Eh, mates. What's the good word?

But he quickly became something of a cult hero after joining the Adelaide 36ers of Australia's National Basketball League in late December.

"Not only is he a great player, but one of the friendliest and most approachable players we've had at our club," said Paul Bauer, operations manager for the 36ers. "He was a huge hit with our fans. Our attendance figures went through the roof after the fans caught a glimpse of Julius ...

"And he took it all in his stride. A great on-court showman and an even better teammate."

In 12 games with the 36ers, Hodge averaged 24.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and led the league with 5.9 assists a game. The 6-foot-7 guard scored 39 points in one game, and had 25 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists in another.