For 90 days get to know more about the international faces of the NBA. Day 23 brings…
Matthew Dellavedova (G, Cleveland Cavaliers), Australia
Height: 1.93m, 6-foot-4 | Weight: 90.7kg, 200 pounds | Born: 8 September 1990
When it comes to appreciating Matthew Dellavedova, there's a lot of 'un' to work with.
Undersized. Understated. Undrafted.
In a season that saw the Cleveland Cavaliers select first in the NBA Draft, it was their first-year, undrafted Aussie point guard who made the biggest impact. Earning 20 votes for the All-Rookie Teams (though not enough to lock up a spot on the First or Second Teams), Dellavedova – known for his scrappiness – looked as poised on the game's highest stage as any NBA rookie in 2013-14.
He wasn't flashy. But, in a year as the Cavs' reserve point guard, he didn't need to be.
Asked to bring energy without adding too much risk, Dellavedova posted the league's second-best assist-to-turnover ratio among rookies, with his 3.12 falling just shy of Nate Wolters' 3.28.
Among first-year players who appeared in at least 50 games, he finished third in NetRtg (when he's on the floor, how many points his team outscores the opponent per 100 possessions). And among qualified rookies (more than 50 appearances) who took more than two 3-pointers a game, he finished third in 3-point percentage.
And in 2014-15, a player many didn't expect to make an NBA roster will have a chance to play with LeBron James. Which means, when it comes to Dellavedova's potential, there's one more 'un':
Unlimited.
Key Stats:
2013-14 Season: GP: 72 | MIN: 17.7 | PTS: 4.7 | REB: 1.7 | AST: 2.8 | TO: 0.8 | 3FG%: 36.8
2013-14 Season Highlight: Dellavedova rattled off back-to-back double-doubles on 20 and 22 Mar, going for 11 points and 10 assists against Oklahoma City, then 14 and 10 against the Knicks.
5 Things To Know
1. Dellavedova played arguably the biggest role in turning Saint Mary's (California) into an NCAA power, finishing his career with the Gaels as the program's all-time leader in points, assists, free-throw percentage and games played. When he graduated, Saint Mary's retired his No. 4 jersey.
2. He's nicknamed 'Delly' by teammates and coaches.
3. Dellavedova gave up his No. 9 Cavaliers jersey to Luol Deng when the Cavs acquired the All-Star forward at mid-season, wearing No. 8 the rest of the way.
4. After being cut from the 2010 World Championship team, he'll compete for the Australian National Team in this fall's FIBA World Cup, alongside fellow NBA players Dante Exum, Aron Baynes and Cameron Bairstow.
5. He finished third in assists per game at the 2014 NBA Summer League, at 4.7 per game.
Check out Dellavedova's photos and video in the LEAGUE section of NBA Game Time.
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