US college ace on trial with Wildcats
The Perth Wildcats will trial American youngster Drake U’u over the next week with a view to signing him as an injury replacement player for the 2013-14 NBL season.
U’u, 23, has an Australian mother and the Wildcats have already started the process to have him cleared to play as a local.
The 196cm, 95kg guard would be rated as a three-point player under the NBL player points system and could replace injured recruit Mathiang Muo on the roster.
Muo signed a three-year deal with the Wildcats in June but was last week ruled out for up to a year with a torn Achilles tendon.
U’u spent the past three years with California Polytechnic State University in the NCAA Division 1 Big West Conference and has played in the US college system against young Australian guard Matthew Dellavedova, new Wildcats import James Ennis and Perth great Scott Fisher’s University of Hawaii.
In 30 games with the Mustangs as a college senior in 2012-13, U’u averaged 5.0 points, 2.4 assists and 0.7 steals.
Wildcats coach Trevor Gleeson said U’u was due to arrive today and would join pre-season training tomorrow.
“We’re going to work him out for a week and see what he’s like and go from there,” Gleeson said.
“We’ve heard that he’s 6’5 (196cm), strong, tough and can play one, two or three.
“We really want to get him in and have a good look at him.
“We’re throwing him in the deep end but he’s excited by it.”
The Wildcats are hopeful of securing a second import by the end of the week but are mindful of creating the right team balance on the roster.
