinForAustralia</a> <a href="https://t.co/kDCJrY2ict">pic.twitter.com/kDCJrY2ict</a></p>&mdash; FIBA Basketball World Cup (@FIBAWC) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIBAWC/status/1542827296142151680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

For anyone who watched all three games, it was clear that McDowell-White grew in confidence with each game. He adapted to the style of play, the physicality, the way the games were called and began to understand his role and his value to that team.

He noticed that growth himself through the qualifying window.

“Yeah for sure,” acknowledged McDowell-White. 

“The first game I probably didn’t do too much, I was more, I guess feeling it out. But even towards the end of that first game, I got a feel of what my role was going to be and how I was going to be used. 

“And like I said before, Macca and Delly being on me every second of practice and the games, just to take matters into my own hands sometimes. There were times where I did it and it was really fun.”

That was especially obvious in their third game – the second one against China on Sunday. McDowell-White was part of a late-game adjustment from Goorj when he went to a three-guard line-up in the fourth quarter.

Sharing the floor with Dellavedova, McCarron, Jack White and a combination of Thon Maker and Sam Froling, McDowell-White had a big influence on that final margin. 

And to do that – to have that impact in a big win for his country on home soil, was more than he could have hoped for. 

“I still don’t even believe it sometimes,” he admitted. 

“I’m only 24 and playing for the Boomers on home soil which rarely happens, especially at a sold-out John Cain [Arena]. Honestly, I don’t really believe it sometimes. 

“Playing with some big names that you could easily throw on the court other than me, it was an experience of a lifetime. I don’t even know how to explain it to be honest.”

But it’s something that he’s going to get used to. He proved he belonged. If anyone doubted his ability to succeed at that level, in that environment, they don’t anymore. 

One man who never doubted that was Boomers Head Coach Brian Goorjian. In the lead-up to the qualifying window, Goorj called out McDowell-White along with Jack White as two guys with a real shot to make the World Cup team next year. Two guys he’d be keeping an eye on through these games. 

Goorjian then had some very complimentary things to say about McDowell-White in two of the post-game pressers, saying in one that he was high on Will coming in and that he’s having a real good look at him for the next one [major tournament]. 

Then in the post-game presser after the final game, Goorj put McDowell-White on par with Jack White regarding having NBA-level talent and that kind of career trajectory. 

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">William McDowell-White played one of the best games I’ve seen a young guy play outside of the NBA this season for NZ Breakers on Sunday vs. Adelaide. Still only 23. Had 27 points, 7 assists vs. 1 TO. Made 7 3s. Dominated in PnR. If shooting is real, has a real NBA shot still. <a href="https://t.co/rUB37wk3kN">pic.twitter.com/rUB37wk3kN</a></p>&mdash; Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sam_Vecenie/status/1470560258116374528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

McDowell-White has flirted with the NBA before, having twice signed two-way deals with the Houston Rockets and playing a couple of seasons in the G League, but never quite making that final leap. But it seems Goorjian thinks he’ll have more opportunities in the future.

And Goorjian told him as much at the end of the weekend.

“I honestly didn’t really have much of a conversation at all with Goorj until after that last game against China,” explained McDowell-White. 

“We both stepped into a different room and he pretty much said what he would have said in the press conferences I guess. He said there’s a really high ceiling. He’s really looking at me as a potential part of World Cups and possibly even an Olympics down the road. 

“He had a lot of great things to say and for a legend like that to really believe that it just gives you some extra confidence, especially going into this next season with New Zealand, to perform at a level that he thinks I can.”

McDowell-White’s game is unique in some ways. He has a somewhat different skill set to other local guards in that he can play multiple positions, in terms of being a bit taller at that lead guard position and in having a combination of playmaking and scoring ability.

Those things along with being a hard worker defensively and a high basketball IQ certainly appeal to Goorjian and his Basketball Australia coaching staff, but McDowell-White thinks there are other things that make the likes of Goorj take notice and want to have him on their team.

“Obviously a mix of everything you just said,” he acknowledged. 

“But what I think appeals about me to most coaches is that I’ll sacrifice for the betterment of the team so we can win games and even championships wherever it is. I don’t have a massive ego, I’m there just to play a part. 

“If they want me to do the bare minimum, I’ll do the bare minimum. If they want me to do the most, I’ll do the most. I’m very adaptable and coachable. You can just throw me in anywhere and I’ll give it everything to do my best.”

Sunday’s game was also special for McDowell-White for another reason. Sunday was the start of NAIDOC Week, and as a proud Indigenous athlete, it was special to have that recognised at John Cain Arena.

