Jawai returning to Cairns Marlins

Cairns Basketball has announced that Cairns Taipans star and two-time ABA and QBL Champion Nathan Jawai will be suiting up for the Cairns Marlins for the fourth time in his career and is set to make his NBL1 North debut on Friday night.

The Bamaga big man is one of the most decorated athletes out of Far North Queensland, beginning his basketball journey at CBI and going on to become the first Indigenous player ever to be drafted in the NBA. 

Jawai played for the Marlins as a 17-year-old with a number of Cairns’ basketball identities including Aron Baynes, Aaron Grabau, Aaron Fearne, Curt Ahwang and Kerry Williams – winning the 2004 Queensland Basketball League (QBL) and Australian Basketball Association (ABA) Championships under Head Coach Mark Beecroft, now Taipans CEO.

Jawai then went to the Australian Institute of Sports and spent one year in the US college system before returning to Australia for knee surgery, and subsequently signing up for another season with the Marlins. 

He went on to win both the QBL title and ABA Championship again in 2007, as part of a similar line-up featuring Ahwang, Williams as well as Deba George.

All players went on to play for the Taipans, with Jawai winning NBL Rookie of the Year and NBL All-Star Game MVP in 2008 before he was historically drafted by the Toronto Raptors.

Jawai has since played throughout the US, Europe and Australia, including a third stint with the Marlins in 2012.

The 34-year-old recently logged his sixth season at home with the Taipans and has a mutual option with the club for the upcoming 2021-22 NBL season.

His commitment to the Marlins will see him reunited with Kerry Williams as Head Coach, in addition to Deba George and Curt Ahwang. 

Coach Williams said bringing the band back together was part of his wider plan, and he was thrilled to see it actually come together for his first season at the helm.

"I’m really proud to see this all come together this year – it’s been on the cards, but we didn’t know whether we would be able to pull it off. 

"To get Nate, Deba and Curt back together in the Marlins blue is really special.

"We all have fond memories of when we were young, winning those Championships – now we get to try and recreate that magic," said Williams. 

"Of course, Nate is a game-changer and he’s going to be an incredible presence for the group.

"He finished the NBL season really well, he’s playing great basketball right now and I can’t wait to see him be a dominant force for the Marlins all over again."

Alongside Taipans teammates Majok Deng and Mirko Djeric, Jawai will make his NBL1 North debut against the Southern District Spartans on Friday at 8:30pm AEST.