Hyunjung Lee
February 20, 2024
Biwali Bayles
- Nationality: AUS
- Date of Birth: 15/02/02
- Place of Birth: Brisbane (QLD)
- Position: GRD
- Height (CM): 185
- Weight (KG): 84
- Junior Assoc: NSW - Sydney
- College: Hawaii (2020–2021)
- NBL DEBUT: 5/12/21
- AGE AT DEBUT: 19
- LAST NBL GAME: 4/03/24
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 22
- NBL History: Sydney 2022-23 | Illawarra 2024, 2026
- Championships: 2
- Sydney (2022-23)
BIO: Biwali Bayles was born in Brisbane (QLD) and moved with his family to the inner-city Sydney suburb of Redfern at around age two. Raised in the culturally rich but often turbulent community known as “The Block,” Bayles is a proud Indigenous Australian whose early athletic dreams were rooted in rugby league. He idolised the Brisbane Broncos and aspired to one day play State of Origin for Queensland. However, his mother Binowee—a former basketballer—redirected his path at age 12, concerned for both his safety and his untapped basketball potential.
Encouraged by his mum, Bayles began his basketball journey with the Alexandria Basketball Club before joining the Sydney Comets. He quickly stood out as a playmaking point guard and initially juggled basketball with rugby league and union before committing fully to hoops after being selected for representative teams. His standout junior performances ultimately led to a scholarship at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra. Bayles credits the AIS as a turning point in his life, helping him escape the distractions of his environment and setting him firmly on the path to a professional basketball career.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Biwali Bayles made his NBL debut with the Sydney Kings at 19 years of age. He scored seven points in his first game.
The Sydney Kings entered the 2021/22 NBL season with major changes, appointing unproven American coach Chase Buford to replace Adam Forde. Buford, son of NBA executive R.C. Buford, inherited a strong core in Xavier Cooks, Jarell Martin, and Dejan Vasiljevic, and the team bolstered its roster by signing former NBA talents Jaylen Adams and RJ Hunter. Among the young additions was 19-year-old Biwali Bayles, who signed a multi-year deal with the club in pursuit of his NBA dream.
The season began with setbacks—RJ Hunter played just one game due to injury, Jaylen Adams missed a third of the year, and big man Jordan Hunter was ruled out entirely. These blows contributed to a rough start and a four-game losing streak in January. However, momentum shifted with the return of Adams and the midseason signing of NBA champion Ian Clark, a former teammate of Kings co-owner Andrew Bogut.
Bayles contributed 3.5 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game in a steady bench role throughout the regular season. Though young and eager to fast-track his professional ascent, Bayles later admitted he didn’t fully appreciate the opportunity at the time, citing challenges like a rocky relationship with Buford and a temporary suspension for breaching team COVID protocols by training outside the club. Nonetheless, he remained part of a historic run.
The Kings found form at the right time, winning 13 consecutive games to close the regular season and enter the playoffs as the league’s hottest team. In the semifinals, they comfortably swept the Illawarra Hawks, led by legendary coach Brian Goorjian. On the other side of the bracket, the expansion Tasmania JackJumpers upset Melbourne United to reach the Grand Final in their inaugural season.
Game 1 saw Sydney dominate with a 95–78 victory, though Adams suffered a hamstring injury that ruled him out for the rest of the series. In Game 2, played in front of a sellout Tasmanian crowd, JackJumpers star Josh Adams exploded for 36 points, but Sydney’s trio of Cooks, Martin, and Vasiljevic responded with matching 20-point performances. Vasiljevic nailed a clutch three to seal the 90–86 win, giving Sydney a 2–0 lead and setting a new NBL single-season road win record (12 straight).
Dejan Vasiljevic with the 𝘿𝘼𝙂𝙂𝙀𝙍 🗡️
–
– 📺 Watch the #NBLFinals Live on ESPN pic.twitter.com/XDIgoHVKo9— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) May 8, 2022
The Kings sealed the championship in Game 3 in front of 16,000 fans at Qudos Bank Arena, ending a 17-year title drought. Cooks and Martin combined for 45 points and 29 rebounds, while Buford, at just 33, became the fourth-youngest coach in NBL history to win a title. Cooks was named Finals MVP after averaging 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists across the series.
While Bayles didn’t feature heavily on the court during the playoffs, the experience shaped his early professional years. Reflecting later, he acknowledged the learning curve and took accountability for his early missteps, noting he could have handled situations with more maturity. Still, as a member of the championship-winning Kings, the 2021/22 season marked a key chapter in Bayles’ ongoing basketball journey.
