WITH the number of Australian players in the collegiate system growing, there are more and more prospects emerging as genuine talents during their time in the United States.
A perfect example of this is Kyle Leslie, who just completed his junior season at college level, and his second campaign with the Southeastern Oklahoma State Savage Storm. Although he had limited minutes last time out, Leslie still showed glimpses of what he is capable of.
However, it all changed during the 2022/23 season, with the forward announcing himself as one of the stronger scorers on Southeastern Oklahoma State’s list. He was an immensely strong presence for the Southern Storm over the course of the season, producing some terrific numbers from his 27 appearances, particularly on the scoring and rebounding fronts.
A native of Nowra in New South Wales, Leslie headed overseas to join the collegiate system in 2019 as a member of Davis and Elkins College. He showed enough to earn an offer from Southeastern Oklahoma State following to the Covid affected 2020/21 season.
During his first campaign with the Savage Storm, Leslie was only given 14 minutes of court time, which was down on his previous season with Davis and Elkins. However, he still showed the potential to score the ball if given ample opportunity.
It seemed to be enough to impress the coaches, with his minutes being boosted up to 25.7 per game, allowing him to truly shine on the court and play to his strengths.
Leslie averaged an eye-catching 11.2 points per game, a boost of seven points on his first season with the team. After overcoming an underwhelming performance in his first game, the forward got his mojo going, and showcased his value to the team as a scorer.
He exploded over the span of two games in late January and early February, producing back to back games of 29 points (8/11 3PT) and 34 points (8/15 3PT), playing to his strengths as a sharpshooter and working hard to get free on the perimeter.
Leslie was also one of the team’s better rebounders, using his six-foot-seven frame to establish strong position under the hoop. He reached double-digits in this column on three occasions, doing his best work down the defensive end after an opposition miss.
Leslie certainly emerged as one to watch from an Australian perspective, showcasing his true skillset as a member of the Savage Storm and becoming one of the team’s premier shotmakers. Expect an even stronger campaign from the forward during his upcoming senior season.
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