What are dads for, eh? Whether you’re an elite athlete or not, you can always count on them to catch you when you fall, offer unsolicited advice when you need it most and, on occasion, humble you like no one else. Just ask NBA centre Jock Landale…
It was a busy day for the Australian players stateside during the NBA’s free agency day. Jock Landale was one of five Australian players who sealed big NBA contracts during the day last week, securing the bag with the Houston Rockets on a four-year deal worth $32 million USD (~$48 million AUD), after finishing last season strongly with West Conference semi-finalists the Phoenix Suns.
Landale said that it had been a “whirlwind” few days since the announcement of the transfer news, with his phone ringing non-stop with friends and family reaching out to congratulate him on the biggest contract of his career. And he felt it pertinent to share the good news with his loving dad via FaceTime – lucky there was a camera recording to capture the heartfelt moment.
For a professional basketball player like Landale, countless hours must’ve been spent for his dad on the touchline, driving him to and from practice and keeping him in gear as he continued to grow beyond 2 metres, so the news that Jock had signed a new multi-million multi-year deal with the Houston Rockets would’ve surely been met with raucous celebration. But what did his dad say instead? “Bulls***!”
WATCH The hilarious moment NBA’s Jock Landale revealed his Houston Rockets deal to his dad below.
Posting to his official Tiktok account, Landale wrote: “All athletes know how much their parents/ wives/ families sacrifice for us to pursue this so seeing their reactions meant the world to me. Wish I’d captured them all but this will have to do. Sorry Old Fella!”
Landale’s upturn in form came at a crucial time for the Australian centre as the Suns fell to the Nuggets in the finals. Staring at free agency ahead of the 2023/24 season, Landale knew that a “whirlwind” market would await him with a number of potential suitors emerging for his signature, but even after securing this deal, Landale knows that nothing is guaranteed.
Speaking with ESPN, he said: “I also feel that, given it’s non-guaranteed, there’s no ability for me to take my foot off the gas, and I feel that’s really important and plays into my character a bit. I’ve still got to earn everything.”
The regular NBA season is scheduled to begin in October 2023.