THE exceptional young talent in the Australian basketball system continues to be recognised, with another Victorian gun added to the NBA Global Academy.

Luke Fennell has been putting together a solid start to his career in the VJBL, where he enjoyed an eye-catching 2022 season. The guard represents Knox, and has established himself as one of the brightest prospects at his position to come from Australia.

Fennell has been identified as a gifted playmaker, doing some of his best work in the pick and roll and helping his teammates develop their offensive game with his clever passing. Standing well above six foot, Fennell’s height makes him more enticing given the fact that he can play one through three. There is clearly plenty of his game that can be further developed at the Global Academy, for which he received a scholarship.

The NBA Global Academy has developed some of Australia’s greatest talents over the past few years, with the likes of Joshua Giddey and Dyson Daniels among the recent success stories of the system. It has become a genuinely strong pathway to international success.

The Academy will look to hone in on Fennell’s strengths – his playmaking – while developing his areas of improvement, which is to be expected given how young the guard is. Inside scoring has been an area in which he has shown promising signs at VJBL level, although the challenge will come with ensuring he can continue to produce buckets despite the presence of bigger defenders at a higher level.

Fennell also brings representative experience, having recently represented Vic Metro at the 2022 Australian Under-18 Championships in Ballarat, showcasing an ability to match it with some of the best in the nation.

NBA Global Technical Director Marty Clarke expressed his excitement in adding the guard to the program, which is held in conjunction with the Australian Institute of Sport.

“Luke has been identified as a player of the future and we look forward him to joining the NBA Global Academy family in January,” he said.

“We feel has the skill set to develop into an international player, is a good decision maker in the pick and roll and will thrive in the environment here in Canberra.”

Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence Head Coach Robbie McKinlay also spoke of his joy to add to the depth of the program.

“We are fortunate to have such a strong relationship with the NBA Global Academy and the ability to bring more talented young Australian players into the setting here at the AIS,” he said.

“Luke is another in a long line of guards from Melbourne and we are excited about his growth over the next couple of years.”

Fennell will join the program in mid-January.