As long as Darcy Malone's competitive fire still burns, he will never be satisfied playing in the Waratah League. Not while he dreams of an NBL debut.
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The 23-year-old will make his return to the Canberra Gunners for their Waratah League season opener against the Bankstown Bruins at Bankstown Basketball Stadium on Saturday.
The NSW state competition, which Canberra joined after the SEABL went bust, is far removed from where Malone wants to be.
Malone spent four years playing college basketball for Louisiana State University alongside another Australian he admits "people know a bit better than me... last name 'Simmons'".
Development stints with Melbourne United and the Sydney Kings followed soon after for the junior Australian representative, but the NBL debut he so desperately craves is still yet to materialise.
A small taste of life at the elite level is all Malone needs to fuel his bid to reach the top.
"If you’re competitive and you’re at this level, you never are satisfied with where you’re at," Malone said.
"Everyone wants to be at that next level, wants to do something more, wants to lead the league in this or win a championship. I’m definitely looking to keep going and keep succeeding in my basketball career.
"You have to take it one game at a time, so for now we’re just waiting for our first game in Bankstown. This is the first season in a long time when it has just been based off local talent.
"Everyone has a real sense of pride when playing for this team which I think is really important."
New Gunners coach Tony Plunkett is determined to build the ailing program from the ground up having scoured the local ranks for Canberra's brightest local talents in a bid to reverse last year's 0-20 finish in the SEABL.
He has reached out to Canberra products plying their trade at college in the United States about the prospect of returning home down the track to rejoin the organisation that gave them a platform.
The end goal for Plunkett is to send Canberra products to the big show as he looks to strengthen ties with the Illawarra Hawks in the hope ACT players can link up with the NBL franchise.
Malone was one of Plunkett's early targets and the seven-feet tall youngster jumped at the chance to return home.
"I found myself in a situation where I hadn’t seen my family in seven years, so I was like ‘I probably should come home and say hi to my mum and give her a hug’," Malone said.
"I was able to come and do that. I love Canberra, I grew up here and always thought it was a great city. People have this bad idea of what it’s like.
"So coming here and being able to enjoy it where basketball actually has a big impact on the community. Me being able to impact the community is something that always has made me feel like, if I can influence a younger kid to get better and want to play at a top level, I’m getting my own personal satisfaction."
A Canberra Nationals outfit boasting Kate Gaze, rising WNBL stars Keely Froling and Abby Cubillo will open their Waratah League campaign with a clash against Bankstown immediately after the Gunners showdown.
WARATAH LEAGUE ROUND ONE
Saturday: Men - Bankstown Bruins v Canberra Gunners at Bankstown Basketball Stadium, 12pm.
Saturday: Women - Bankstown Bruins v Canberra Nationals at Bankstown Basketball Stadium, 2pm.
