Nathan - and his image - visit Bamaga

Sunday, 21 June 2009 07:31

By VELMA GARA

The community of Bamaga had a wonderful surprise recently when Nathan Jawai, the first indigenous Australian to play in the National Basketball Association in America, returned home for a quick visit for a couple of days.

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It was a surprise visit to see family. Jawai said: “They were very happy to see me as some of my family hadn’t seen me for about a year, so it was good to be back home.

“I went fishing, went out bush, did some drag net fishing and just relaxed with family.”

The 22-year-old Jawai travelled to the NPA on the Skytrans plane that has his large frame in basketball action mode painted on it, and it’s probably the only occasion he’ll spend some relaxation time with family before getting back to serious basketball workouts.

Jawai played in the annual Hoop Dreaming Charity Basketball game in Cairns on the Queen’s Birthday weekend and will then attend all of Australia’s men’s basketball squad camps.

Jawai said: “I will be attend the first Boomers camp starting on June 19 then return to the United States to play in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas with the Toronto Raptors (July 10-19) before coming back to Australia for another Boomers camp.”

If successful at both Boomers camps, Jawai will tour with the Australian team for two games in China (June 28 and 30) and then to Brazil and Argentina (July 27-August 10).

After the third and final camp, Jawai could be selected to play in the Ramsay Shield against New Zealand and a second tour of China to compete in the Stankovic Cup.

Jawai said: ”If I am to break in to the Boomers team for the 2010 Worlds and the London Olympics I need to get some international experience.”

The Boomers squad of 35 players also includes two other indigenous players Patrick Mills and Kerry Williams (Cairns Taipans).

According to Basketball Australia, Mills availability for the Boomers program will be determined by whether his name is called in the 2009 NBA Draft, and then whether or not his potential NBA team allows him to play for Australia in the off-season.

The Hoop Dreaming Charity game saw the All-Stars defeating Cairns Marlins 105-97 and it was a good hit out for Jawai before he attends the first Boomers camp in Canberra.

He top scored for the All-Star team with 25 points which may have included some spectacular dunks as well. Jawai’s team mates included two other Torres Strait Islanders, Michael Cedar and Francis Loban, while the Cairns Marlins team had on its roster TSI players Deba George and Curt Ahwang.

Since he had signed with the Raptors, Jawai in his rookie year, hasn’t seen much family visit him in Toronto. He said: “Only my sister visited me overseas.”

So hopefully with another year on his NBA contract with the Raptors, more families and friends will make the trip to see him in action and playing in the most elite basketball competition in the world.