Tara Murray
Twelve months is a long time in sport, just ask Roor Akhuar.
This time last year, the Wyndham teenager was starting to find his feet representing Wyndham on the basketball court,
Having only started playing representative basketball in top age under-16s, his upside was massive.
This was seen by Basketball Victoria selectors and was named in the Vic Metro under-18 side for the 2024 national championships.
That was quickly followed by receiving a scholarship for the Centre of Excellence. He has since been selected in the Australian under-17 team for the under-17 Basketball World Cup.
“I didn’t even think it was going to happen,” Akhuar said of the past 12 months.
“Making the Vic team and then the Australian team.
“It was crazy to me, I never thought I would play. I was just playing with my local club and rep basketball, I didn’t even think I had a chance.”
Akhuar said he started a development program late last year and everything started to happen from there.
He said it had been more of a steady build up and he’d been working on some stuff with more improvement to come.
Akhuar made the move up to Canberra in January to join the COE.
“It’s cold but it’s good,” he said. “It’s a better place for improvement.
“We train for an hour and half every day including gym sessions. I get to play against the best and you learn a lot from them too.”
At the nationals in June, Akhuar wasn’t expecting to play a big role.
He did and it resulted in him putting his name even further in front of Australian selectors.
“I was amazed to be honest, all the hard work has paid off,” he said.
“I knew it [being at the COE] would help, but I always had that doubt in my mind. I just started playing with my state not that long ago.
“These guys have been playing for years.”
While winning a gold medal is the aim for Akhuar, he said the main thing was having fun and cherishing the opportunity.
The world stage is a long way from Wyndham where he has played all his basketball previously.
He said it’s a good club and it’s close to home.
He was set to be part of Wyndham’s championship side this year. Last season he didn’t even try out for the youth league side as he didn’t think he’d make the team.
Akhuar is part of a growing talented number of players to come from the association. The under-18 team he was a part of, recently played at the National Junior Classic.
“I started organised basketball when I was about eight,” he said.
“They were at the classic…I was hoping to play in that, but I couldn’t.”
Long term, Akhuar wants to go college with the representing the Australian Boomers a long term goal.
“I just want to get a college scholarship first and see where it goes from there.”
