Michael Vigor never imagined the path his career has gone, but to make a living from basketball while reaching 300 games in the NBL1 West means it's a journey the multi-skilled big man is rightfully proud of.
By the time Vigor made his then SBL debut at the Perth Redbacks as an 18-year-old back in 2008, he never imagined the journey that basketball would take him but he wouldn’t change a thing as he now prepares for game 300 in the NBL1 West.
Vigor always imagined if he was reaching 300 games it would be where it all started with the Perth Redbacks and he was a key member of their 2017 championship triumph.
He went on to enjoy two seasons with the Lakeside Lightning and now is in a fourth season with the Willetton Tigers ahead of his 300th game this Friday night as the Tigers hit the road to close the regular season against the Mandurah Magic.
What Vigor has done in the league to now reach 300 games is plenty on its own, but when you add in a stint in the NBL at the Perth Wildcats, almost 150 games in the British Basketball League, a year in Italy and two seasons at the Bendigo Braves, and it's all the more remarkable.
Add in that he was able to represent Scotland at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and that he's been able to turn basketball into a career while now also being married and buying a house, and it's a journey he wouldn't change.
What does it mean to get to 300 games
While it's a couple of weeks later than he hoped because of a late season calf injury, Vigor is rightfully proud to now be able to end the regular season with Willetton on Friday night by reaching his 300-game milestone.
It does allow him to reflect of some teammates he started his career with like the all-time assists leader Joel Wagner and all-time three-point leader Ryan Neill, and everyone in between.
"It's an honour to start with. I sort of grew up playing with the likes of Wags and Ryan Neill, and was around to see them reach their big milestones and go on to achieve what they did," Vigor said.
"I always had an idea in my head that I wanted to have some longevity in my career and I didn’t foresee it being so much outside of the SBL or NBL1 West, but to still reach 300 games in this league whilst still getting to live out my dream in my career has been incredible."
Still playing 300 games while doing so much else
One of the goals Vigor did set himself when he set out on his journey in the league was to reach 300 games, but he never would have imagined he would end up achieving that while having done so much so many other places as well.
Vigor also dreamed of being able to play professional basketball and while the initial hope would have been to do it in the NBL, to have had the chance to spend several years playing in the BBL at the Plymouth City Patriots and Bristol Flyers meant he could play basketball basically full-time.
He also had a stint in Italy at Libertas Basket Altamura and then also did have a two-year stint in the SEABL, now NBL1 South, at the Bendigo Braves where not only did he enjoy the basketball, but that's where he met future wife Jadie.
Throw in the fact that he was able to represent the country he was born, Scotland, at the 2018 Commonwealth Games with Rob Beveridge as coach and his basketball journey is something he wouldn’t want to change.
"As a kid growing up I was a Redbacks junior and I saw myself just wanting to play 300 games plus for the Redbacks," Vigor said.
"It hasn’t quite worked out like that, but I've been able to play overseas, at Bendigo and then to play well over 100 games in my home country in the BBL as well as getting to experience countries like Italy.
"To do all that while doing what I love doing and playing basketball is pretty amazing, and to also represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Games was a huge honour.
"I still remember standing side by side when the national anthem came on, the Flower of Scotland, and seeing guys on our team tear up. That was a very proud moment for myself and for the team. It's been an incredible journey."
Making a career out of basketball
What Vigor wanted above everything else when he started his basketball journey at the Redbacks and after leaving Wesley College was to make a career out of basketball.
That's ended up happening thanks to the chances opening up to play in the United Kingdom and Italy while then being able to come back home to play in the NBL1 West, and now to be on board as full-time coach with Redhage Basketball.
To have experienced so much in his life thanks to basketball including seeing so much of the world and also with it leading to meeting his wife, and he is thankful for a lot.
"I always tell people that everyone walks their own path and a lot of people's careers whether it's in basketball or anything else is all about opportunity and timing, and about your path," Vigor said.
"For one door to close for me with the NBL and another to open overseas, I'm extremely grateful I got to experience the world.
"Not only the basketball side of things, but I've experienced different cultures and immersed myself in that and to be able to play in the UK and represent my country is a huge honour. It's something that I will cherish for the rest of my life. It has turned out the way it was meant to in the end."
Championship year of 2017 at Redbacks
Having life changing experiences is one thing, but winning is the ultimate goal for any basketball player and that's where Vigor will still always cherish the championship with the Perth Redbacks in 2017.
It was quite a team to be part of and he'll forever cherish sharing it along with Joel Wagner while there was then someone who continues to play a big role in his life Shawn Redhage along with emerging stars at the time, Zac Gattorna and Marshall Nelson and veteran Ben Smith.
Kyle Bowen was even part of that team as a teenager and while Vigor was happy to tick off that championship goal, he doesn’t want it to be the lone one of his career.
"It was always a goal with basketball to win a championship. I had four or five main goals and a big one was to win an SBL championship when I first started, which now is obviously the NBL1 West," Vigor said.
