BIO: Lat Nai Mayen Nai was born in South Sudan and grew up in Adelaide (SA), where he began playing junior basketball with the Sturt Sabres.

Mayen attended Concordia College in Adelaide and represented South Australia at the Australian Junior Basketball Championships.

In 2016, Lat Mayen (11.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game) represented South Australia at the Australian Under-20 National Championships.

During his final junior season with the Sturt Sabres, Mayen helped the team finish with a 50–3 record.

Mayen received a scholarship to attend Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra, where he competed against senior opposition during 2016 and 2017.

Mayen was rated a four-star recruit and ranked the No. 2 Australian prospect in the 2017 recruiting class by AUSA Hoops.

He graduated from Concordia College in December 2016 before accepting a scholarship to attend Texas Christian University (TCU).

Mayen received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 2016. He spent two years year there and played for the program’s state league team (2016, 2017).

FAMILY: Lat Mayen is the son of Agok Nayiwei.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Lat Mayen made his NBL debut with the Cairns Taipans at 24 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

After Cairns finished ninth with a 9-19 record, the Taipans retained Tahjere McCall, Majok Deng and Mirko Djeric, while Rookie of the Year Bul Kuol and reigning Most Improved Player Keanu Pinder returned through mutual options. Kouat Noi (to Sydney), Nathan Jawai, Scott Machado and Stephen Zimmerman departed, with Forde adding Sam Waardenburg (via Miami), Jonah Antonio (via Ostrava), DJ Hogg (via Cholet) and Shannon Scott (via Bamberg), while Ben Ayre was promoted to the main roster.

On June 30, Lat Mayen (via Nebraska) signed his first professional contract, agreeing to a two-year deal containing a club option for the second season after joining the Cairns Marlins during the NBL1 North campaign. “Lat is a 3-and-D guy that can really stretch the floor. His length and athleticism allows him to defend multiple positions and give us more options,” Forde said.

Mayen made his NBL debut against New Zealand on October 23, collecting 1 rebound during 4:36 as the Breakers defeated Cairns 68-64. Hogg (25 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks) led the Taipans, while Barry Brown Jr. (24 points) was New Zealand’s leading scorer. Mayen (2.9 points across 16 games) spent most of his rookie season outside the main rotation behind Pinder, Waardenburg, Hogg and Deng, regularly being listed without entering the game or receiving only brief late-game minutes.

His largest regular-season opportunity came against Perth at RAC Arena on February 3, where Mayen (8 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 steal) played 23:52 as Cairns won 84-71. Kuol (15 points and 9 rebounds) and Deng (14 points and 11 rebounds) led the Taipans, while Bryce Cotton (28 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists) led Perth. Cairns finished third with an 18-10 record, while the club later exercised its option to retain Mayen for 2023/24.

Injuries to Cairns’ established players created a larger postseason role, with Mayen (8 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist) making his first NBL start during the sudden-death Play-In Game against Perth. Hogg (32 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks) and Kuol (23 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists) led Cairns to a 91-78 win, while Cotton (19 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists) led the Wildcats. “I just kind of told myself to go out there and just do what I do every day at practice every chance I get,” Mayen said.

Mayen’s best game of the season came in game two of the semifinals against Sydney, where Mayen (12 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 steal) made two three-pointers and recorded a game-high plus-18. Hogg (25 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block) and McCall (20 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals) led Cairns to a 93-82 win, while Derrick Walton Jr. (22 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) led Sydney.

Mayen (3 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 steal) played in the deciding game as Sydney defeated Cairns 79-64.

2023/24
A deciding semifinal loss to eventual champions Sydney closed an 18-10 campaign for Cairns, with Adam Forde rebuilding around captain Tahjere McCall, Bul Kuol, Sam Waardenburg and Jonah Antonio. Keanu Pinder (to Perth), DJ Hogg (to Sydney), Shannon Scott and Gabe Hadley (to Brisbane), Majok Deng (to Tasmania), Ben Ayre (to South East Melbourne) and Mirko Djeric (released) exited, while Patrick Miller (via Bamberg), Sam Mennenga (via Davidson), Akoldah Gak (via Illawarra), Taran Armstrong (via California Baptist), Bobi Klintman (via Wake Forest), Josh Roberts (via Manhattan), Lachlan Anderson (via Skopje), Kian Dennis (via Southern Districts) and Alex Mudronja (via Illawarra) joined the roster.

