Josh Giddey: Nick Kay recalls special playmaking skills of his Boomers teammate

And now Josh Giddey's former Boomers teammate, Tamworth-raised Nick Kay, has spoken about the "unreal talent" he witnessed at close quarter as Australia prepared for the Tokyo Olympics.

While Kay, 29, went on to figure prominently in the Boomers' historic bronze medal-winning performance, 19-year-old Giddey did not make the side's final cut.

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But then the Oklahoma Thunder selected him as the sixth overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft.

It was a bold selection in the eyes of many but one that has paid off, with the 203cm point guard among the leading NBA rookies after averaging 10.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists over his first 20 games.

At such a tender age, he is already regarded as an elite passer.

"It's great to see how he's playing so well this year," Kay said, adding: "Obviously he's an unreal talent."

"And his ability to find guys on the court was never questioned when he was at the Boomers."

Giddey had "found himself in a great situation", Kay said.

"A lot about being a professional is being in the right spot," he added.

Kay is currently engaged in his debut season with the Shimane Susanoo Magic in Japan's B1 League.

The former Perth Wildcats star would love to join Giddey in the NBA.

"The guys we've got over here [at the Magic] ... are really pushing to be better and better," he said. "And that's helped me individually improve my game," he added.

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