The

2021–22 NBL season The 2021–22 NBL season was the 44th season of the National Basketball League since its establishment in 1979. A total of ten teams contested the 2021–22 season, which commenced on 3 December 2021. Australian broadcast rights to the season ...

was the 23rd season for the

Cairns Taipans The Cairns Taipans are an Australian professional basketball team based in Cairns, Queensland. The Taipans compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at the Cairns Convention Centre, known colloquially as "The S ...

in the NBL, and their first under the leadership of their new head coach Adam Forde.

Squad

Signings

* Imports

Scott Machado Michael Scott Machado (born June 8, 1990) is an American-Brazilian professional basketball player for Minas Clube of Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB). He played college basketball for the Iona Gaels and represents the Brazilian national team. High ...

and

Cameron Oliver Cameron Jaleel Oliver (born July 11, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Liaoning Flying Leopards of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for the Nevada Wolf Pack. High school career Ol ...

, and Next Star Mojave King had already signed two-season contracts the season prior. * After their penultimate game of the 2020–21 season, the Taipans announced that head coach Mike Kelly would not be returning for the 2021–22 season. * On 25 June, the team option on

Jordan Ngatai Jordan Ngatai (born 7 March 1993) is a New Zealand professional basketball player for the Wellington Saints of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL). He played six seasons with the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian NBL and is ...

's contract was taken up by the club. His original contract was a two-year contract (with the second year being a team option), having only joined the Taipans at the start of the 2020–21 season. * On 26 June,

Kouat Noi Kouat Noi (born 29 October 1997) is a South Sudanese-Australian professional basketball player for the Sutherland Sharks of the NBL1 East. He is also contracted with the Sydney Kings of the National Basketball League (NBL). He played college bas ...

signed a new two-season contract with the club (the second year being a mutual option). This extends his time in Cairns up to potentially four seasons, having joined the team before the 2019–20 season.

Nathan Jawai Nathan Leon Jawai (born 10 October 1986) is an Australian former professional basketball player. Jawai first played for the Cairns Marlins in the Queensland Basketball League in 2004, before heading to Canberra the following year to attend the ...

and the club also took up their mutual option on the second year of his contract, extending his time in Cairns to seven seasons. * On 27 June, the final day before free agency began, the Taipans took up the mutual option on the contract of

Majok Deng Majok Machar Deng (born 1 March 1993) is a South Sudanese-Australian professional basketball player for Al Ittihad Alexandria of the Egyptian Super League. He is also contracted with the Tasmania JackJumpers of the National Basketball League ( ...

. They also abandoned the option on the contract of

Mirko Đerić Mirko Đerić (Anglicized: Mirko Djeric; sr-Cyrl, Мирко Ђерић; born 17 April 1995) is an Australian-Serbian professional basketball player who plays for KFUM Nässjö of the Swedish Basketligan. Professional career Djeric started h ...

, instead signing him to a three-year deal (the final year being a mutual option). * On 29 June, Adam Forde was announced as the club's new head coach, signing on a two-year deal. Forde joined the club as an experienced coach in the NBL, having spent eight years as an assistant coach with the

Perth Wildcats The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team based in Perth, Western Australia. The Wildcats compete in the National Basketball League (Australia), National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at Perth Arena, ...

, followed by a two-year stint with the

Sydney Kings The Sydney Kings are an Australian men's professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League (Australia), National Basketball League (NBL). The team is based in Sydney, New South Wales, and play their home games at Qudos Ba ...

, both as an assistant coach and as a head coach. * On 13 July, Deng re-signed for three seasons, overriding the mutual option that himself and the club had taken up weeks earlier. The new extension will see Deng remain in Cairns until 2024. * On 14 July, King was transferred to the

Adelaide 36ers The Adelaide 36ers are an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL). The 36ers are the only team in the league representing the state of South Australia and are based in the state's capital of Adela ...

