Selfless by design: Why Iwundu, Phoenix are built for Finals

Ever since he arrived at the South East Melbourne Phoenix mid-season, he’s been flying under the radar, with a number of his teammates claiming the limelight.

And that’s just fine for American import Wes Iwundu, who looms as one of the Phoenix’s most important pieces heading into the NBL26 Finals.

“I'm okay not being the first guy or the first guy on the poster,” Iwundu said to NBL Media on Monday.

“My whole career has been being that guy, not getting all the signs, and it's something I've gotten accustomed to.

“But for me, it’s just helped me continue to play longer, as I'm not usually worried about all that extra stuff.

“[In the same vein] I'm happy for my guys that do get it, because I know how important I am to help them get that.

“For me, at the end of the day, if we win the game, I'm walking away with a smile on my face.”

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Iwundu’s unselfish nature also resonates with the whole organisation, with Josh King commenting on that strength during the recent NBL26 Finals Launch.

Having played in the United States, Germany and Greece, Iwundu appreciates how special playing for a sefless team and organisation is.

“You don't see this too often,” he said.

“Once you see that on the team, it's a good feeling for everybody from the coach down to the last guy on the bench.

“It just gives everyone that confidence to believe in each other, trust each other, and that goes a long way with your team on the court.”

The other element of trust King instils in his players is his style of play.

“It's just about going out there and not worrying about mistakes,” 31-year-old Iwundu said.

“JK’s message is always, we'd rather get up shots versus turn the ball over.

“The message he portrayed throughout the team in terms of instilling confidence in players and making sure players are feeling good, goes a long way for us to go out there, play our games freely and try to win these games.”

While he’s averaging 12.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2 assists per game on the season, those marks have been gradually increasing the further the season goes, as the Houston native gets acclimated to the competition.

“To say the least, it [the NBL] has been fun,” he said.

“When I first got here, it was normal for my body to adjust to the time, but after that, I hit the ground running. My legs finally came up under me, and everything felt good.

“Being here in this system helps a lot [with that too] because of the confidence they instil in the players to go out there and just do what you have to do. It's a fun thing.”

While his offensive output is increasing with each passing game, one element that has been evident since his debut in Round 6 against Sydney is Iwundu's defence.

He, along with the NBL’s Defensive Player of the Year John Brown III, have been the heartbeat on that end of the floor for the Heartland club.

“I’ve been doing it [defence] for a long time, and it's nice having a guy like JB who's also on that end,” he said.

“That all feeds into the type of style [we’re trying to play] and it goes a long way [for us trying to win basketball games].

“For me and JB being those energy guys out there and having it pass on to the rest of the team, it goes a long way for us [being successful].”

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The Phoenix, who finished with a franchise-best 22-11 record during the regular season, will look to carry that form into Wednesday’s Seeding Qualifier against Perth.

If they do, Iwundu is confident they can make a deep Finals run and secure the club’s maiden NBL crown.

“We've got to really lock in on these guys [Perth]. It's a good team. We've faced them plenty of times, and they’ve beaten us the last two times,” he said.

“[It’s important we’re] trying to make sure our attention to detail is very special going into this game, to give ourselves the best chance to win it.

“Honestly, we’ve got all the pieces. From one to whatever it goes, we can have all the pieces and all the depth needed to make a deep run in these playoffs [starting on Wednesday].

“When I look at our team compared to other teams, I think we're the deepest in the league, and that's going to take us a long way in the playoffs.

“Certain guys might be tired on the other teams, but we’ve got another body to throw out there for a moment and give our guys some rest.

“We have the right mindset and the right bodies to make a great playoff run.”

Wednesday’s Seeding Qualifier at John Cain Arena tips off at 7.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN.