Aussies ask same question about NBA champ as Alex Ducas wins ring without playing in finals series

News.com.au

4 hours ago

The basketball world has been left scratching its head after Alex Ducas became the ninth Aussie to win an NBA championship ring, however, many were shocked to learn an Australian was even on the team.
The Oklahoma City Thunder proved too strong in Game 7 on Monday (AEDT) with a 103-91 triumph over the Indiana Pacers, sparking scenes of wild celebration on their home court.
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And among those on the podium receiving the coveted championship ring was Ducas.
The 24-year-old played no part in the playoffs but earned a ring due to being part of the squad in the Thunder's historic title-winning season.
An Aussie featuring in a championship team is a big deal but even many OKC fans were left wondering who he was.
'Wait who?' one fan commented on the OKC post about Ducas receiving a ring.
While Aussies were even more perplexed.
After the Boomers congratulated Ducas on his championship win, fans wrote 'Wait there was an Aussie on OKCs roster?' and 'The more you know'.
The Aussie went undrafted last June but was snapped up by the Thunder after impressing for their Summer League.
After earning a spot on the roster Ducas struggled for time on the court due to the strength of the Thunder's roster.
He did still manage to appear in 21 games during the regular season, averaging 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds per game in a role.
As a guard, it is no surprise he got limited minutes due to the fact he was competing with league MVP and finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for a spot on the floor.
But his role in the monumental win has seen him become the ninth Australian NBA champion alongside, Andrew Gaze (San Antonio, 1999), Patty Mills (San Antonio, 2014), Aron Baynes (San Antonio, 2014), Andrew Bogut (Golden State, 2015), Matthew Dellavedova (Cleveland, 2016), Kyrie Irving (Cleveland, 2016), Jack White (Denver, 2023) and three-time Bulls champion Luc Longley.