Australian basketball Olympian Matthew Dellavedova has been invited to the Cleveland Cavaliers pre-season camp Matthew Dellavedova in action for the Boomers against Greece at the London Olympics. MATTHEW Dellavedova is under no illusions about the road-block in his path to the NBA and a career in the world's premier basketball competition. The 191cm point guard from Maryborough may have spent four years tearing up the record books at California's St Mary's College but the perception he would be too slow to defend the NBA's quicksilver guards was only reinforced when his name was not called on NBA draft day. But "Delly," the 22-year-old who started in the point guard role for Australia at the London Olympics last year, simply did what he always does, working his butt off on the training track to prove the disbelievers wrong. Right now he has an invitation back to the Cleveland Cavaliers pre-season camp in October and it's not a "find your own way over and we'll take a look at you" but a genuine shot at a roster spot with the rebuilding franchise. "Cleveland is looking for a third point guard and I have a shot at it," Dellavedova said today. The Cavs already boast Melbourne-born superstar point man Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters but clearly Cleveland likes what Dellavedova - with his "team first" mentality - potentially could bring. He worked hard for new coach Mike Brown at the Cavaliers' camp, and enjoyed a very solid NBA Summer League with the team in Las Vegas. "I thought I did OK," he said of the experience. I played my role pretty well, trying to get other people shots. But Dellavedova knew full well NBA scouts were observing him with a critical eye, mindful of his allegedly suspect defence. They had a pleasant surprise. "I really focused on my defence," Dellavedova said. I know what the perception is about me defending quick guards. Dellavedova proved perception only masquerades as reality. "I thought I was really good defensively," he said. Unquestionably, the NBA door is ajar for Saint Mary's all-time leader in scoring, assists, games played, free throw percentage and three-point shots. An academic all-American as well, Dellavedova is smart enough to have a Plan B in case the NBA dream flounders for whatever reason. "I have nothing firmly in place but there has been some interest from (teams in) Europe," he said. Right now though, his priority after the upcoming Oceania Championship for Australia against New Zealand next month, will be to seize his NBA shot. "I talked to Coach Brown a bit," Dellavedova said of the Cavaliers new head man. He told me what he was looking for, that third point guard to push Irving and Waiters in practice. The fact the Cavs are paying for Dellavedova to return to Cleveland for the pre-season strongly indicates his foot is in the door. For the moment though, that can wait. Coming off a mini-Boomers camp in Canberra under new Australian coach Andrej Lemanis, Dellavedova is excited at what the future holds internationally. The Boomers face the Tall Blacks in Auckland on August 14 and in Canberra on August 18 in the Oceania Series which determines seedings for next year's FIBA World Championship in Spain. "It was a good weekend in camp," Dellavedova said. Andrej has his own style - every coach is different - but like (predecessor) Brett Brown, you can talk to him. I'm really looking forward to playing New Zealand. He will spend a little time at home with his family but is heading back to the US in September. That will take him back to St Mary's briefly before he goes into training camp with the Cavs in early October. In a busy off-season, the Cavs have drafted Anthony Bennett, Sergey Karasev and Carrick Felix, and recruited Andrew Bynum and Jarrett Jack. Hopefully, Dellavedova has a genuine roster shot too.