“It’s huge always getting acknowledgment from anyone,” he explained. 

“We have a real tight culture as Indigenous people and to be celebrated for a whole week is pretty cool and I guess you can say it’s our week. It’s a celebration of us and everything we’ve been through and everything that’s happened. 

“It’s really cool to see, even the Boomers had a lot to say about Indigenous people over the week. Especially me and Keanu [Pinder] and Kerry [Williams], we really appreciated the acknowledgments to country, having the Indigenous kids on at halftime in that last game; just giving us opportunities to be on the big stages is always really cool.”

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Thank you to the Koori Academy, Aunty Joy and Ron Murray for helping us launch NAIDOC week last night at John Cain Arena. <br><br>Get UP! Stand Up! Show Up! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreBasketball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreBasketball</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NAIDOC2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NAIDOC2022</a> <a href="https://t.co/de3BjTwxCj">pic.twitter.com/de3BjTwxCj</a></p>&mdash; Basketball Australia (@BasketballAus) <a href="https://twitter.com/BasketballAus/status/1543750105588645888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

And beyond basketball and what happened at John Cain Arena on Sunday, NAIDOC Week is very important to McDowell-White and the Indigenous people around Australia. It’s part of a growing effort to ensure that Indigenous culture is not only recognised, but that it is understood and celebrated.

Along with other initiatives like the NBL, AFL and other sporting leagues having Indigenous rounds, along with community groups and corporates putting together reconciliation plans, or just trying to educate their members or their staff, NAIDOC week is a massive part of ensuring that Indigenous people can be proud of who they are, and that others will recognise and accept that – something that certainly hasn’t always been the case and even today, doesn’t always happen.

“Obviously NAIDOC is huge for every Indigenous person,” McDowell-White explained. 

“We finally get to celebrate us and what we’ve done. We’d like to think we help the community even though maybe there are some people who don’t think that. A lot of people don’t understand that we’re not all bad people, we’re just trying to live the same life that everyone else does and sometimes that gets taken away from us, which is sad. 

“It’s gotten a lot better over the years and it’s going to continue to get better and one day it will finally get to where it needs to be. But even NAIDOC Week is just the beginning, it’s just the start of what’s to come and it’s good to see the amount of even non-Indigenous people that come to celebrate that week. It’s really big. 

“And the NBL has taken leaps and bounds with that stuff. We’ve got the flags on the court in Indigenous Round, we’ve got all the flags in every arena. Every year we’re getting more and more Indigenous kids with roster spots or as development players; it’s just good to see. Especially the NBL, it’s just giving us Indigenous kids more opportunities to lead the path for the future.”

McDowell-White’s immediate future remains in the NBL with the Breakers. He signed on for another season and when that was announced in May, he mentioned Mody Maor being the Head Coach as the number one factor for him.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Successfully secured #7, Will McDowell-White, for our NBL23 journey? <a href="https://t.co/xnuIp9Ix3t">pic.twitter.com/xnuIp9Ix3t</a></p>&mdash; Sky Sport New Zealand Breakers (@NZBreakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/NZBreakers/status/1529311293466886145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

Taking over from Dan Shamir, Maor has a reputation for player development and forging strong relationships with players he believes in, players who are willing to put in the work to get better and that was important to McDowell-White.

“As everybody probably saw at the beginning of last season just how much my game had developed, as far as just being aggressive, being able to shoot when people go under on-balls, he’s just skyrocketed my development,” McDowell-White said of Maor. 

“And I didn’t want to go anywhere else where my role will diminish and change, and they might make me do different things. Cos we have our own stuff that we’ve worked on for about a year and half and it’s just something that I have to continue if I want to take those next steps. 

“Mody knows almost everything about basketball; he’s got me making advance reads in pick and roll. He’s the coach that gives me the most confidence to go out there and be the best player on the floor. My relationship with him is unbelievable and there’s no one else I could honestly play for.”

Another reason for McDowell-White to want to remain with the Breakers was a desire to experience the Breakers culture properly and play in front of home fans, basically for the first time. 

After two seasons largely on the road, it’s important for the organisation and also the players to re-establish that connection with the fans and the community as they begin to rebuild a winning culture; something that was effectively taken away from them under the circumstances.

And those are things that McDowell-White wants to be a part of in NBL23.

“Yeah, being away for two years, especially last year, we really felt like we lost that connection with the community,” he said. 

