Aaron Grabau (Taipans Legend) on the first 15 years of the Cairns Taipans and his NBL career
May 23, 2021
Aaron Grabau
- Nationality: AUS
- Date of Birth: 8/02/78
- Place of Birth: Melbourne (VIC)
- Position: GRD
- Height (CM): 196
- Weight (KG): 98
- Junior Assoc: VIC - Dandenong
- College: None
- NBL DEBUT: 13/04/96
- AGE AT DEBUT: 18
- LAST NBL GAME: 22/03/13
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 35
- NBL History: Geelong 1996 | Cairns 2000-13
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Aaron Grabau was born in Melbourne (VIC) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Dandenong basketball program.
Grabau is a icon of basketball in Cairns, having played more than 12 seasons in the NBL with the Taipans, including in their inaugural game in 1999 but he played over a decade in Queensland’s state league and retired as retired as one of the most dominant players in Queensland basketball history.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Aaron Grabau made his NBL debut with the Geelong Supercats at 18 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.
1996 marked a season of transition for the Geelong Supercats, with Ian Stacker replacing Jim Calvin as head coach and a roster shake-up that saw the addition of Rupert Sapwell (via South East Melbourne) and Matt Scalzi (via Adelaide), replacing outgoing players David Graham and Justin Cass. Ray Owes (replacing Jeff Arnold) headlined the new arrivals and was joined by returning import Joey Wright, who was injured after two games and replaced by prolific scorer Orlando Williams.
Development guard Aaron Grabau appeared in 11 games during his debut NBL season, averaging (0.5 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 0.2 assists). Used sparingly off the bench, his most active outing came on July 27 against Wollongong, where he played nearly 13 minutes and scored 3 points (1-of-3 FG, 1-of-2 FT) with a block. He also registered 2 points from the free throw line in a brief appearance against the Magic on June 7. Grabau provided hustle minutes across multiple fixtures, including 8:34 of floor time versus the Cannons on August 10 and 6:33 in Canberra on May 24, where he added a steal.
He featured in Geelong’s final NBL game on September 28—a 100–94 loss to the Sydney Kings—logging 4:30 in limited action. Despite limited statistical output, the season provided Grabau with valuable top-tier experience as part of a squad that included Ray Owes (22.2 points, 14.0 rebounds), Simon Kerle (17.0 points, 5.2 assists), Orlando Williams (23.5 points), and Rupert Sapwell (11.7 points, 6.3 rebounds).
Owes was named to the All-NBL First Team and delivered a historic 40-point, 22-rebound effort in a 119–116 loss to Townsville on August 24, supported by 32 points from Williams and 24 from Kerle. The following night, Geelong registered their final NBL win—defeating the Gold Coast Rollers 131–93—behind Owes (33 points, 26 rebounds) and Williams (32 points, 7 assists).
Geelong concluded the season 13th with a 6–20 record and relinquished their NBL licence after the season due to financial pressures and league restructuring.
Grabau would retire from the NBL at the end of the 2012/13 season, finishing his career first all-time for the Taipans in games played, rebounds, and steals as well as finishing second in points.
Aaron Grabau played fifteen seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Geelong Supercats and the Cairns Taipans. He averaged 6.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1 assists in 418 NBL games.