After appearing in 16 games during his rookie campaign, Cairns exercised the club option on Mayen’s two-year deal to retain him for NBL24. He spent the off-season with the Bendigo Braves, averaging 19.9 points and 8.1 rebounds across 20 NBL1 South games before returning for his second season with the Taipans.

Cairns opened the season at Spark Arena on September 30, where Mayen (11 points and 6 rebounds) started, but New Zealand defeated the Taipans 98-87. Mennenga (17 points and 4 rebounds) and Miller (15 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals) led Cairns, while Parker Jackson-Cartwright (25 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, and 6 steals) controlled the game for the Breakers.

Mayen (6.9 points and 3.5 rebounds across 27 games) made six starts and became a regular part of Forde’s frontcourt rotation. His length and perimeter shooting allowed him to play across both forward positions, with Mayen producing the most efficient season of his career by shooting 48.6 per cent from the field and 40.3 per cent from three-point range.

Mayen’s best scoring game came at Wolfbrook Arena on November 3, where Mayen (18 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists) made six of nine field-goal attempts and four three-pointers as Cairns led at half-time before New Zealand won 91-81. Kuol (18 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Klintman (17 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals) supported Mayen, while Anthony Lamb (19 points) led the Breakers.

Mayen delivered the biggest moment of his season in Wollongong on January 18. After Roberts (10 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) tipped the rebound from Miller’s missed attempt back into play, Miller found Mayen on the wing and Mayen (11 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) made a three-pointer as time expired to give Cairns a 93-92 win. McCall (28 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) and Miller (16 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists) led the Taipans, while Gary Clark (36 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists) starred for Illawarra. The victory came without Waardenburg, Klintman and Antonio and moved Cairns above the Hawks into sixth place, with Forde saying afterward, “[I’m] happy for Lat, he’s absolutely crushing it.”

BANGGGG ?

What a sequence ?

Lat Mayen for the win ? pic.twitter.com/dqPAUlSAQT

— NBL (@NBL) January 18, 2024

Miller (19.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.2 steals) led Cairns in scoring and assists and received the club’s Most Valuable Player and Players’ Player awards, while McCall (17 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.9 steals) was named Defensive Player of the Year. Kuol (12.7 points and 3.1 rebounds), Waardenburg (9.7 points and 5.2 rebounds), Klintman (9.7 points and 4.8 rebounds), Armstrong (7.7 points and 4 rebounds), Mennenga (6.9 points and 3.9 rebounds) and Gak (5.5 points and 3.7 rebounds) were the other main contributors. Klintman received the Members’ Choice MVP, Mayen won the Coaches Award and Mudronja (0.2 points across 9 games) received the Commitment to Community award.

Already eliminated from postseason contention, Cairns closed the season at the Cairns Convention Centre on February 16, where McCall (23 points, 9 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3 steals) and Miller (20 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists) led the Taipans, while Ian Clark (20 points) was Melbourne’s leading scorer as Cairns won 97-88 and finished eighth with a 12-16 record. Mayen (3 points and 2 rebounds) played 17:37 minutes in the win.

ADELAIDE 36ERS
2024/25
A 12–16 record and ninth-place finish in 2023/24 left Adelaide rebuilding once again. Former captain Mitch McCarron (to New Zealand), Trentyn Flowers (to Los Angeles Clippers), Jacob Wiley (to Spain), Tohi Smith-Milner (to Brisbane), Kyrin Galloway (to Cairns), Trey Kell III (to Illawarra), and Akech Aliir (to Melbourne) all moved on during the off-season.

Scott Ninnis oversaw much of the roster build before Mike Wells replaced him as head coach ahead of the season. Dejan Vasiljevic and Isaac Humphries re-signed on three-year deals, with Vasiljevic appointed captain, while Sunday Dech, Jason Cadee, Nick Marshall, Fiston Ipassou, Keanu Rasmussen, and Jacob Rigoni remained. Adelaide added Lat Mayen (via Cairns), Kendric Davis (via Santa Cruz), Ben Griscti (via UC Riverside), Patrick D’Arcy (via Sturt), and Jarell Martin (via Galatasaray), before Martin’s foot injury led to former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell (via Philadelphia) joining as a nominated replacement player.