"To do it with Joel especially and at the club I started with was pretty incredible. We were missing Jarrad Prior and the three of us set ourselves to achieve that together, but we wanted to not only win at least and try to create a bit of a dynasty.
"It didn’t quite work out but we did win that one in 2017 and just for the journey along the way, and the ups and downs and eventually reach that pinnacle alongside someone like Joel was pretty special. It was an incredible feeling and hopefully I'll get another one in the bag before it's all said and done."
How things have panned out since Redbacks
Vigor might have never seen himself playing anywhere but the Redbacks, but at the same time sometimes that's just how life pans out.
He joined the Lakeside Lightning for the 2019 and 2020 seasons, and then joined Willetton in 2021 to now be in a fourth season at the Tigers and he couldn’t be happier with the way things have panned out for him.
"When I was younger it was always a big thing to be loyal and stay at your club that you grew up playing at, but you remember that this is a business and coaches and players and personnel can change," Vigor said.
"So circumstances change and things don't always work out how you expect, but I wouldn’t change any of it because after leaving I got to play under someone like Dave Daniels and play with lifelong friends like Kyle Armour and now Damien Scott.
"It's different environments to experience and it's something that not only has changed my basketball game, but also my life in a lot of ways. It's made me more resilient and more adaptable to change, and to finding the best in different opportunities."
Unique skill set for a big man
Early on in his career and Vigor was a bit of a traditional big man. He would play with his back to the basket, was a handy scorer in the post and was always a strong rebounder at both ends of the floor, a good screen setter and could hold his own defensively.
However, there was a point where he felt that if he wanted to achieve more with his basketball he would need to expand his game, and he has done that tremendously well.
The second half of Vigor's career has seen him become a standout passer for a big man who is more than capable of playing a point forward role while he has developed a lethal outside and mid-range shot, and has become the ultimate teammate on any team he has been on.
That's included this season with the Tigers where he has been putting up 13.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists a game while shooting inside the arc at 57 per cent and over 42 per cent from behind the three-point arc.
He did make it a conscious effort to become more than just your traditional big.
"It was probably around the middle of my career where I realised what some of my advantages were at my size with some of my skills," Vigor said.
"I was a bit of a late bloomer to basketball and didn’t start playing until I was about 14 or 15 years old, and I was always more of a traditional big.
"I sort of said to myself that I needed to expand my game and change it if I wanted to have that longevity in my career so I could do a few things differently to other bigs.
"I really started to work on my shooting which has played a huge role in me still being able to play as well as my love for passing, and getting my teammates involved.
"That became a passion of mine and it's something that I have prided myself on to be able to make that great assist or get someone open at the right time. It was just sort of around the middle of my career I focused on developing my skills and changing my skill set a little bit, and it's worked out for the best."
Remarkable point guards to play with
The old saying goes that any big man is only as good as his point guard and for Vigor, the fact that he has played so much of his career with two of the league's all-time great playmakers, Joel Wagner and Kyle Armour, is one of the best parts of his 300-game journey.
"It's only probably now that I look back at it and realise how lucky I was to play with Joel as long as I did as the all-time assists leader in the league," Vigor said.
"I scored so many easy points early on as a youngster just off the back of his passing ability which probably led me in the end to wanting to become of a facilitator because I saw what he was able to do.
"I've been very fortunate to not only play with him, but now also Kyle since leaving the Redbacks as two stalwarts of the league. They're both incredible passers and leaders so it's great that I still get to call them friends and try to catch up with them as much as possible while we've all now got to play at least 300 games in the league."
Chances of what this Willetton team can do
Ultimately it's team success that Vigor wants more of at this point of his career and the 33-year-old has high hopes of what the next month can still look like for the current third placed Willetton Tigers.
They were banging on the door last year too before losing two finals to grand finalists Geraldton and Joondalup by only a combined six points, but he likes their prospects now for the rest of 2024 having added Marshall Nelson, Michael Dupree and Deng Gak.
"We've 100 per cent got the team that's able to do it. Earlier in the season there was a feeling around the group with the way we were playing that we were all in tune and humming," Vigor said.
"But like any season you have ups and downs, and injuries and guys in and out of the squad. I still think, though, that the sky is the limit for this squad and when it all comes together for us, I do believe that this team could reach the ultimate goal.
"Right now we're just trying to finish the regular season off the best we can and hopefully by mid-August we're there and a chance to win it all."
Life away from basketball
Life away from basketball is panning out nicely for Vigor too, although he is thankful to be working full-time with the game still thanks to his former Wildcats and Redbacks teammate Shawn Redhage with Redhage Basketball.
Life is coming together nicely too for he and wife Jadie after they were married almost two years ago now.
"I met my wife, Jadie, when I was playing in Bendigo and funnily enough that was on a recommendation from Shawn who I now work with and so much have my career has been tied to him," Vigor said.
"Working with him allows me to stay fully involved in basketball which is a blessing because that's all my mind kind of thinks about.
"But to now also have bought a house with my wife and to have her support throughout all my career, and to be at this stage of my life is very humbling. I'm very grateful for the path that I've had with basketball and where it's taken me."
