Former Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) basketballer Nathan Jawai created history this week, becoming the first Indigenous Australian to play in the NBA league.

The 208cm 22-year-old Nathan Jawai played his debut game for Toronto Raptors on 22 January 2009, taking the court in the final minutes of the Raptors’ match against the Detroit Pistons.

Jawai was born in Bamaga, far north Queensland. He graduated from the AIS in 2007 and won the 2008 National Basketball League Rookie of the Year award while playing for the Cairns Taipans. In the same year, he was the 41st pick in the NBA draft.

AIS Basketball assistant coach, Paul Gorriss congratulated Nathan on his first NBA game:

‘It’s great to see Nathan breakthrough to the NBA and to achieve the ultimate goal of playing his first game at this elite level.
‘The AIS men’s basketball program has played an integral part in supporting the development and progress of Nathan Jawai as one of Australia’s top professional players.

‘It’s testament to the success of the program in developing and producing talented players with the skills and ability to excel in elite national and international competition.’

Nathan’s debut in the NBA league was delayed by the discovery of a heart irregularity, which forced him to stay off court for more than half the season’s games.

Jawai is the seventh Australian-born basketballer to play in the NBA league, following Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Mark Bradtke, Shane Heal, Chris Anstey and Andrew Bogut. Longley, Heal and Bogut were graduates of the AIS Basketball program, as were many of
Australia’s other top basketball players, including Shelley Hammonds, Lauren Jackson, Shelley Sandie and Luke Schenscher.