Nick Kay has long stood out in the crowd - a 206cm stretch of man who was raised in Tamworth and who seemingly remains unaffected by success, a la Ash Barty.
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He will stand out even more in the coming year: first with the Boomers at the Tokyo Olympics and then as a first-year recruit for the Shimane Susanoo Magic, a B League team based in Matsue (population 202,000).
The 28-year-old was lured there by his former Wellington Saints coach Paul Henare, who now steers the Magic.
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"A bit of a different experience again," he said of the move to Japan. "But I'm looking forward to it as well.
"Basketball gives you the chance to travel around the world, and I wanna make the most of it."
The Boomers will begin their Olympics campaign buzzing after an undefeated run through a Las Vegas exhibition tournament that included two defeats of Team USA.
After back-to-back championships and All-NBL First Team success at the Wildcats, Kay spent last season with Spanish club Real Betis - a move he envisioned would elevate his game further for Tokyo and beyond.
"I think it's been huge for me," he said of the Spanish experience, when he spoke to the Leader last week mid-Las Vegas tournament.
"There's points there when you wonder whether it's the right decision at the time."
He added: "But to come into this environment and adjust so quickly to playing the different styles of basketball, and against these bigger bodies, I think it's been a good move for me, and I'm really happy I took that chance."
At the Olympics, which start on Friday, the Boomers will again covet a medal. Kay said the side would treat every training session and match as if gold were at stake.
Post-Games, he said it would be "nice to get home for a few days there and see the fiancee and the family", before returning to Japan for the B League season launch.
The Boomers begin their Olympics assault against Nigeria at 6.20pm on Sunday (AEST).
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Mark Bode
I’m passionate about writing stories that resonate with people. And I’m genuinely interested in the people I interview; I want to know about them and present their stories in a meaningful way.
I’m passionate about writing stories that resonate with people. And I’m genuinely interested in the people I interview; I want to know about them and present their stories in a meaningful way.
