Windler on whirlwind trip, NBL25 hopes

The 27-year-old former first-round NBA draft pick signed with the Wildcats on Thursday before getting on a plane to Perth from Nashville, via San Francisco and Melbourne, and landing on Sunday.

Windler had his first training session with his new teammates at Bendat Basketball Centre on Tuesday morning before joining the team for their pre-season trip to Japan in the afternoon.

“This is definitely, by far, the craziest travel schedule I have ever done,” Windler said.

“It was four-and-a-half hours to San Francisco and 16 to Melbourne, then another four over here to Perth. Two days later it’s another nine or 10 to go to Japan. It’s a pretty crazy travel schedule.”

The left-handed sharpshooter is hoping to play in one of the Wildcats' three games in Japan as he works his way back from a minor ankle issue.

Windler said while his ultimate goal was to get back to the NBA, and felt the NBL was the right place to do that, he was bought in to the Wildcats program as they look to win an 11th championship.

“I’ve seen a lot of guys come from this league and get to the NBA or go back to the NBA. I know a lot of scouts are watching,” he said.

“It’s high level basketball that has a good reputation around the NBA. Obviously the ultimate goal is to get back to the NBA for me. But now that I’m here, I’m bought in to this program and this organisation.

“I’m going to help them to win as many games as I can. If getting back to the NBA is a bi-product of that, then that is awesome.”

Wildcats head coach John Rillie has made no secret of his team's rebounding focus, and Windler hopes he can make an impact on the boards.

Windler broke the G-League rebounding record earlier this year with a whopping 33, nine more than the previous record.

“I saw they struggled on the defensive glass last year. Throughout college I averaged double-digit rebounds. It’s something I excel at so I think I can help them there,” he said.

“A lot of it is just the mentality. Beating guys to the spot and crashing it every time. You have to have a high motor. you’ve got to have a knack for following the ball off the rim.”