. * On 19 July,

Keanu Pinder Keanu Tecumseh Pinder (born 28 May 1995) is an Australian professional basketball player who last played for the Shanxi Loongs of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for Hutchinson Community College and the Ari ...

was signed as the club's first new player for the season. He signed on a two-year deal (second-year mutual option). * On 24 July,

Jarrod Kenny Jarrod Daniel Kenny (born 17 September 1985) is a New Zealand basketball player who last played for the Hawke's Bay Hawks of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL). He won two championships in the Australian NBL with the Perth Wi ...

re-signed with the Taipans for the 2021–22 season. This will be Kenny’s fourth season with the Taipans after he joined the club for the 2018–19 season. * On 5 August, Sam Gruggen was signed as an assistant coach on a two-year deal. Gruggen joined the club after serving as an assistant coach for Forde during the 2020–21 season, as well as serving time with the

Townsville Crocodiles The Townsville Crocodiles were an Australian professional men's basketball team based in the North Queensland city of Townsville. They competed in the National Basketball League (NBL) and played their home games at the Townsville Entertain ...

. * On 6 August,

Tahjere McCall Tahjere McCall (born August 17, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for Lokomotiv Kuban of the VTB United League. He played college basketball for the Niagara Purple Eagles men's basketball, Niagara Purple Eagles and Tennessee Sta ...

signed with the Taipans on a one-year deal. McCall joined the Taipans after serving as an injury replacement player with

Orléans Loiret Basket Orléans Loiret Basket, formerly known as Entente Orléanaise and Entente Orléanaise 45 Loiret, is a professional basketball club that is based in the city of Orléans, France. "45" is the number of Loiret. The club plays in the LNB Pro B, French ...

and winning the

NBA G League The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is a professional basketball league in North America that serves as the Minor league#Basketball, developmental league of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The league comprises 31 teams; as of ...

championship with the

Lakeland Magic The Osceola Magic are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Kissimmee, Florida, and are affiliated with the Orlando Magic. The Magic began play in the 2017–18 season as the Lakeland Magic, and now play their ho ...

. During his time with the Magic, McCall was voted into the G League's All-Defensive Team. * 13 August, Bul Kuol was signed on a two-year deal and filled the final place on the roster. Kuol played

College basketball College basketball is basketball that is played by teams of Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. In the Higher education in the United States, United States, colleges and universities are governed by collegiate athle ...

with the

California Baptist Lancers The Cal Baptist Lancers are the athletic teams that represent California Baptist University, located in Riverside, California, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), ...

and

Detroit Mercy Titans The Detroit Mercy Titans (formerly known as the Detroit Titans) are the athletic teams of University of Detroit Mercy. The university is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. The school primarily competes in ...

before returning to Australia, where he averaged 18.2 points and 4.8 rebounds with the

Knox Raiders Knox Raiders is a NBL1 South club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club fields a team in both the Men's and Women's NBL1 South. The club is a division of Knox Basketball Incorporated (KBI), the major administrative basketball organisation in the ...

of the

NBL1 South NBL1 South is a semi-professional basketball league in Victoria (state), Victoria and Tasmania, Australia, comprising both a men's and women's competition. In 2019, Basketball Victoria partnered with the National Basketball League (Australia), ...

. * On 18 August, Kerry Williams was signed as the second assistant coach. Williams spent the season prior as the head coach of the Cairns Marlins of the

NBL1 North NBL1 North, formerly the Queensland Basketball League (QBL), is a semi-professional basketball league in Queensland and Northern Territory, Australia, comprising both a men's and women's competition. In 2020, Basketball Queensland partnered wit ...

, and before that also spent multiple seasons with the

Cairns Dolphins The Cairns Dolphins are an Australian basketball team based in Cairns, Queensland. The Dolphins compete in the women's NBL1 North and play their home games at Early Settler Stadium Cairns Basketball Stadium (known commercially as Trinity ...

of the Queensland Basketball League. Williams also spent five seasons with the Taipans as a player before transitioning into a

front office The front office is the part of a company that comes in contact with clients, such as the marketing, sales, and service departments. The term has more specific meaning in different industries. Types General offices The function of front offic ...

role with the club. * On 16 September, the Taipans announced that import Cameron Oliver had been released from the final year of his contract after signing an

Exhibit 10 The NBA salary cap is the limit to the total amount of money that National Basketball Association (NBA) teams are allowed to pay their players. Like the other major professional sports leagues in North America, the NBA has a salary cap to control ...

contract with a California based

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

team, later revealed to be the

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...

. * On 17 September, Stephen Zimmerman was signed as Oliver's replacement on a one-year deal. Zimmerman signed with the club after winning the Czech National Basketball League with

Basketball Nymburk Basketball Nymburk, also known as ERA Nymburk due to sponsorship reasons, is a professional basketball team that is based in the town of Nymburk. The club plays in the top-tier level professional Czech National League (NBL). Nymburk regularly pl ...

