By his nature, Max Clark is a man of relatively few words.
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The product of Lawrenceville, a smallish city which hugs Atlanta in Georgia, was amiable, but clearly shy in his first interview with the Leader.
That is, until the conversation moved on to basketball.
A lifelong devotee of the sport, Clark's eyes lit up when he discussed his favourite topic.
"I've been playing since I was four," he said.
"My dad played in college, and my mom never played but she always knew about basketball ... she's definitely my number one fan."
This passion will serve the 25-year-old well while he is in Tamworth, as he is the newest of the Thunderbolts' two American imports for the 2024 season.
Clark arrived roughly a week after his counterpart, Garric Young, and will play point guard - a position he seems made for with a smaller, more athletic build.
And, with two years of college basketball at Alabama, and another three years at Montana, Clark hopes he can put that experience to good use during his time with the Thunderbolts.
"I just want to be the best leader I can be, on and off the court," he said.
"I'll help out any way I can."
The biggest challenge he will face is a lack of match practice. Last year, Clark "just couldn't find anywhere to play".
It was the first time in his life that he had gone a year without taking to the court. But that did not mean he was sitting idle.
Clark spent that time training relentlessly in anticipation of his return. And though he is "a little nervous", he is confident that anxiety will dissipate "once the tip-off happens".
And, having arrived on the final night of the Country Music Festival, he feels very much at home in Tamworth.
"It reminds me a lot of my college town in Montana, just more people," Clark said.
"Everything's similar, it's just hotter here."
It helps, he added, to have another American with whom he can share the experience. And by another stroke of luck, Clark and Young knew one another before they ever set foot in Australia.
"I've known him for like two years now," he said.
"It's nice having Garric here, for sure. We gel on and off the court ... and I've been talking to some of the [Thunderbolts players] even before I came here, too. Building those relationships."