17 years in the making 💜💛#WeTheKings #NBL22 pic.twitter.com/Wz7uIGjTr6— Sydney Kings (@SydneyKings) May 14, 2022
2022/23
After their championship triumph, the Sydney Kings faced significant roster changes, losing their star import trio of Jaylen Adams, Jarell Martin, and Ian Clark to lucrative overseas deals. This forced the Kings to revamp their lineup. With Xavier Cooks, Dejan Vasiljevic, and Angus Glover showing improvement during the title run, the Kings opted to build around their local talent, complemented by new imports Derrick Walton Jr., Tim Soares (via Europe), and Justin Simon (via Illawarra). Kouat Noi (via Cairns) was signed to replace Makur Maker, who joined the NBA’s Washington Wizards, while rookie Jackson Makoi rounded out the roster.
Sydney started their title defense strongly, defeating Illawarra, Brisbane, and Melbourne to begin the season 3-0. Their 20-point win over Melbourne (91–71) was particularly dominant, highlighted by a second-quarter 25-0 run that saw United held to just six points. The Kings’ win streak extended their record-setting road winning streak to 15 games, surpassing the mark set by Canberra’s back-to-back championship teams of the mid-1980s.
The Kings suffered their first loss of the season in an upset against the Cairns Taipans (83–78). Despite Cairns missing their star Tahjere McCall, the Taipans played exceptional defense while the Kings faltered at the free-throw line, shooting just 14/25. Shannon Scott (16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists) and DJ Hogg (15 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists) led the Taipans’ charge.
Cairns snapped the Kings’ road winning streak at 17 games with a thrilling overtime win (94–88). Keanu Pinder delivered a career-high 30 points and 13 rebounds, driving the Taipans to the victory.
On January 14, 2023, Biwali Bayles took a paid leave of absence from the Kings for the remainder of the season. He concluded the year averaging 1.9 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 0.8 assists. Meanwhile, the Kings went on to secure back-to-back championships, finishing another successful campaign.
ILLAWARRA HAWKS
2023/24
Following a historically poor season (3–25), Illawarra sought to rebuild under Jacob Jackomas in his second year as head coach. Perth’s decision to move on from veteran Todd Blanchfield allowed the Hawks to acquire him on a buyout deal. Looking toward the future, Illawarra signed young talent, including Biwali Bayles (after his release from Sydney), Mason Peatling (via Melbourne), and former Adelaide 36ers development player Lachlan Olbrich (via NCAA).
Bayles joined the Hawks as a development player, expressing gratitude for the opportunity: “I am excited to join the Hawks and am thankful to Mat, Jacob, and the club for providing me the opportunity to develop my game further here in the Illawarra.”
The roster was further bolstered by the signing of Korean shooter Hyunjung Lee under the NBL’s Asian Player rule and NBA prospect AJ Johnson via the Next Stars Program. Returning import Justin Robinson (who suffered a season-ending injury in 2022) and NBA veteran Gary Clark joined as the team’s imports, while Tyler Harvey, Sam Froling, and guards Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, William “Davo” Hickey, and Daniel Grida returned as the Hawks’ core group.
Despite promising signs in preseason, Illawarra struggled early, delivering disappointing losses despite solid contributions from Clark (17 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists), Froling (15.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists), and Harvey (15.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.0 steals). Injuries to Hyunjung and Peatling further hampered the Hawks’ efforts.
By October, the Hawks sat at 2-4 with wins against South East Melbourne and Cairns. A string of poor results, including heavy defeats to Sydney and Cairns, led to Jackomas parting ways with the team. Interim coach Justin Tatum stepped in and guided the Hawks to win four of their next six games.
Illawarra showed marked improvement under Tatum despite challenges, including losing Grida (5.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 0.4 assists) to a knee injury after ten games. The emergence of Will Hickey (5.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.2 assists) and the signing of Kyle Adnam as an injury replacement helped the Hawks maintain form, propelling them to a late-season charge and a fourth-place finish (14–14).
Offensively, Illawarra saw dramatic improvement. The team’s average points per game rose from 80.8 in 2022/23 to 91.6, ranking fourth in the league. In the play-in tournament, the Hawks fell to Tasmania (92–76) but bounced back with a nail-biting win over New Zealand (88–85), earning a semifinal matchup against Melbourne.
In Game 1 of the semifinals, the Hawks lost a dramatic overtime battle to United (115–106). They leveled the series with a five-point win in Game 2 but fell short in the decider, missing the Grand Final by six points.
Gary Clark delivered several standout performances, including a season-high 38 points against Cairns, earning him the Hawks’ Club MVP award and a spot on the All-NBL First Team. Bayles appeared in 21 games, averaging 1.7 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 0.8 assists, continuing his development within the league.
Biwali Bayles currently plays for the Illawarra Hawks and has played 66 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 2.5 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists since entering the league in 2021.