, where he averaged 8.9 points and 7.9 rebounds across 17 minutes per game. * On 7 October, Brayden Inger was signed by the Taipans as a development player. He joined the club after competing in the NZNBL with the

Southland Sharks The Southland Sharks are a New Zealand professional men's basketball team based in Invercargill. The Sharks compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at Stadium Southland. For sponsorship reasons, they are know ...

. * On 30 December, Marshall Nelson was signed as an Injury Replacement Player for Machado.

Roster

Depth chart

Pre-season

Ladder

Game log

, -style="background:#fcc;" , 1 , 14 November ,

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

L 87–91 (OT)
,

Deng Deng may refer to: People and ethnic groups * Deng (Chinese surname), including a list of people with the name **Deng Sui, empress dowager of the Eastern Han Dynasty. ** Deng Xiaoping, leader of China 1978–1989 ** Honghao Deng (born 1994), Chines ...

, Zimmerman (18) , Stephen Zimmerman (11) ,

(5) , MyState Bank Arena
not available , 0–1 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 2 , 16 November ,

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

L 66–81
, Stephen Zimmerman (16) , Stephen Zimmerman (11) ,

(9) , MyState Bank Arena
not available , 0–2 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 3 , 21 November , @

Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...

L 96–87
, Nate Jawai (21) ,

(13) ,

(6) , Ulverstone Sports & Leisure Centre
not available , 0–3 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 4 , 24 November ,

Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...

L 86–94
,

(17) ,

(10) , Noi, Machado (5) , Ulverstone Sports & Leisure Centre
not available , 0–4 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 5 , 26 November , @

L 83–68
,

(12) , Stephen Zimmerman (8) ,

(5) ,

Elphin Sports Centre The Elphin Sports Centre (formerly known as Dowling Street Stadium) is an indoor sporting venue located in Launceston, Tasmania. Construction commenced at the centre in 1964 and was opened in August the following year. Launceston Casino City pl ...

not available , 0–5

Regular season

Ladder

Game log

, -style="background:#fcc;" , 1 , 5 December , @

L 90–67
,

(17) , Stephen Zimmerman (14) ,

(6) ,

RAC Arena Perth Arena (known commercially as ) is an entertainment and sporting arena in the city centre of Perth, Western Australia, used mostly for basketball matches. It is located on Wellington Street near the site of the former Perth Entertainment ...

10,800 , 0–1 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 2 , 11 December ,

W 69–62
,

(20) , Stephen Zimmerman (12) ,

(5) ,

Cairns Convention Centre The Cairns Convention Centre is a convention and entertainment centre in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. The venue was selected the World's Best Congress Centre in 2004 and 2014. Description The centre has a floor space of on a site in the C ...

4,015 , 1–1 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 3 , 18 December ,

W 93–67
,

(23) , Stephen Zimmerman (9) ,

(10) ,

3,314 , 2–1 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 4 , 31 December ,

L 78–84
,

(27) , Stephen Zimmerman (9) ,

Kenny Kenny is a surname, a given name, and a diminutive of several different given names. In Ireland, the surname is an Anglicisation of the Irish ''Ó Cionnaith'', also spelt ''Ó Cionnaoith'' and ''Ó Cionaodha'', meaning "descendant of Cionnaith". ...

, Kuol, Noi (4) ,

4,339 , 2–2 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 5 , 25 January , @ S.E. Melbourne
L 87–77
,

(16) , Stephen Zimmerman (8) ,

(9) , Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium
2,634 , 2–3 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 6 , 29 January ,

Illawarra The Illawarra is a coastal Regions of New South Wales, region in the southeast of the Australian state of New South Wales. It is situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the South Coast, New South Wales, South Coast region. It encompas ...

L 75–94
,

(19) ,

(12) ,

(6) ,

3,095 , 2–4 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 7 , 5 February , @

W 94–102
,

, Kuol (26) , Stephen Zimmerman (14) ,

(6) ,

Nissan Arena The Queensland State Netball Centre, also known commercially as Nissan Arena, is a multi-purpose facility located in the southern Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The centre features a 5,000 seat indoor arena that is the home court of Super Netball ...

