Duncan Good Talent
AS a 14-year-old swimmer, Nick Duncan was a super talent - winning nine medals at the Australian Schools Swimming Championships 18 months ago.
With all-round abilities to compete in the individual medley, the young swimmer had aspirations to go all the way to the Olympic Games.
“I gave it up for basketball because I was making Australian teams and it was too hard to train in both,” the now 16-year-old said.
“Now that I think about it, it’s been good as I’ve progressed with basketball and I’ve just got more time with basketball, instead of swimming.”
Standing an imposing 199cm tall and weighing about 90kg, Nick is still growing.
At last week’s Australian under 18s Championships, the teenager helped NSW win over Victoria.
It was the second successive title for Nick as a NSW representative, helping the state win the 16s crown the previous year.
NSW 18s coach Mark Watkins, who helped Nick decide between swimming and basketball, believes the kid could have excelled at any sport.
“He’s a pretty good athlete,” Watkins said.
“I’m sure there’s a lot of sports that would like to have a player like him. He’s mobile and can do anything.
“He was a very good swimmer and still is, but he found the training load with both sports was very high.
“I sat down with him and his parents and he decided to go with basketball, which is good news for us. Since then, he’s really excelled at the game.”
Two-time Olympian Brad Dalton, Nick’s coach at St Augustine’s College, said his pupil is capable of anything.
“He’s probably one of the most talented people I have coached,” the ex-Sydney King said.
“I think he’s got a big future in basketball, he can definitely play college in America, that’s like a stepping stone (to the NBA).
“If he can get into a good college and depending on him going well, the sky’s the limit.
“All the opposition he’s played against in Australia, he’s dominated, that’s a very good sign.”
