Jawai Not Giving Up on NBL Return

Written for nbl.com.au by Chris Pike

Nate Jawai is not giving up on a return to the NBL, despite admitting he's still coming to terms with his exit from the Cairns Taipans. 

The 35-year-old said he could see the writing on the wall from early in the season, but it didn't make the news any easier after six seasons at the club. 

"Throughout the season I could kind of tell there wouldn’t be interest in me going back so I sort of prepared myself for it to be honest. It was a different coach and it was our third straight season of not making the playoffs since we made that great run," Jawai honestly reflected.

"I think Fordey decided to change it up a bit and i can kind of understand why they needed a bit of a shake up to be honest with you. I needed to realise that it was going to happen like that, but it was still disappointing that I didn’t get offered the chance to go back or be around the community."

Jawai is one of Australian basketball's great success stories, but in Cairns, Far North Queensland and the surrounding region, it's much more than that - he's a living legend. 

Across 212 NBL games, a stint in the NBA and representing the Australian Boomers, he's been a star, but his impact on the community, particularly in his home town of Bamaga is immeasurable.

Now though, Jawai's focus is on his immediate future - aiming to overcome a minor calf injury and get back on the floor for the Darwin Salties in the NBL1 competition. And longer term, he sees no reason he can't be a force again in the NBL.

"There's still a chance, I'm not calling the quits yet and I'd like to keep playing. There are a few interests out there so I just have to get healthy first and make sure I finish this NBL1 North season off strong, but I'm not closing the doors on the NBL," Jawai said.

"It's a fun league to play in and to be around, and I've been around it for a long time. It's something that I enjoy doing even if it's just to be on a team and mentor younger guys or having a role. 

"I'm open for anything and I think that was a part of my choice to come to Darwin as well to see how the body holds up and show how I can still play. Obviously this calf injury is a bit of a setback but it's not something I'm too worried about. I'm just working on myself and trying to be healthy to give it another crack."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congratulations to <a href="https://twitter.com/Natejawai?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Natejawai</a>, who clocks his 200th career <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBL</a> game tonight when the <a href="https://twitter.com/CairnsTaipans?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CairnsTaipans</a> take on the Kings ?<br><br>We wind it back to 2007-08 when the BIG guy burst onto the scene to claim Rookie of the Year, All-Star game MVP, and ALL NBL second-team honours ?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL22</a> <a href="https://t.co/xY6bbnM3tU">pic.twitter.com/xY6bbnM3tU</a></p>&mdash; NBL History (@nblhistory) <a href="https://twitter.com/nblhistory/status/1502874318082285568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

At 209 centimetres and 130 kilos, Jawai is a man mountain. His biggest asset though has perhaps proven his biggest hurdle in recent years. 

"There's not anybody like me in the league anymore and the game has changed, and I think it's more of that youth the coaches are looking for, or at least the last two coaches I've had who want to focus on more of the running game," he said. 

"The last two seasons have been tough to be honest with you, but it's a business and I understand that. When coaches make decisions then I understand what they do and I know the game pretty much like the back of my hand now ... I've been in this business for a long time. 

"I know I can definitely go out there and be hard to stop, but it's just the game plan that the coaches are going with in this new era of basketball. That's kind of tough for my game, but the confidence is still there that I can make a difference. 

"I probably can't dunk it like I used to, but I still can do things that can contribute to a team and be tough to stop.

"Of course I still think I can play in the league. I still have that confidence and that hasn't gone away.

"It's just going to take that one coach to trust me and give me that opportunity. I still think I can be effective if they do."

Jawai began his NBL career at the Taipans in remarkable fashion back in the 2007/08 season, winning the Rookie of the Year award. Since returning to the league in 2015/16, he's won a Championship at the Perth Wildcats, before becoming the face of the Taipans franchise.

"Cairns is still my home and I still support whoever is on the team, but it was pretty disappointing to be honest with you," Jawai said of a tough last month. 

"That's just part of the business and it's nothing I hold against the club; I wish them luck for next season and hopefully I'll be on another team and can compete against them and we'll see what happens."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nice try, but not in the house of Jawai ?‍??<a href="https://twitter.com/Natejawai?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Natejawai</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL22</a> live on <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAusNZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESPNAusNZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/HMhb1UzTKx">pic.twitter.com/HMhb1UzTKx</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1469618994697043971?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Another huge thing for Darwin basketball is the announcement that the NBL Blitz will be played there ahead of the 2022/23 NBL season. Jawai is excited for that and would love to be part of his newest NBL club to be part of the action.

"I was with Jeremy at the announcement of the Blitz and I was pretty excited to be honest with you," he said. 

"I think Darwin deserves it and it's a nice city, and the fans are coming out and to have the NBL bringing another event here to the city will be great. The basketball growth here in this community has been huge and I think it's a positive thing for the NBL and the city, and I'd love to be part of it."

Whether it's living in Cairns, Darwin or wherever his newest NBL home might be should be find one, Jawai is also dealing with living away from his two daughters who live in Brisbane for going on three years.

That's something that is a source of constant strain to be away from his nearest and dearest, but the best he can do is fully embrace the time he does get to spend with them including this coming weekend.

"They are still in Brisbane and we go there this weekend with the team so I'll get the chance to see them then," Jawai said.

"It is tough being apart from them and it's been like this for the last three years now. When you have days that aren’t going right for you, it's such a nice feeling to be able to see your kids and family. 

"It takes your mind off basketball so it's been a difficult rollercoaster for me but I'm used to it now and it has been three years that we've been apart. As long as I get to see them throughout the season then that's a bonus."