Adelaide opened against Sydney at HoopsFest in Perth on September 22, where Mayen’s 36ers debut also became his best scoring game of the season. Mayen (23 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) made 9-of-11 from the field and all three of his three-point attempts, but Sydney won 102–94 at RAC Arena despite Vasiljevic (23 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block) and Harrell (13 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks) supporting him, while Adams (25 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) led the Kings.

Mayen (5.6 points and 3.8 rebounds across 28 games) returned to his home state on a one-year deal after spending his first two NBL seasons with Cairns. The Sturt junior grew up in Adelaide after arriving in Australia from South Sudan as a child, with the move allowing his mother and wider family to regularly watch him play. Mayen started Adelaide’s first two games before moving to the bench, then reclaimed a place in the starting five on December 8 and started the final 16 games of the regular season. His length, perimeter shooting and ability to defend multiple positions helped him become an important part of the playoff push, earning Adelaide’s Most Improved Player award.

Mayen’s strongest scoring performance after opening night came in Adelaide’s regular-season finale against Perth on February 7, where Mayen (13 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks) made 4-of-5 from the field and three three-pointers. He hit consecutive triples and blocked Pinder to briefly put Adelaide ahead during the fourth quarter, while Davis (34 points and 8 assists) and Harrell (24 points and 6 rebounds) led the 36ers, but Cotton (49 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal) carried Perth to a 112–104 win. The defeat completed a three-game losing finish, although Adelaide still secured sixth place with a 13–16 record and returned to the postseason for the first time since 2018.

Davis (25.6 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, and 1.3 steals across 27 games) won the Mark Davis Trophy as Adelaide’s club MVP and earned All-NBL First Team honours, while Harrell (20.7 points and 9.2 rebounds across 26 games) was selected to the All-NBL Second Team. Captain Vasiljevic (18.1 points and 4.2 rebounds across 24 games) remained the leading local scorer, Humphries (12.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks across 28 games) anchored the middle, and Martin (8.1 points and 4.1 rebounds across 20 games) provided frontcourt depth after returning from injury. Dech (5.8 points across 22 games) received the Best Defensive Player award, while Cadee (3.8 points across 29 games) claimed the Coaches’ Award.

The Play-In Qualifier took Adelaide to Qudos Bank Arena on February 13, where Mayen (2 points and 2 rebounds) started as the 36ers eliminated Sydney 95–88. Vasiljevic (25 points and 2 steals), Davis (24 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals), and Harrell (18 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, and 3 blocks) led Adelaide, while Adams (30 points and 10 assists) and Oliver (19 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 3 blocks) were best for the Kings.

The final qualifier moved to John Cain Arena on February 16, where South East Melbourne recovered from 21 points down to eliminate Adelaide 85–75 behind Hurt (25 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) and Ayre (17 points), while Davis (26 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block), Harrell (17 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 blocks), and Martin (11 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals) led the 36ers. Mayen (2 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist) played 16:11 minutes in the loss.

PERTH WILDCATS
2025/26
A 113-112 loss to Melbourne in the deciding semifinal left Perth one point short of the Championship Series and led to a major reshaping of the roster. Five-time league MVP Bryce Cotton (to Adelaide), Keanu Pinder (to Akita), Hyrum Harris (to Kanazawa), Michael Harris (to Adelaide) and Izan Almansa (to Madrid) departed.

John Rillie returned for his fourth season as head coach, with Kristian Doolittle, Dylan Windler, Ben Henshall, Elijah Pepper, captain Jesse Wagstaff, David Okwera, Dontae Russo-Nance and Thomas Gerovich retained. Fresh from helping West Adelaide win the NBL1 Central championship, Lat Mayen (via Adelaide) joined Jo Lual-Acuil Jr (via Alexandria), Sunday Dech (via Adelaide), Mason Jones (via Stockton), Jaron Rillie (via Northern Colorado), Next Star Noa Kouakou-Heugue (via France) and development player Cameron Huefner (via Sam Houston State).

Perth opened the season at RAC Arena on September 20, where Mayen (0 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist) played 3:23 off the bench, while Jones (16 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Lual-Acuil Jr (15 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block) led the Wildcats, but Bryce Hamilton (26 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) carried Tasmania to a 75-72 win.