CURRENT CONTRACT:
Illawarra Hawks – 2 Year Deal (2025-27)
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 24 | Illawarra | 8-15 (8) | 18 | 229.1 | 53 | 46 | 31 | 38 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 15 | 30 | 22 | 59 | 37% | 6 | 23 | 26% | 3 | 6 | 50% | 43% | 42% | 12 |
| 2023-24 | 22 | Illawarra | 14-14 (4) | 21 | 87.5 | 36 | 11 | 16 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 12 | 40 | 30% | 5 | 16 | 31% | 7 | 13 | 54% | 39% | 36% | 7 |
| 2022-23 | 21 | Sydney | 19-9 (1) | 10 | 82.7 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 13 | 6 | 24 | 25% | 1 | 12 | 8% | 6 | 10 | 60% | 33% | 27% | 7 |
| 2021-22 | 20 | Sydney | 19-9 (3) | 17 | 171.9 | 60 | 25 | 19 | 2 | 23 | 5 | 3 | 15 | 16 | 22 | 59 | 37% | 6 | 24 | 25% | 10 | 16 | 63% | 45% | 42% | 12 | Totals | 66 | 571 | 168 | 93 | 74 | 42 | 51 | 19 | 8 | 40 | 69 | 62 | 182 | 34.1% | 18 | 75 | 24.0% | 26 | 45 | 57.8% | 42% | 39% | 12 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 24 | Illawarra | 8-15 (8) | 18 | 12.7 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 3.3 | 37% | 0.3 | 1.3 | 26% | 0.2 | 0.3 | 50% | 43% | 42% | 12 |
| 2023-24 | 22 | Illawarra | 14-14 (4) | 21 | 4.2 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 30% | 0.2 | 0.8 | 31% | 0.3 | 0.6 | 54% | 39% | 36% | 7 |
| 2022-23 | 21 | Sydney | 19-9 (1) | 10 | 8.3 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 25% | 0.1 | 1.2 | 8% | 0.6 | 1.0 | 60% | 33% | 27% | 7 |
| 2021-22 | 20 | Sydney | 19-9 (3) | 17 | 10.1 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 3.5 | 37% | 0.4 | 1.4 | 25% | 0.6 | 0.9 | 63% | 45% | 42% | 12 | Total | 66 | 8.7 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 2.8 | 34.1% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 24.0% | 0.3 | 1.1 | 57.8% | 42% | 39% | 12 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 12 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- Mackay 2022 | North Gold Coast 2023 | Sydney 2025
After a stint in Switzerland, He returned to Australia to play for the Sydney Comets. He would go on to score a career high 39 points in a one-point loss to the Norths Bears. Less than a month later, he surpassed that mark with a 44 point, 9 rebound and 5 assist effort in the Comets win over Central Coast.
Biwali Bayles was COOKING 👨🍳
— NBL1 (@NBL1) June 16, 2024
44 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists in the Comets' win over the Crusaders.
Watch NBL1 East via https://t.co/NEk1I7kIKG or the NBL1 App 💻 & 📲 pic.twitter.com/GlVtMN1mPD
In 2025, Biwali Bayles suited up for the Sydney Comets in the NBL1, playing alongside fellow NBL talent Kouat Noi and DAvo Hickey. Bayles delivered several standout performances, including (11 assists) in a win over the Centre of Excellence. He recorded a near triple-double with (20 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 assists) in a 90–84 victory over Penrith, and followed it up with a dominant 45-minute effort against Sutherland, posting (41 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks) to lead the Comets to an 86–82 overtime win.
FIBA EXPERIENCE
Bayles won a gold medal at the FIBA U17 Oceania Championships in 2019 playing for the Australia national under-17 team.
He has also been a member of the Australia national under-19 team, playing for them at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup.
NBA EXPERIENCE
Played for the New York Knicks at the 2025 Summer League in Las Vegas. There he was joined by fellow NBL talent Davo Hickey and Sydney Kings head coach Brian Goorjian, who was a part of the coaching staff.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
Seeking a fresh start and more consistent minutes, Bayles signed with BBC Nyon in the Swiss Basketball League for the 2024 season. The move marked a major turning point, allowing him to play significant minutes (35 per game), make mistakes, and develop his game and maturity in a new environment.
COLLEGE
Biwali Bayles committed to the University of Hawai‘i in January 2020 and joined the Rainbow Warriors for the 2020–21 NCAA season, entering the program as a freshman during a heavily disrupted year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with restrictions impacting in-person classes, fan attendance, and travel across the schedule.
Despite the challenges of a shortened and restricted season, Bayles appeared regularly in the rotation and finished the 2020–21 campaign averaging 6.2 points per game while leading Hawai‘i in assists at 2.6 per game, establishing himself as the team’s primary ball-movement guard in Big West Conference play.
One of the standout moments of his freshman season came against Cal State Northridge, where Bayles hit a game-winning three-pointer in a key conference matchup, highlighting his poise and decision-making in late-game situations.
Across the season, Bayles emerged as a high-IQ playmaker and showed leadership qualities on the court, earning internal recognition for his composure and feel for the game while adapting to college basketball under pandemic-affected conditions such as limited travel, reduced practice time, and empty arenas.
Following the conclusion of the 2020–21 season, Bayles announced in March 2021 that he would leave the Hawai‘i program after one collegiate season in order to begin his professional basketball career in Australia, with his time in Honolulu serving as a brief stepping stone into the professional ranks.
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