“And I know that’s been a huge part of their culture since they were in the league. The driving force behind the Breakers’ winning culture is the community that they have behind them, and just the love and the support that they get every week; we just lost that the last couple of years. Now we’ve got some young guys coming in and some guys who’ve actually been there before who can obviously give us an idea of what it’s going to be like. 

“But you know, I had one game at Spark [Arena] two seasons ago and it was probably the best environment I’ve been in. The people are just so gracious, they even gave thanks to the opposition team even though they beat us by a lot. It’s something we need if we want to get back to winning and it’s going to be exciting. 

“Hopefully we do get those home games again and we’ll probably see different results than we have in the past two to three years.”

The Breakers have had a nice free-agency period. They’ve signed some Kiwis who are returning home in Dan Fotu, Tom Vodanovich and Izayah Le’Afa, some who re-signed like Sam Timmins, some overseas talent in import Dererk Pardon and French Phenom and Next Star Rayan Rupert. But also a veteran presence in Cam Gliddon.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">WILL MCDOWELL-WHITE CAUGHT A BODY ?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL22</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAusNZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESPNAusNZ</a> + <a href="https://twitter.com/kayosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kayosports</a> ? <a href="https://t.co/zGG58ENz75">pic.twitter.com/zGG58ENz75</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1469231645332889603?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

McDowell-White is pretty happy with how the roster is shaping up and already has his eye on a couple of teammates who he is looking forward to playing with.

“I think we’re looking pretty good,” he admitted. 

“I don’t know if we’ll have the most talented team, but as Mody likes to say ‘we’ve got a lot of dogs’. A lot of dogs on the squad and guys who are just going to get after it. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing, who’s on the court, these guys are just going to go and hit people, just be physical and bring a dominant presence out on the court. 

“Obviously, it’s always good to play with the captain Tommy – Tom Abercrombie, but I’m really excited to play with Izayah. I know Mody was really high on him and Mody thinks he’ll be the perfect backcourt partner. 

“His ability to defend the ball is right up there with the best, and obviously he’ll make everyone’s life easier. He’s obviously a good guy and I can’t wait to get on the floor with him.”

Gliddon is another player who McDowell-White is excited to partner with. They may end up the only two Australians on the roster, but Gliddon also brings vast NBL experience, and ability to play both ends and has been part of several Boomers campaigns.

McDowell-White has already been in touch with the 284-game veteran.

“Yeah we’ve actually talked a bit,” McDowell-White said. 

“He even gave me some advice after the first game against China, just how to play against those kinds of teams. We’ve been in contact and [I] can’t wait to get a couple of assists off him when he’s splashing from deep.”

But before he links up with his new teammates, McDowell-White is going to get more of a taste in the Boomers jersey as part of the team that will travel to Jakarta to play in the FIBA Asia Cup.

The tournament runs from July 12 to 24 where the Boomers will look to defend their title from 2017.

After what he experienced last week in a Boomers jersey, McDowell-White knows what he wants to achieve in Jakarta, aside from winning the tournament.

“Just keep improving. Just to keep improving in every aspect of the game,” he explained. 

“But the other thing I want to do is keep building confidence. I’ve been up and down with that a lot over my NBL stint so far and I just want to have that consistency of confidence where I come into every game knowing that I belong. 

“There’ve been a lot of games these past two seasons where I’ve come in and been like ‘I don’t know if I should be playing this many minutes’ or if I should be wanting to be the best player on the court. So it’s just building in confidence every day to know that I belong with these guys.”

Following that tournament, he’ll only have about a week and a half before the Breakers start their preseason for NBL23. McDowell-White plans to head home to Brisbane for a couple of days to reset and then it’ll be time to head over to Auckland and get started.

Coming into NBL23, McDowell-White has the opportunity to establish himself as a star in this league. With the support of Maor, some familiar teammates and knowing he’ll play a major role in the Breakers’ plans this season, he has a chance to keep growing.

Following these Boomers experiences, McDowell-White thinks he’ll be ready to attack this season, but there is one thing he wants to make sure he improves on this year.

“I’m not even sure if it’s a skill-based thing that I need to work on,” he explained. 

“I think I need to be a better vocal presence on the court. A lot of guys have told me they know I’m a good player, I know how to play, it’s just that I need to be more directing as a point guard. 

“You have to be vocal, put guys in spots. You have to know what play we’re running, what we’re doing on defence. Everything starts with the point guard. Just be vocal and obviously be confident. Set the tone pace wise and physicality. 

“If I want to take the next step, that’s the biggest thing I’ve got to do.”