2,695 , 3–4 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 8 , 12 February , @

L 87–81
,

(17) ,

(9) ,

(4) ,

WIN Entertainment Centre Wollongong Entertainment Centre (also known by its naming rights sponsor WIN Entertainment Centre and colloquially as the WEC) is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The WEC opened on 5 September 199 ...

2,652 , 3–5 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 9 , 14 February ,

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

L 83–84
,

(21) , Stephen Zimmerman (11) ,

(6) ,

2,795 , 3–6 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 10 , 18 February , @

L 79–54
,

(11) , Stephen Zimmerman (8) ,

(3) ,

2,275 , 3–7 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 11 , 20 February , @

L 82–71
, Stephen Zimmerman (21) , Stephen Zimmerman (13) ,

(5) ,

Adelaide Entertainment Centre The Adelaide Entertainment Centre (AEC) is an indoor arena located in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. It is used for sporting and entertainment events. It is the principal venue for concerts, events and attractions for audiences betw ...

5,068 , 3–8 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 12 , 24 February ,

W 73–69
,

(17) , Stephen Zimmerman (12) ,

(7) ,

2,853 , 4–8 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 13 , 27 February ,

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

L 73–89
,

(16) ,

(9) ,

(7) ,

3,272 , 4–9 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 14 , 6 March , @

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

L 98–88
,

(26) , Stephen Zimmerman (14) ,

(8) ,

Qudos Bank Arena The Sydney SuperDome (currently known as the Qudos Bank Arena for sponsorship reasons) is a multipurpose arena located in Sydney Olympic Park suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was completed in 1999 as part of the facilities for th ...

9,112 , 4–10 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 15 , 11 March ,

L 69–85
, Stephen Zimmerman (19) , Stephen Zimmerman (8) ,

, Machado (5) ,

3,300 , 4–11 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 16 , 13 March ,

L 77–86
,

(21) ,

(8) ,

(7) ,

3,629 , 4–12 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 17 , 18 March , @

L 83–57
,

(15) ,

(14) ,

(6) ,

3,596 , 4–13 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 18 , 20 March , @

W 88–98
,

(21) ,

(9) ,

(11) ,

2,409 , 5–13 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 19 , 25 March , S.E. Melbourne
L 74–86
,

(14) , McCall,

Pinder Pinder may refer to: * Pinder (surname), people with the surname Pinder * Pinder, New Brunswick, Canada * Pinder Gully, gulley in Signey Island * the keeper of a pinfold, i.e. of an animal pound * Pinder's Drugs, a defunct Western Canadian pharmac ...

(9) , McCall, Machado (5) ,

3,044 , 5–14 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 20 , 27 March , @

W 90–93
,

(19) ,

, Noi (6) ,

(6) ,

closed event , 6–14 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 21 , 2 April , S.E. Melbourne
W 90–85
,

(21) ,

(13) ,

(11) ,

3,206 , 7–14 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 22 , 4 April , @

W 77–87
,

(21) ,

(14) ,

(6) , MyState Bank Arena
closed event , 8–14 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 23 , 8 April , @

L 87–80
,

(17) ,

(9) ,

(6) , MyState Bank Arena
4,738 , 8–15 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 24 , 10 April ,

L 63–92
,

(15) ,

(12) , Ben Ayre (5) ,

3,418 , 8–16 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 25 , 16 April , @

L 106–87
,

(24) ,

(8) ,

(11) ,

10,314 , 8–17 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 26 , 18 April , @

L 92–80
, Ben Ayre (20) ,

(9) , Ben Ayre (10) ,

John Cain Arena John Cain Arena is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment arena located within Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is the second-largest venue and show court for the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam professional tennis ...

6,042 , 8–18 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 27 , 21 April ,

L 77–87
,

(22) ,

(14) ,

(4) ,

3,150 , 8–19 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 28 , 23 April ,

W 112–98
,

(42) ,

(7) ,

(10) ,

3,552 , 9–19

Awards

Club awards

* Club MVP:

References

External links

Official Website

Team Statistics
{{DEFAULTSORT:2021-22 Cairns Taipans Season Cairns Taipans season Cairns Taipans season Cairns Taipans seasons Cairns Taipans

Squad

Signings

Roster

Depth chart

Pre-season

Ladder

Game log

Regular season

Ladder

Game log

Awards

Club awards

See also

References

External links