‘He’s a monster’ says Goulding of Hukporti

Ariel Hukporti has quickly put the league on notice as one of the most damaging big-men in the NBL.

Over the course of Round 1, Hukporti tallied 24 rebounds and eight blocks in just 48 minutes, more than anyone else in either category.

Speaking on RSN927 on Wednesday morning, MU Captain Chris Goulding praised Hukporti for his ‘monster’ performance ahead of a matchup with past United center Marcus Lee and the Tasmania JackJumpers on Sunday afternoon in The Grassroots game.

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“He’s a monster,” he said.

“He’s just scratching the surface of what he can do… He’s one of our fastest players at seven-foot. The way he can move around the floor is just exceptional and he creates so many opportunities for others that in time, he’ll create opportunities for himself.

“(He’s only) five or six games back from an achilles rupture, I think we’re really going to see how good he can be when we get to the middle and back end of the year.”

Hukporti’s reputation as a game changer is clearly front of mind for opposing teams, with some comparing his impact to that of three-time league MVP Bryce Cotton, according to the NBL’s Liam Santamaria.  

“I bumped into Luc Longley at the Blitz after Melbourne United had taken care of the Sydney Kings and he said ‘Man, we had no answer for Ariel Hukporti,” he told viewers on NBL Overtime.

“He said ‘I’ve been telling our group Bryce Cotton and Ariel Hukporti are going to be the two biggest problems for teams this season.’

“That’s a massive call from the big fella… but it’s recognition of how talented and how motivated Ariel Hukporti is coming into this season.”

The excitement surrounding United continues to build heading into their matchup with the Tasmania JackJumpers in The Grassroots Game on Sunday afternoon.

This will be the first of Melbourne’s four Super Sunday games across October. Get in quick to lock in your seat for each of these blockbuster matchups, or pick a three or five game membership.