Catching up with Will McDowell-White

Interview conducted for nbl.com.au by Tom Hersz

Help is on the way for the New Zealand Breakers.

With Corey Webster out injured, Lamar Patterson released and the Breakers struggling for wins, they are looking forward to getting their newest signing on the court.

William McDowell-White, now 22 years old, started his pro career in the NBL with the Sydney Kings back in 2016/17. Since then, he’s spent time in Germany and the past two seasons with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the NBA G-League.

The development in his game and his size at the point guard position has kept him on the fringes of cracking the NBA, having twice signed contracts with the Houston Rockets before roster moves kept him from making the final roster.

After an injury plagued 2019/20 season, McDowell-White entered his second season with the Vipers 100 per cent healthy and with something to prove.

He was also recently named to the Boomers squad for the Tokyo Olympics and will now get to play in front of Brian Goorjian while with the Breakers.

Fresh from the G-League Bubble, where the 6’5 point guard averaged 3.1 points, 3.1 assists, 3.3 rebounds in just under 17 minutes per game, McDowell-White is currently completing his two weeks of hotel quarantine in Sydney, before he joins the Breakers on Monday in Melbourne.

McDowell-White was kind enough to chat with NBL Media on Saturday morning from his hotel room.

 

Firstly, welcome back to Australia. What are you looking forward to most when you get out of quarantine that you may have missed being over in the US for the past couple of months?

Not much, because I was in a bubble in the G-League over there so it was kind of the same thing, but I guess just the freedom of being able to go outside and walk around, and just see the city.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/NZBreakers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NZBreakers</a> have signed Will McDowell-White as a nominated replacement player with Corey Webster sidelined for four weeks with a knee injury.<br><br>The Breakers have also added Jeremy Kendle days after being released by Adelaide as injury cover for Lamar Patterson.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL21?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL21</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1370591164370325505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


How was the G-League bubble experience? Have you experienced anything like that before?

No, never. But I actually really enjoyed it. It made it easier having [Will] Magnay over there, so there was a familiar face and good to have some Australian accents over there. But it was just really cool.

Being at Disney World, I’d never go to that amusement park ever if I’d never been to the bubble, so it was a cool experience.

Just being around the ins and outs of what happens behind the scenes, you get a full appreciation of what goes on not just in this league, but in every league around the world.

 

And in terms of your basketball, you played a little more than you did the previous season and you were 100 per cent healthy, which wasn’t the case last year. Are you happy with your progress and the development you’ve seen in your game these past two years with the Rockets organisation and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers?

Yeah. I think I’ve come leaps and bounds, especially from my first season in the Valley. My first season – obviously a lot of injury, sitting out months, coming back for a couple of games, getting injured again – so it was a big plus just being healthy in general, which obviously then gave me more confidence on the court.

My first year was a lot of, if there was one mistake I was pretty much out of the game mentally and just didn’t want to play, whereas this year, no matter what happened, I was still just going to play hard and go.

At this point, we are interrupted by a COVID protocols check call that McDowell-White had to take. He had warned me before we started that they call at random times and we may be interrupted.

Sorry about that Tom.

No problem. You did warn me that might happen.  

 

So this year you had a lot more confidence in your game, you weren’t down on yourself mentally and I guess you got a lot more out of the experience this time around?

Yeah, exactly.

 

Now you’ll have an opportunity to play a solid stint in the NBL. What attracted you to this role with the Breakers? What kind of conversations did you have with Dan Shamir and Matt Walsh?

Well, it kind of came really quick, obviously because I’d never really heard from New Zealand while I was in the bubble. I was in LA for about two or three days and that’s kind of where it came about.

With Dan, he was just telling me and my agent how they had a lot of injuries, especially with Corey who is a huge part of, not just New Zealand but the NBL in general.

So the thing that attracted us the most was, Dan just harped on how he needed another creator. I’ve watched a couple of games now and what they’re doing with Tai [Webster], it’s just a face guard. Don’t let him touch the ball, so it’ll certainly be good to come in and take a bit of load off his hands and I guess, just make it easier for him.

But also, it will also be good just having a role. Last time I was in the NBL I was obviously only 18, a young kid, so it’ll be good showing people how much my game has improved and how much more mature it’s become since being that little kid coming in.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL21?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL21</a> won&#39;t be the first time we have seen Will McDowell-White on an NBL court.<br><br>As an 18 year-old in 2017 he suited up for the <a href="https://twitter.com/SydneyKings?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SydneyKings</a> as a DP.<br><br>What are you expecting from the <a href="https://twitter.com/NZBreakers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NZBreakers</a> recruit and <a href="https://twitter.com/BasketballAus?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BasketballAus</a> Boomers Olympic squad member? ? <a href="https://t.co/6uvIyl1Gtg">pic.twitter.com/6uvIyl1Gtg</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1372334969436000258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Did you have a chance to follow the NBL while you were in the bubble this year?

