Former Nicholls men’s basketball player Anatoly Bose is starting as a rookie and averaging 14.5 points and 6.5 rebounds a game for the Sydney Kings.

The Sydney Kings is one of nine teams that play for the National Basketball League in Australia. The Kings are currently in a rebuilding period while trying to find consistency in a young and inexperienced team.

“The season is going below average,” Bose said. “We have a very skilled team on paper, but we are also the youngest team in the league and therefore pretty inconsistent.”

As a rookie, Bose is getting a lot of playing time. “I’m currently starting and playing between 25 and 30 minutes a game,” Bose said.

Since a very young age, Bose has always strived to play in the NBA. The NBA lockout prevented him from receiving the maximum exposure he needed to get drafted out of a small Division I college like Nicholls. Although he was not drafted in the 2011-2012 season, he plans to continue his journey to make it to the NBA.

Bose is eager to finish off his season with the Sydney Kings on a good note and see what opportunities are ahead for him.

“The NBA is always my main goal, and I will always strive to get there,” Bose said. “Europe is always an option too. I am mainly trying to finish the season off over here and then see what opportunities I get after that.”

According to Bose the main difference in playing on the collegiate level and professional level is responsibility.

“The biggest difference between college and pro is that you have to be a lot more responsible for yourself,” Bose said. “At the pro level, it’s a job and it’s your responsibility to get yourself at 100% on a daily basis.”

Bose is grateful for the opportunity to play professional ball.

“What I enjoy most about playing at the professional level is that it pays for my life,” Bose said. “I don’t have to sit behind a desk or do something I don’t want to do just to earn the money. I get to play the game I love, and the game takes care of everything else for me.”