Perhaps it has something to do with the flowing locks, the ’70s-inspired headband or the whispy moustache.
Or maybe it is because he is at ease with the underdog tag.
Either way, he is very much an unlikely hero. He is the "other" member of the Otago Nuggets starting five — the one few people know much about.
Todd Withers’ reputation as the shut-down defender and a dangerous perimeter sniper is well-established after he helped lead the Nuggets to glory in 2022.
JaQuori McLaughlin brings a resume that includes a brief stint in the NBA, a quality passing game and some crazy good moves towards the hoop.
Michael Harris has been the surprise package. The Australian shooting guard had a breakthrough performance against the Nelson Giants with a 31-point haul and has emerged as a real scoring threat in the last few weeks.
Sam Timmins is one of the most dominant bigs in the National Basketball League. He is good for a double-double most nights and he passes like a point guard.
And then there is Coman.
The 20-year-old is coming off a career high.
He hit 14 points to help torch the Franklin Bulls 91-72 in Auckland on Saturday.
But normally the economics student, who hails from Auckland, does not make much of a dent on the stat sheet. He has a role to play and he sticks to it, happy for others to shine.
"In that starting lineup we’ve got four guys who can really fill it up," Coman said.
"But that does mean I’ll get opportunities to score and I just have to be ready.
"I expect a lot of myself and it is not that outrageous that I could do something like that, because I come to the gym every morning and work out and it is nice to see that work come to fruition."
He has been putting in the effort to become a more consistent three-point shooter and working on expanding his game under the hoop.
And then there is defence. It has been the trademark of the Nuggets’ 6-0 run this season.
Assistant coach Gerard Martin can take a lot of the credit here. He provides the scouting and the Nuggets scratch out a system based on that.
Coman always does his homework. It is his way of working with his weaknesses.
"I feel like that is a big thing for me because I’m not the fastest person or the best defender, but I can hone in on a scout and force the team in to take the shot that we want them to take.
"That is an effective way to play defence for me."
Perhaps the best Coman comparison is Dillon Boucher.
The Tall Blacks great was never the most athletic or fastest man on the court either. But he was one of the smartest players and one of the most effective.
The Nuggets made a statement with away wins over the Auckland Tuatara and Franklin Bulls.
But while they are nicely entrenched at the top of the standings, the league is very evenly contested.
Coman described those results as huge, but there were improvements to be made before the next challenge against the Wellington Saints at the Edgar Centre tomorrow evening.
"I don’t think we’re content with how we are playing. There is obviously areas where we can improve in every single game. We’ve just got to keep working hard throughout the week."
The Saints have made a slow start to the NBL, but registered an impressive 110-98 win over the Southland Sharks in Invercargill on Sunday.
Point guard Kyle Adnam amassed 18 assists. Eighteen. That would be like grabbing 30 rebounds.
To put that performance into context, Mark Dickel holds the record for the Nuggets with 14 assists — a feat he accomplished three times between 2012 and 2014.
