For Team GB’s Andrew Lawrence, age ain’t nothin’ but a number

In theory alone, Andrew Lawrence, is the epitome of the stereotypical British ‘underdog’.

He’s the youngest player on a squad who made the Olympics despite their reincarnation only coming in 2006, he’s playing back-up at a position previously labelled as ‘weak’ by the media and he is one of the least internationally experienced players on the squad.

But when you speak to the 22 year old College of Charleston, USA point guard, there is no beaten-down-and-just-grateful-to-be-part-of-Team-GB-at-the-Olympics tone to his voice, only one of confidence.

“I know I’m young but as a point guard I know everyone’s position on the floor,” Lawrence told me. “(I) just try and bring some energy off the bench, try and bring some leadership.”

That Lawrence talks about leadership on a team filled with leaders in NBA star Luol Deng, GB Captain Drew Sullivan and EuroChallenge Final Four MVP Pops Mensah-Bonsu, could be considered misguided. Or it could be an indication that he has the kind of über confidence rarely associated with British-born athletes.

Lawrence’s confident words are currently being supported by his on-court play which, despite the occasional shaky spell when he has looked like the nervy younger brother playing for the first time against the older sibling’s bigger friends, has been impressive. He’s held his own against older, more experienced competition during the pre-Olympic warm-ups, even finding time to complete highlight plays like the crossover on Team USA’s Deron Williams (an idol of Lawrence’s) and the steal-drive-score-and-one during the double header against Portugal in Sheffield – a mini-competition that saw the young…scratch that…hungry point guard awarded the series MVP for his play off the bench which sparked the first wins of 2012 for GB.

Winning that personal award allowed Surrey-born Lawrence time to thank his team-mates for their continued encouragement and belief in his ability:

“It’s a big achievement,” explained Lawrence. “I wasn’t necessarily the highest scoring guy on the team, we had other guys that filled that role but I feel like I contributed in other ways so I’m really happy that showed in the MVP winning.

“I feel more confident as the games go on…All the guys are coming to me and telling me they want me to be more aggressive which gives me a lot of confidence to go out there and just play.”

With the countdown to Team GB’s Olympic tip-off getting ever closer and the unfortunate injury concerns of scheduled starting point guard, Mike Lenzly, still ongoing, Coach Chris Finch will be relieved to know that in Lawrence, he has a player ready to step up to the plate if called upon:

“I’m one of the young guys here but I try and compete at the highest level,” said Lawrence. “At the end of the day I’m a competitor. I want to play against the best guys in the world, so to me, there’s no better stage. I accept this challenge.”

That’s a lot of confidence for just a ‘kid’, huh?