‘Beast’ ready to take MU to ‘the next level’

Jo Lual-Acuil Jr is back and his teammates are excited about it.

After averaging 16.4 points, 9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game in his last stint with Melbourne United, the big-man is ready to dominate once again in hopes of securing his second championship with the club.

JLA will hit the court alongside Luke Travers for the first time on Friday night and needless to say, the emerging forward is pumped to see what the team can achieve with him back in the lineup.

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“It’s obviously super exciting for the group,” Travers said speaking to Andrew Gaze and Andre Maher on SEN 1116 yesterday.

“Everyone is sort of hitting their stride at the moment heading into this stage of the season but to add an MVP candidate is unbelievable for us.

“Our defence has been good but with him in the middle, the way he communicated on ball screens, it should take us to the next level.

“Also the offensive presence that he brings, his elite touch around the ring, an absolute beast post scorer at the same time, we’re adding a very good piece and we’re all excited for it.”

Without looking past the clash with Illawarra on Friday, Head Coach Dean Vickerman added his excitement to see Lual-Acuil Jr make his return to John Cain Arena on Sunday as part of The Multicultural Game.

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“It’s a game that he had circled,” he said of Sunday.

“It’s an important statement about who we are as a club, the nationalities that we represent and the flags that we have hanging in our gym.

“For Jo, im being a proud South Sudanese (man), he wants to see his people rise up and to be a role model to them and for other South Sudanese people to come through our pathway.

“His pathway hasn’t finished yet, he wants to go to the Olympics and make the NBA. He wants to go as high as he can but right now his focus is winning a championship and he’d love to see young South Sudanese kids do that.”

United will face the Illawarra Hawks on Friday evening from 7:30pm. The game will be broadcast on ESPN via Kayo.

Following this, they will return home for The Multicultural Game against the New Zealand Breakers on Sunday afternoon from 2pm.

Tickets are still available, so get in quick and secure your seat to what is always a major highlight of United’s season.