REGENSBURG (David Hein's Eye on the Future) - Sure, it might just be a dunk, but Terrance Ferguson's vicious throw-down late in the Adelaide 36ers' most recent victory might signify the start of a major up-turn for the young American star.

Ferguson came into the 36ers' game against Brisbane Bullets on Thursday November 24 following his poorest showing in the Australian NBL. The two-time FIBA youth world champion collected 0 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 shots taken and 3 turnovers in nearly 20 minutes of action in an 18-point loss against Brisbane on November 19.

What a difference a game makes as Ferguson was given a boost of confidence by Adelaide coach Joey Wright with his first start as a professional and the 18-year-old picked up 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting, 3 assists, 2 offensive rebounds, 1 steal and 0 turnovers in 24 minutes of an 18-point victory. The highlight was Ferguson’s emphatic dunk after soaring in from the right side.

What's impressive about Ferguson's performance is that it's the second time he has come back from a scoreless showing with a strong one. After opening his professional career with 10 points he then went scoreless in five minutes of his next game. In his third game, Ferguson rebounded with 13 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound and 1 block.

Ferguson of course made headlines around the world when he decided to turn down a chance to play collegiately at the University of Arizona to turn professional in Australia. He was following in the footsteps of players such as Brandon Jennings and Emmanuel Mudiay - guys who passed up college to play pro overseas.

The Texas native Ferguson hasn't regretted his decision at all.

"The overseas route was the best decision I ever made," Ferguson said on The Sidelines with Evan Daniels podcast. "I mean the development over here … I'm playing against grown men and getting prepared for the next level, which is the NBA, hopefully. It's also a chance to help fix up my family a little earlier than I expected. I'm honored to have the opportunity to play over here."

The 10 points was the third time this season Ferguson had scored in double digits and he is averaging 6.3 points a game while grabbing 1.4 rebounds and hitting 37 percent of his threes.

Ferguson admitted things in Australia have been difficult with homesickness - despite having his mom with him Down Under - and seeing his playing time and touches diminish after a good start. There was also the issue from late October when he was suspended for two games for allegedly punching an opponent in a game.

But Ferguson is trying to stay focused and not get too down on himself.

And he definitely can feel good about himself after a strong showing on the American holiday Thanksgiving.

Physically, Ferguson does not look out of place in the NBL. He looks a bit skinny still but it's not a problem that opponents can really take advantage of at all.

Ferguson proved difficult for Brisbane star Torrey Craig to get around – after having scored 34 in the teams' match-up last weekend. The American also distracted a Brisbane big man into a turnover in the post - despite being undersized. And a Bullets center was called for hooking Ferguson later in the post.

Ferguson also hounded Brisbane ball-handlers all over the court throughout the game and his quick hands resulted in one steal getting back on defense.

Offensively, Ferguson is still quite passive, which is not really a surprise considering the guard combo of Jerome Randle and Nathan Sobey combine for 28.2 shots per game through nine contests. The next highest was center Daniel Johnson's 11 attempts per contest.

Ferguson spends a lot of his time on offense waiting in the corner, especially on the right side. He did drive a couple of times in the big victory, dishing to his big men in the post. Ferguson also got around Craig's defense but could not hit a 16-foot jumper before later driving from the left wing and hitting a righty hook. All told, his seven shots attempts were the most he has taken since the eight he attempted on October 16.

Ferguson also exhibited the little things of being a good teammate - racing over a number of times to help up teammates from the floor. And he grabbed two offensive rebounds.

Of course, then came the massive dunk in the fourth quarter, which ignited one of the biggest blips on the Twittersphere that the Australian NBL has seen.

This experience already has been so valuable for Ferguson, getting the chance to be on his own far away and play against grown men. It will be a huge asset for him as he develops into an NBA player. He is also learning great lessons in not being the main man on a team and how to pick and choose his moments to impact the game.

One of the craziest things is that Ferguson is a 1998-born player, meaning next summer he can still return to the United States youth ranks and try to win the 2017 FIBA U19 World Championship title in Cairo, which would be his second FIBA U19 Worlds crown following 2015 in Crete. He also collected the crown at the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship.

Ferguson would definitely take a leadership role next summer at the FIBA U19 Worlds if he plays. Especially after going through the maturing process he is currently experiencing in Australia. That dunk might kick-start his career to some major heights.

David Hein

FIBA

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