Rayjon Tucker "Finding Himself" in Melbourne

According to Melbourne United import Rayjon Tucker – his time is now.

Tucker’s individual campaign in NBL23 seems to have reflected in Melbourne’s results such is his importance to the team. As he’s lifted his game in recent weeks United have started to pick up more wins – in no game has that been more evident than last Thursday’s Throwdown win over South East Melbourne.

‘The Flight’ went on a scoring tear in that game – he finished with 33 points as United cruised to a 16-point victory.

Melbourne is the latest in a series of stops in Tucker’s young career so far after representing Philadelphia, Utah, Denver and Milwaukee in the NBA.

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Still just 25 years of age, he says he believes Melbourne is the city where he’s found himself as a basketballer.

“We go through life and we’re such a ‘now’ generation. We want everything now [but] sometimes you might not be ready for the opportunities you seek,” Tucker said on Under the Surface with Anneli Maley.

“I think now just being here and having those opportunities to grow and getting the love I’m getting out here, I’m figuring it out … the consistency is how you get your opportunity and how things start to pan out.

“Right now I can see this is where I’m at and this is what I have to do – here is where I found myself for real in basketball.”

During his time in the NBA Tucker crossed paths with some of the biggest stars and largest personalities in the game. He can count the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Rudy Gobert and Nikola Jokic amongst his former teammates.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Rayjon Tucker skies for the alley oop ? <a href="https://t.co/qk7oUlQh4Z">pic.twitter.com/qk7oUlQh4Z</a></p>&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1547322759495262208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

He’s come to the NBL with the goal of becoming a leader on a Melbourne United side with a history of success. Aside from the on-court lessons he learned during his time in the NBA, Tucker has also added an appreciation for taking each person for who they are.

“Being around those guys you learn a lot of different things with personalities – everybody is not the same,” he said.

“You have guys like Giannis who are super humble and don’t really say too much, but then you’ve got other superstar guys who are like ‘I know who I am, take it or leave it’. It’s super hard.

“It comes with learning your surroundings in a way you can be yourself but not step on toes … you have to keep working, stay consistent and not let that dawn on your work ethic, how you go about your day or just enjoying the game – sometimes it can take the joy out of things because you’re worrying about things at the wrong time”

While everybody gets to see ‘Rayjon Tucker, the basketballer’ multiple times a week, don’t be fooled into thinking that gives you an insight into ‘Rayjon Tucker, the man’.

Tucker has gained a reputation of being a walking highlight in his short time in the NBL. Wherever he goes there’s no lack of massive dunks, on-court sledging, flexing, or passion – and he’s aware of the image that portrays of him. An image he doesn’t believe represents the real him.

“Everybody sees me play on the court and they’re like ‘he’s arrogant, he’s show-timey’ but when you get to know me off the court it’s like ‘woah, you’re completely opposite’. I love to joke, love to have fun, I’m laughing, smiling all the time,” Tucker said.

“I’ve indulged myself so much in basketball that it’s like ‘what else do I do?’

“I’ve found other things I loke to do. I make music – I go to the studio and talk about some of the things I’ve seen and been through and that gives me an outlet … I’m really into clothes and fashion so I’m taking that slowly, step by step while still being able to do what I do on the court.”

Click here to view the latest episode of Under the Surface with Anneli Maley.