Yeah, I tried to follow it as much as I could. It was pretty much looking at scores and stats. It was a bit tough with the time difference to wake up at 3am and watch games, but I was still following the league and what was happening around it.

 

You mentioned your time with the Sydney Kings, which was the start of your pro career back in 2016/17. There was a lot of hype surrounding you then and I recall your coach at the time, Andrew Gaze, saying you’ll be a Boomer some day. Did that kind of talk at that stage of your career, help or hinder you in terms of how your game has developed?

I would say it helped. I guess with Drewy, obviously he’s the greatest Australian player, so to have someone like that say that about me – you know I never even thought I’d have the chance to ever be picked in a squad – it also gave me the confidence to think that I can actually play at this level and hopefully take my game further, and develop into a man and just work hard.

I did it. I got named in the squad, which I didn’t think I would. I didn’t think I did enough, especially over the past couple of years. Didn’t really think I deserved to get that call, but it’s just a call you can’t turn down, you know? So, I’m just excited.

 

I was going to come to that, but obviously Drewy may have been right because you have been named to that Boomers squad for the Tokyo Olympics. So besides being surprised, what was it like to receive that call from Goorj and when you go into Boomers Camp in a few months from now, how are you planning to approach that process and give yourself the best shot of making that team?

That’s one of the moments I’ll probably remember for the rest of my life, getting that call from Goorj. Like I said, I didn’t really think I would get it. At least right now, I thought for sure there was no chance I would get that call.

But when I go there, I guess I’m just going to do whatever I can to make the team. I know that it’s an extremely long shot for myself individually to do that, but I’m just excited.

I’m going to be on the same court as some of the best players in the world. Having another indigenous guy in Patty is going to be pretty cool.

I’m just going to take the whole experience as it comes and whatever happens happens. I’m just grateful to have gotten that call from Goorj.

 

Was being present in Australia in front of Goorj one of the reasons you chose to come back and play in the NBL now?

Yeah I think that’s it, that’s a good reason. Just so he can see up close, not just him, obviously everyone else as well, but just to see what it’s like day to day to be around me and see what I’m like as a person as well, instead of just a basketball player, will be good.

It’s hard to turn down when you can play in front of the National Team Coach.

 

Tell the New Zealand Breakers fans and NBL fans, how has your game evolved since that rookie season with the Kings?

Oh, it’s definitely changed a lot. I think back then, I was too timid to do anything because obviously being 18, you don’t want to be a liability out there, so you can keep getting your name called to go in the game.

But now, I think the IQ has changed a lot. I’ll try and control the tempo of the game as much as I can. Being a point guard, that’s what you have to do. But [also] I think more so the physicality; obviously back then I was only a kid, but just being able to take hits.

I think back then I was more just a spot up guy, just enter the ball somewhere and run off to the corner, whereas now it’s going to be a little different, coming off a lot of pick and rolls, and just making a lot of decisions which they’ve never really seen from me before.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What’s Will McDowell-White going to bring to the <a href="https://twitter.com/NZBreakers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NZBreakers</a>?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheHuddle?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheHuddle</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/derekrucker5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@derekrucker5</a> <a href="https://t.co/LPFepiA7ZD">pic.twitter.com/LPFepiA7ZD</a></p>&mdash; Liam Santamaria (@Liam_Santa) <a href="https://twitter.com/Liam_Santa/status/1372388714001797121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Have you given any thought yet to your next move after the NBL season and potentially a trip to Tokyo? Are you still in touch with the Rockets organisation?

I spoke to my agent before I left to come here. He said Summer League is going ahead so I guess I’ll be in that. We’ve spoken with the Rockets a little bit and they want me to keep coming back and giving it a shot.

I believe there’s another two or three other NBA teams that are asking a little bit, so after this I’ll probably go back over, work out and see what Summer League does.

After Summer League, we’ll just go from there. Whatever’s the best option, whether it’s here, overseas – whatever’s the best fit.

 

Finally, what can we expect to see from you with the Breakers and how do you think you can help this team? You touched on some of it before in terms of helping to relieve Tai, but how are you going to approach this stint and what are you hoping to achieve with this team?

Well first of all, just to win some games. I know they’ve had a rough season, which is obviously what’s going to happen with injury.

But I just want to come in, be assertive and gain the respect from my teammates and the league, and really just show what I can do instead of deferring a lot to other people and just shying away from the moment.

I want people to know that I’m not scared to take on that role of being a leader at such a young age and progress from that.

 

Thanks so much Will. I really appreciate your time.

No problem.  I’ve got nothing else to do [laughs]. I’m just here all the time.