CAREER RANKINGS:
– 43rd in total games played.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-13 | 35 | Cairns | 11-17 (6) | 23 | 486.0 | 169 | 71 | 16 | 26 | 45 | 3 | 9 | 24 | 51 | 55 | 110 | 50% | 36 | 68 | 53% | 23 | 29 | 79% | 68% | 66% | 22 |
| 2011-12 | 34 | Cairns | 15-13 (5) | 28 | 613.0 | 197 | 90 | 21 | 26 | 64 | 18 | 10 | 21 | 49 | 58 | 137 | 42% | 42 | 93 | 45% | 39 | 44 | 89% | 62% | 58% | 15 |
| 2010-11 | 33 | Cairns | 16-12 (4) | 34 | 462.0 | 109 | 88 | 14 | 31 | 57 | 13 | 6 | 19 | 53 | 36 | 96 | 38% | 15 | 48 | 31% | 22 | 30 | 73% | 49% | 45% | 11 |
| 2009-10 | 32 | Cairns | 11-17 (7) | 28 | 553.0 | 162 | 71 | 27 | 33 | 38 | 12 | 9 | 31 | 46 | 56 | 125 | 45% | 18 | 52 | 35% | 32 | 44 | 73% | 56% | 52% | 16 |
| 2008-09 | 31 | Cairns | 11-19 (9) | 30 | 833.0 | 235 | 99 | 47 | 34 | 65 | 32 | 5 | 38 | 67 | 77 | 195 | 39% | 28 | 74 | 38% | 53 | 67 | 79% | 52% | 47% | 18 |
| 2007-08 | 30 | Cairns | 16-14 (6) | 20 | 611.0 | 152 | 62 | 36 | 21 | 41 | 30 | 6 | 26 | 51 | 46 | 121 | 38% | 19 | 60 | 32% | 41 | 56 | 73% | 51% | 46% | 20 |
| 2006-07 | 29 | Cairns | 17-16 (6) | 37 | 1,345.0 | 463 | 156 | 55 | 54 | 102 | 48 | 11 | 53 | 100 | 149 | 348 | 43% | 65 | 165 | 39% | 100 | 138 | 72% | 56% | 52% | 24 |
| 2005-06 | 28 | Cairns | 18-14 (5) | 27 | 634.0 | 188 | 66 | 23 | 25 | 41 | 20 | 5 | 30 | 59 | 54 | 145 | 37% | 25 | 71 | 35% | 55 | 74 | 74% | 52% | 46% | 20 |
| 2004-05 | 27 | Cairns | 11-21 (10) | 32 | 931.0 | 329 | 89 | 50 | 38 | 51 | 37 | 13 | 49 | 84 | 104 | 233 | 45% | 35 | 91 | 38% | 86 | 109 | 79% | 58% | 52% | 28 |
| 2003-04 | 26 | Cairns | 16-17 (6) | 35 | 847.0 | 274 | 94 | 44 | 39 | 55 | 42 | 8 | 42 | 87 | 97 | 229 | 42% | 27 | 85 | 32% | 53 | 69 | 77% | 52% | 48% | 21 |
| 2002-03 | 25 | Cairns | 13-17 (8) | 28 | 350.0 | 119 | 35 | 23 | 20 | 15 | 14 | 1 | 24 | 46 | 40 | 104 | 38% | 13 | 33 | 39% | 26 | 42 | 62% | 48% | 45% | 14 |
| 2001-02 | 24 | Cairns | 9-21 (11) | 29 | 356.0 | 101 | 44 | 16 | 16 | 28 | 7 | 0 | 23 | 51 | 32 | 77 | 42% | 14 | 33 | 42% | 23 | 35 | 66% | 54% | 51% | 13 |
| 2000-01 | 23 | Cairns | 6-22 (9) | 28 | 684.0 | 162 | 101 | 37 | 38 | 63 | 25 | 7 | 18 | 70 | 65 | 155 | 42% | 20 | 53 | 38% | 12 | 17 | 71% | 50% | 48% | 15 |
| 1999-00 | 22 | Cairns | 2-26 (11) | 28 | 963.0 | 214 | 145 | 38 | 61 | 84 | 39 | 19 | 36 | 88 | 88 | 249 | 35% | 17 | 74 | 23% | 21 | 31 | 68% | 41% | 39% | 14 |
| 1996 | 18 | Geelong | 6-20 (13) | 11 | 57.0 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 14 | 1 | 8 | 13% | 0 | 1 | 0% | 3 | 4 | 75% | 25% | 0% | 3 | Totals | 418 | 9725 | 2879 | 1218 | 449 | 466 | 752 | 341 | 111 | 441 | 916 | 958 | 2332 | 41.1% | 374 | 1001 | 37.4% | 589 | 789 | 74.7% | 54% | 49% | 28 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-13 | 35 | Cairns | 11-17 (6) | 23 | 21.1 | 7.3 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 4.8 | 50% | 1.6 | 3.0 | 53% | 1.0 | 1.3 | 79% | 68% | 66% | 22 |
| 2011-12 | 34 | Cairns | 15-13 (5) | 28 | 21.9 | 7.0 | 3.2 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 4.9 | 42% | 1.5 | 3.3 | 45% | 1.4 | 1.6 | 89% | 62% | 58% | 15 |
| 2010-11 | 33 | Cairns | 16-12 (4) | 34 | 13.6 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 38% | 0.4 | 1.4 | 31% | 0.6 | 0.9 | 73% | 49% | 45% | 11 |
| 2009-10 | 32 | Cairns | 11-17 (7) | 28 | 19.8 | 5.8 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 4.5 | 45% | 0.6 | 1.9 | 35% | 1.1 | 1.6 | 73% | 56% | 52% | 16 |
