Landale with an emphatic dunk against the LA Clippers earlier this month.Credit:AP Photo
“From day one at training camp I think I showed these guys what I’m capable of,and they were really pleased with what they had in me,” Landale said.
“As soon as I was traded,I was in Las Vegas speaking to the coaching staff and then went right out to Phoenix to get to work. I left no stone unturned so I could make sure these guys knew what they had in me.”
Some people doubted Landale was a legitimate NBA player,despite his success withthe Boomers at the Tokyo Olympics.
“I don’t focus on this much but there were a lot of questions about whether I was good enough or athletic enough to play in the NBA,” Landale said.
“I still don’t feel like I have put it all together yet but the organisation has helped me tremendously from day one in encouraging me,the defensive component was one of the biggest questions about my game,and they were telling me that I’m actually a good defender. Having confidence thrown at me has opened my eyes to my potential.”
Landale scored in double figures during all four of Phoenix’s preseason games and had a 17-point outburst against NBA champions Golden State Warriors early in the new season.
He doesn’t always record big minutes,given Ayton plays so much game time,but he feels his best is still to come.
Landale in action against the New Orleans Pelicans and fellow Australian Dyson Daniels.Credit:AP Photo
“I’ve always wanted to be an integral part of a team in the NBA and I always knew that I could do that,” Landale said.
“To have that opportunity right now,it’s like a dream come true.
“The original goal was just to make the NBA but I wasn’t doing myself enough justice because there’s contentment with that,and that’s not the person I am,so it became about making sure that I can stick in the NBA and have an actual career here,and I think that’s what this year is really shaping up to be - there’s a future kind of carving itself out in this league.”
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The Suns will take on the Denver Nuggets in Denver on Boxing Day AEDT as part of the NBA’s annual slate of[US] Christmas Day games,giving Landale the chance to test himself against two-timemost valuable player Nikola Jokic.
The day is shaping up as a special one for Landale who has his US-based sister,fiance’s sister and husband,and some friends heading to Denver to have Christmas together.
“I’ve never played on Christmas - it will be really cool,” Landale said.
“I went to a Warriors v Cavaliers game in the Bay Area when I was in college and the atmosphere back then and having all the families around makes it a great occasion. I’m not sure how I’m going to go about my day yet but I’ll figure it out.”
Landale knows all eyes will be on the Suns as the league moves into the decisive months of the season. They had a five-game losing streak earlier in December but have regained their form.
“Sometimes there is a dark cloud that hangs over the room because we expect to win every game,but we can’t have a hangover in that regard,you just move onto the next one,” Landale said.
“There was a five-game losing streak where you can really feel that like we just got to get over this thing.
“That’s where Book and CP’s veteran leadership really comes into play - they’re like,you’re not going to win a championship in December. You win a championship in June. We’re still building our team’s identity.
“Teams start out hard but if they don’t finish well,then what’s the point? We’re still really locked in on making sure that we’re growing day to day for the push in June.”
The NBA will play six Christmas Day games[Boxing Day AEDT],starting with Philadelphia v the New York Knicks at 4am AEDT,while the Suns and Nuggets play at 2.30pm with ESPN and NBA League Pass showing all games live.
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