Early in December Jock Landale answered a call that he wasn't hoping to receive. On the line was his agent Sammy Wloszczowski, informing him he was being assigned to the San Antonio Spurs G League affiliate in Austin.
"First thing that came to my mind was 'what the hell is going on, is this the end?'," Landale told ESPN. "I was rattled, I won't lie to you. But that was on initially hearing the news.
"Luckily, I have an incredible agent that puts up with so much of my crap. He said that he expected something like this could happen and he reminded me that before the season he asked me about this situation and asked would I do it. I said 'absolutely, no brainer, I would 100 percent do that if that's what it takes to become a regular rotation player'."
Pushing the initial disappointment and frustration to the side, Landale put together a dominant two-game set against Texas, averaging 27 points, seven rebounds and four assists on a sizzling 22-for-27 from the field before being re-called to the NBA.
Desperate to prove he was a dominant force at G League level, Landale played through a searing migraine in the second matchup, in a move that was questioned by team staff and his agent.
"I had an unbelievably bad migraine heading into the second game to the point where I couldn't see. I lose my vision for 30 minutes, as people do. I was sitting in the hallway before this G League game with a towel over my head trying to get my vision back.
"I got it back maybe three minutes before tip. The first half I wasn't great, I was seeing glazed things everywhere, the GM came to me and told me not be a hero. In my mind, I was like 'screw that'."
Landale now looks back on the experience as a positive one, with the opening months of his rookie season producing a difficult mental challenge, as concussion and COVID left him on the sideline before minimal minutes became the norm in a busy big man rotation in San Antonio.
"It was good for my mental state," Landale admits. "It gave me an outlet to get out some frustration that I wasn't playing and remind myself how awesome this game is that we play.
"I just missed playing for a win or loss and I know that might be cliché, but when you come in and it's a blowout, you're playing for yourself at that point. You aren't really playing for a win or a loss because the game is already set in stone.
"Getting out there and reminding myself how much I enjoy playing for a win was so important for me and gave me a really big confidence boost coming back to the big team. I needed that, I needed to play some five-on-five."
On return to the NBA, the 26-year-old played spot minutes in two games, before former Boomer and Spurs assistant coach Matthew Nielson approached him at half time of the December 17 game in Utah.
"We came out of half time and Matt Neilson, fellow Australian who has been awesome for me, he came up and said: 'get yourself ready, you're going to be first big off the bench'," Landale recalled.
"That's one of the biggest lessons I've learned through all this, the ultimate professional has to be ready at all times. When that opportunity arose, I was ready, but I will say that it was the most nervous I've been for a game in my entire life. I was sitting there for a half thinking it might be another DNP and then all of a sudden, I was like, 'what the hell is going on?' I started getting so freaked out, but I just went in there and it played out."
The breakthrough opportunity has led to an encouraging run of eclipsing 10 minutes in seven out of the last eight San Antonio outings, with a career-best 18-point effort coming in a home win over the Detroit Pistons in that stretch.
"I would say I need to be a little more aggressive in scoring and (head coach Gregg Popovich) kind of alluded to that," Landale said of his recent performances.
"These guys play a different style, the staff has been on me. They want me to shoot more and until I start missing them, shoot them. It's a really enjoyable job, I'm loving my role and I think it's a role I could excel in for a really long time."
It's only early days, but just weeks removed from internally questioning where his future lied, Landale is proving his capabilities as an NBA player. Determined to stay level-headed, regular check ins with his fellow Boomers teammates have proven important, particularly with those who have carved out lengthy careers in the league.
"The guys have been super helpful just trying to help me find my feet," Landale said.
"When I wasn't playing it was Bogues, Joe (Ingles), Patty (Mills) telling me to stay the course. When I started playing it was reminding me that nothing changes, keep your head down. It's cool to be a part of it, they've been great in teaching me that I'm in the NBA but who cares, it's basketball, just be consistent in who you are as a person and how you approach the game.
"I never really get away from some anxiety or stress, it's now how I manage expectations and try and focus on it from day-by-day. When I start to get too far out in front of myself, that obviously turns into a bit of a crap show, but it's focusing on the next game. It's a work in progress, I'm no expert at it but I think my approach really works for me and I just verbalise my concerns and a lot of people won't do that."
