Coles Express NBL1 launches First Nations Round

The Coles Express NBL1 will celebrate NAIDOC week with the NBL1’s First Nations Round from July 8-10. 

Players and clubs from across the country will be wearing uniforms designed by First Nations artists, while courts will pay homage to First Nations communities. A Welcome to Country or Acknowledgement of Country will happen before the commencement of games.

Learn about the NBL1's First Nations art by Janelle McQueen here. 

NBL1 General Manager Dean Anglin says this round is vitally important to the league, its clubs and its players.

“Currently 4 percent of NBL1 athletes identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders, but we know there are thousands more playing the great game of basketball right across the country,” he said.

“We want to show these athletes that we care about their culture, we care about them and there is a pathway in place to help them succeed in the sport”

“Being able to highlight the First Nations players across the country is important to NBL1. We can’t wait to see how proud our clubs are of the diverse talent we have across Australia.” he said. 

There are 96 players in the NBL1 who identify as Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islanders.

NBL1 North has 34 players, NBL1 West has 17 players, NBL1 Central has 15 players, NBL1 South has 13 players and the NBL1 East has three players who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders. 

 

The full list of players is below: 

NBL1 North: 

Curt Ah Wang (Cairns Marlins)

Biwali Bayles (Mackay Meteors) 

Jai Blackman-Corowa (South West Metro Pirates)

Charli Bliss (Mackay Meteorettes)

Denesha Bobongie (Mackay Meteorettes)

Monique Bobongie (Mackay Meteorettes)

Teyahna Bond (Cairns Dolphins) 

Indiah Bowyer (Logan Thunder)

LeBron Brooks (Northside Wizards)

Zac Carter (South West Metro Pirates)

Christopher Cedar (Southern Districts Spartans)

Michael Cedar (Logan Thunder)

Donovan Crowe (South West Metro Pirates)

Abby Cubillo (Brisbane Capitals)

Tyla Cubillo (Darwin Salties)

Tidjane Diop (Gold Coast Rollers)

Tikesa Docherty-Cole (Darwin Salties)

Amarco Doyle (North Gold Coast Seahawks)

Kylie Duggan (Darwin Salties)

Markie Eirth (North Gold Coast Seahawks)

Michael Fleming (Ipswich Force)

Alana Fraser (South West Metro Pirates)

Deba George (Cairns Marlins) 

Aidan Graham (Red City Roar)

Bailey Graham (Red City Roar)

Brianna Gregory-Johnson (Sunshine Coast Phoenix)

Nevarda Higgins (Gold Coast Rollers)

Kirra Hill-Carter (Darwin Salties)

Jakobe Hunter (South West Metro Pirates)

Bella Janes (Rockhampton Cyclones)

Nathan Jawai (Darwin Salties)

Ashley Johnson (Cairns Dolphins)

Denzel Kennedy (Ipswich Force)

Daisee Lawson (Ipswich Force)

Tiana Cynthia Mangakahia (Northside Wizards)

Joel Matysek (South West Metro Pirates)

Kobe McDowell-White (Southern Districts Spartans)

Jade Peacock (Gold Coast Rollers)

Keanu Pinder (Northside Wizards)

Deshawn Ross-Paiwan (Northside Wizards)

Lily Sarra (Red City Roar)

Shaneice Swain (Mackay Meteorettes)

Marshall Ware (Cairns Marlins)

Serena Waters (Darwin Salties)

Tamuri Wigness (North Gold Coast Seahawks)

Leichan Williams (Cairns Dolphins)

Verle Williams (USC Rip City) 

Keenan Willie (Southern Districts Spartans)

 

NBL1 West: 

Hayley Alone (Warwick Senators)

Spencer Alone (Eastern Suns)

Karinda Farrant (South West Slammers)

Jesse Ghee (Goldfields Giants)

Talicia Hansen (Willetton Tigers)

Cody Hill (South West Slammers)

Fabian Johnson (East Perth Eagles)

Tahlia Kelly (East Perth Eagles)

Troy Kelly (East Perth Eagles)

Tanaya Kickett (Lakeside Lightning)

Kayden Malseed (Lakeside Lightning)

Johny Narkle (Geraldton Buccaneers)

Laniesha Paddon (Joondalup Wolves)

Clayton Parfitt (Geraldton Buccaneers)

Neseya Parker-Williams (Joondalup Wolves)

Keanu Weeden (Lakeside Lightning)

Aidan Zeverona (Rockingham Flames)

 

NBL1 Central: 

Nellie Cowan (North Adelaide Rockets)

Thomas Cromarty (Eastern Mavericks)

Christopher Decrea (Woodville Warriors)

Daniel Fejo (Woodville Warriors)

Jasmin Fejo (West Adelaide Bearcats)

Renai Fejo (Woodville Warriors)

Evei Kleinig (Central District Lions)

Ashalea Perry (Woodville Warriors)

Trasen Pickett-Carbine (Woodville Warriors)

Chloe Purvis (Woodville Warriors)

Zac Scott (West Adelaide Bearcats)

Iesha Smith (Woodville Warriors)

Emillie Walsh (Sturt Sabres)

Alex Wilson (Norwood Flames)

 

NBL1 South: 

Cassidy McLean (Bendigo Braves)

William Hickey (Casey Cavaliers)

Imogen Rock (Diamond Valley Eagles)

Jade Dunne (Diamond Valley Eagles)

Shelby Britten (Eltham Wildcats)

Denver Lund (Frankston Blues)

Eliza van de Kamp (Hobart Chargers)

Kian Dennis (Keilor Thunder)

Jackson Harding (Knox Raiders)

Livai Smith (Melbourne Tigers)

Lachlan Brewer (North West Tasmania)

Joel Beveridge (North West Tasmania)

Alyssa Weston (Waverley Falcons)

 

NBL1 East: 

Keely McLean (Newcastle Falcons) 

James Trustum (Central Coast Crusaders) 

Gabrielle Turnbull (Inner West Bulls)