| 2008-09 | 31 | Cairns | 11-19 (9) | 30 | 27.8 | 7.8 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 6.5 | 39% | 0.9 | 2.5 | 38% | 1.8 | 2.2 | 79% | 52% | 47% | 18 |
| 2007-08 | 30 | Cairns | 16-14 (6) | 20 | 30.6 | 7.6 | 3.1 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 6.1 | 38% | 1.0 | 3.0 | 32% | 2.1 | 2.8 | 73% | 51% | 46% | 20 |
| 2006-07 | 29 | Cairns | 17-16 (6) | 37 | 36.4 | 12.5 | 4.2 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 2.7 | 4.0 | 9.4 | 43% | 1.8 | 4.5 | 39% | 2.7 | 3.7 | 72% | 56% | 52% | 24 |
| 2005-06 | 28 | Cairns | 18-14 (5) | 27 | 23.5 | 7.0 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 5.4 | 37% | 0.9 | 2.6 | 35% | 2.0 | 2.7 | 74% | 52% | 46% | 20 |
| 2004-05 | 27 | Cairns | 11-21 (10) | 32 | 29.1 | 10.3 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 2.6 | 3.3 | 7.3 | 45% | 1.1 | 2.8 | 38% | 2.7 | 3.4 | 79% | 58% | 52% | 28 |
| 2003-04 | 26 | Cairns | 16-17 (6) | 35 | 24.2 | 7.8 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 6.5 | 42% | 0.8 | 2.4 | 32% | 1.5 | 2.0 | 77% | 52% | 48% | 21 |
| 2002-03 | 25 | Cairns | 13-17 (8) | 28 | 12.5 | 4.3 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 3.7 | 38% | 0.5 | 1.2 | 39% | 0.9 | 1.5 | 62% | 48% | 45% | 14 |
| 2001-02 | 24 | Cairns | 9-21 (11) | 29 | 12.3 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 42% | 0.5 | 1.1 | 42% | 0.8 | 1.2 | 66% | 54% | 51% | 13 |
| 2000-01 | 23 | Cairns | 6-22 (9) | 28 | 24.4 | 5.8 | 3.6 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 5.5 | 42% | 0.7 | 1.9 | 38% | 0.4 | 0.6 | 71% | 50% | 48% | 15 |
| 1999-00 | 22 | Cairns | 2-26 (11) | 28 | 34.4 | 7.6 | 5.2 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 8.9 | 35% | 0.6 | 2.6 | 23% | 0.8 | 1.1 | 68% | 41% | 39% | 14 |
| 1996 | 18 | Geelong | 6-20 (13) | 11 | 5.2 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 13% | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0% | 0.3 | 0.4 | 75% | 25% | 0% | 3 | Total | 418 | 23.3 | 6.9 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 5.6 | 41.1% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 37.4% | 0.9 | 2.4 | 74.7% | 54% | 49% | 28 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 28 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- Dandenong 1996 | Mackay 1997 | Cairns 1998-09
Few have better resumes at a state league level than Aaron Grabau, his five state league championships, three ABA National Championships and two ABA National Championship MVP awards is something to behold.
A player who could do everything, score if he needed to, a lockdown defender and the ultimate leader, Grabau was part of the Marlins 1998 state and national championship side in 1998 but then played a more significant role in the club’s next four state championships in 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2009 as Cairns were easily the most successful team of the decade.
However, Grabau was also able to help take that success to the national level where Cairns beat the NW Tasmania Thunder to win the championship in 2004 and in 2007 where the club took out its third national title over the Dandenong Rangers.
And who was MVP in both of those wins? Grabau was. Those victories helped Cairns become tied for the most successful team in the ABA National Championship history with Ballarat and Geelong.
Related
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