Mayen (2.1 points across 28 games) provided depth across both forward positions, with his length and ability to defend multiple positions giving Rillie another option during limited periods off the bench.

One of his strongest early performances came against Brisbane at RAC Arena on October 15, where Mayen (5 points and 3 rebounds) contributed in 12:17, while Jones (19 points and 3 assists) and Lual-Acuil Jr (18 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks) led Perth, but Casey Prather (34 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists) carried the Bullets to a 110-93 win.

Mayen’s best scoring game came against Tasmania at RAC Arena on November 21, where he finished with 7 points and 3 rebounds in 10:21 as Perth won 101-95, with Doolittle (30 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal) and Lual-Acuil Jr (19 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block) helping the Wildcats improve to 8-5, while Josh Bannan (29 points and 9 rebounds) led the JackJumpers.

His second-highest scoring game came in Adelaide on December 28, where Mayen (6 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist) provided a lift during nine minutes off the bench, while Doolittle (17 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Lual-Acuil Jr (11 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) led Perth, but Cotton (31 points and 7 assists) carried the 36ers to a 95-84 win.

After opening the season 3-2, Perth released Jones (11.4 points across five games) and signed David Duke Jr (via San Antonio) as his replacement. Duke Jr (12.1 points and 3.2 assists across 19 games) strengthened the backcourt before an elbow injury interrupted his season.

Doolittle (17.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists across 37 games) and Lual-Acuil Jr (16.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks across 37 games) led Perth offensively, while Windler (13 points and 6.8 rebounds across 32 games), Pepper (10.3 points and 3.3 rebounds across 37 games), Henshall (8.7 points and 3.5 rebounds across 34 games) and Jaron Rillie (8.1 points across 14 games) provided the other main scoring contributions.

Doolittle earned All-NBL First Team honours and won the Gordon Ellis Medal as Perth’s club MVP and the Best Defensive Player award, while Wagstaff (3.2 points across 35 games) received the Watto Award as Players’ Player, Okwera (5 points and 3 rebounds across 34 games) was named Most Improved and Gerovich (0 points across five games) received the Coaches Award.

Perth closed the regular season against Adelaide at RAC Arena on February 20, where Mayen did not enter the game as Pepper (22 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Lual-Acuil Jr (21 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 block) led the Wildcats, while Nick Rakocevic (18 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks) was Adelaide’s best. Perth won 86-74 to finish fourth with a 21-12 record.

Perth opened the postseason against South East Melbourne at John Cain Arena on March 4, where Mayen (1 point, 1 rebound, and 1 block) played 4:26 as Doolittle (22 points and 6 rebounds), Windler (13 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) and Henshall (11 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) led the Wildcats, while Nathan Sobey (24 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals), Owen Foxwell (18 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals) and Ian Clark (16 points) carried the Phoenix to a 111-94 win in the Seeding Qualifier.

Three days later, Mayen did not play as Lual-Acuil Jr (28 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 blocks), Doolittle (24 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) and Windler (18 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) led Perth, while Milton Doyle (13 points), Tyson Walker (12 points) and Jesse Edwards (12 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks) were best for Melbourne. The Wildcats outscored United 51-24 after half-time to win 95-77 at RAC Arena and advance to the semifinals.

Game one of the semifinals moved to Qudos Bank Arena, where Mayen did not play as Doolittle (31 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block), Duke Jr (20 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists) and Lual-Acuil Jr (19 points, 12 rebounds, and 1 steal) led Perth, while Kendric Davis (35 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals), Torrey Craig (20 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Matthew Dellavedova (11 points and 3 assists) led Sydney. Perth had several attempts from the final possession before the Kings held on for a 105-104 win.

Game two returned to RAC Arena, where Henshall (20 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 steal), Doolittle (15 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block) and Lual-Acuil Jr (9 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) led Perth, while Davis (27 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal), Makuach Maluach (23 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) and Craig (12 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) led Sydney. The Kings pulled clear after half-time and completed the semifinal sweep with an 89-75 win, while Mayen did not play.

Lat Mayen currently plays for the Brisbane Bullets and has played 108 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 4.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 0.4 assists since entering the league in 2022.

CURRENT CONTRACT:

Brisbane Bullets – 2 Year Deal
2nd Year Team Option