Perth Wildcats putting plans in place to get Ben Henshall to the NBA after he signed new NBL contract

Perth Wildcats are confident they can provide Ben Henshall with all of the support and opportunities he needs to get to the NBA after he re-signed with the club following a quashed attempt to play college basketball in the US. Henshall signed a two-year deal to remain a Wildcat as he chases his NBA dream. The 21-year-old withdrew from the NBA draft after doing workouts with clubs in America and initially focused on gaining eligibility to stay in the United States and play college basketball. Staying in the US would have given him the chance to directly compete with draft rivals in front of NBA scouts and earn a significant wage under NIL deals. But Henshall quickly turned his attention back to the NBL once it became clear that college wasn’t an option. Wildcats general manager of basketball operations Danny Mills said the club was focused on helping him to reach the next level. “He’s taken feedback from his draft process,” Mills told The West Australian. “The opportunity we have here is similar to last year. He took big steps as a starter for us and was a big part in the team’s success. All of the young guys have aspirations and dreams to get to a higher level. We provide a good platform here in Perth. “Our coaches do a great job with development. That’s the next stage for Ben. He’s only 21 and has a long career ahead of him. Returning here to a familiar environment where he’s comfortable was the best thing for him. “We thought he took strides last year defensively so that will continue to be a point of emphasis. He’ll play off the ball and he’ll play some on it to showcase his versatility. He’s got a scoring mentality and he’ll fit in well with this current group.” Henshall’s news follows Jo Lual-Acuil Jr signing with the club last week and leaves Perth with only their final import spot to fill. Mills said the Wildcats had been happy to wait for Henshall to pursue his college dream before getting an answer about staying. “We stayed supportive and patient through Ben’s off-season. He nominated for the draft, got to the draft combine and did some team workouts, then had interest from multiple NCAA colleges. But if that wasn’t the path that was going to happen, we always felt we had a really good opportunity back here in Perth for him,” he said.