The just turned 26-year-old from Michigan in the United States  flew 20 hours to Sydney on Saturday and yesterday he was at the Tamworth Sports Dome being introduced to junior and senior Thunderbolts alike.

Coaches such as Greg O’Toole, Neil Wood, Greg Irwin, Jono Willis and Neil Gaffney were also there holding training sessions with their various Junior Thunderbolt sides.

While he will play and hopefully steer the Thunderbolts to State League success this year his addition to the ranks is more than just for on-court success.

“It’s not about results on the court,”  Thunderbolt coach John Ireland said.

“It’s about the growth of basketball in Tamworth and creating excitement around the game and in the junior ranks.”

Kyle Gupton said he will do whatever it takes to help the Tamworth Basketball Association to improve and develop.

“I will do whatever I can to help the organisation on and off the court,” Gupton said.

“It’s the team first and make sure I play to the best of my ability. I’m looking forward to playing with the guys and helping them play the best they can too.”

Gupton can play both point guard and shooting guard and likes nothing better than mixing the two.

A noted three-point shooter he led scoring for his University of Illinois in the Division 2 of the NCAA.

“I led the team in scoring and in three-point percentages, I also won the athlete of the year award at the University of Illinois,” he said.

“That was a very humbling experience.”

More recently he played for Team Network in the ABA (next rung down from the NBA.)

“I led the team scoring there too,” he said.

“They were a lot bigger but I was able to cope with that.” 

He was training five or six days a week for that and will be making sure his 200 pound six foot two inch frame is ready for a big season playing and developing juniors as well.

He will also be a regular visitor to all the local schools providing his skills to develop and grow their young minds and bodies.