BIO: JaQuori McLaughlin was born in Port Angeles, Washington (USA), and attended Peninsula High School in Gig Harbor, Washington.

A late-blooming lead guard at Peninsula, he was a four-year all-league selection and as a junior was named SPSL 3A Most Valuable Player after averaging 23.1 points and 4.9 assists per game, before closing his high school career by averaging 19.3 points, 9.1 assists and 5.5 steals per game as a senior on the way to being named 2015–16 Washington Mr. Basketball and a two-time Associated Press first-team all-state 3A selection.

He finished at Peninsula as the school’s all-time leader in points, assists and three-pointers, and his senior season also included leading the program to a school-record 21 wins and a return to the state playoffs after an extended drought.

During his recruitment, McLaughlin originally committed to Oregon State, switched his commitment to Washington, and later recommitted to Oregon State over offers from Utah and Wisconsin.

FAMILY: McLaughlin’s father, Jason, served as an assistant basketball coach at Tacoma Community College, where his younger brother, Elijah also played.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Jaquori McLaughlin made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks at 27 years of age. He scored five points in his first game.

After defeating Melbourne in five games to win its first championship in 24 years, Illawarra entered NBL26 as defending champions under coach Justin Tatum. Trey Kell III (to Toyama), Lachlan Olbrich (to Chicago), Hyunjung Lee (to Nagasaki) and Darius Days departed, while Tyler Harvey, Sam Froling, William Hickey, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, Mason Peatling, Todd Blanchfield and Daniel Grida returned from the championship roster. Tatum added JaVale McGee (via Bayamón), Jonah Bolden (via Arecibo), Biwali Bayles (via Nyon), JaQuori McLaughlin (via Pelita Jaya), Harry Froling (via Melbourne), Jackson Ball (via Hawke’s Bay) and Johny Narkle (via Geraldton), with Sam Froling unavailable while recovering from the Achilles injury suffered during the previous Championship Series.

The 27-year-old secured a one-year deal after spending several weeks on trial and filling Illawarra’s final import position. He arrived after earning All-IBL Second Team honours with Pelita Jaya, where he had played under Tatum, and was expected to provide another ball-handler after Kell’s departure.

Illawarra raised its championship banner at the WIN Entertainment Centre on September 27, where McLaughlin (5 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists) started but made only one of eight shots as Tasmania defeated the Hawks 91-86. McGee (32 points, 13 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocks) and Harvey (19 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Illawarra, while Bryce Hamilton (21 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) was Tasmania’s best.

McLaughlin (7.7 points and 4 assists across 3 games) started each appearance but shot 20.7 per cent from the field as the Hawks opened their title defence with three consecutive losses. His short stint failed to provide the backcourt balance Illawarra sought after Kell’s departure, leading the club to make an early import change.

His best scoring game came at RAC Arena on October 2, where McLaughlin (13 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists) made all six free throws but only three of 12 field goals as Perth defeated Illawarra 92-84. McGee (26 points and 14 rebounds) and Harvey (19 points and 5 assists) led the Hawks, while Jo Lual-Acuil Jr (22 points and 12 rebounds) was Perth’s best as Illawarra fell to 0-2.

McLaughlin’s final appearance came at Spark Arena on October 8, where McLaughlin (5 points, 1 rebound, and 4 assists) made two of nine shots as New Zealand defeated Illawarra 117-88. Harvey (22 points and 6 assists) and McGee (19 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks) led the Hawks, while Parker Jackson-Cartwright (20 points, 6 rebounds, 17 assists, and 2 steals) controlled the game for the Breakers as Illawarra dropped to 0-3.

Two days later, Illawarra and McLaughlin mutually agreed to part ways. Tatum rejected reports that the guard had negatively affected the locker room, describing him as a professional and making clear the move was made because the basketball fit had not worked, before Quentin Peterson (via Xinjiang) was signed as his replacement.

McGee (19.3 points, 10 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks across 31 games) and Harvey (16.9 points and 3.6 assists across 31 games) led Illawarra’s offence, with Peterson (15.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists across 26 games), Hickey (12.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists across 27 games), Froling (11 points and 6.7 rebounds across 15 games), Swaka Lo Buluk (8 points across 33 games), Grida (6.3 points across 29 games), Peatling (6.1 points and 4.8 rebounds across 33 games) and Blanchfield (5.1 points and 4.2 rebounds across 32 games) forming the other main contributors. McGee was named club MVP, Grida collected the Players’ Player and Most Improved Player awards, Swaka Lo Buluk received Defensive Player of the Year and Peatling received the Coaches’ Award.

Illawarra finished eighth with a 13-20 record and missed the postseason by one win. The Hawks closed the season at MyState Bank Arena on February 18, where Harvey (21 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal) and Peterson (20 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led Illawarra, while Josh Bannan (17 points and 4 rebounds) was Tasmania’s best as the Hawks defeated the JackJumpers 103-70.

Jaquori McLaughlin played one season in the NBL. He averaged 7.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 4 assists in 3 NBL games.