NBL EXPERIENCE

Pedro Bradshaw made his NBL debut with the Cairns Taipans at 25 years of age. He scored eight points in his first game.

Heading into NBL25, Cairns began the season with significant roster changes after losing key imports Patrick Miller and Tahjere McCall. Other notable departures included Bul Kuol (to Sydney), Lat Mayen (to Adelaide), Bobi Klintman (NBA Draft), and Josh Roberts, presenting considerable challenges in filling the roster gaps.

In response, the Taipans secured imports Rob Edwards, Pedro Bradshaw, and Tanner Groves. Additionally, Cairns promoted rising star Taran Armstrong to captaincy and starting point guard duties. Veteran Kyle Adnam (via Illawarra), athletic wing Jackson Makoi (via Sydney), and versatile forward Kyrin Galloway (via Adelaide) also joined the team. Sam Waardenburg returned to anchor the frontcourt, while Alex Higgins-Titsha and Kody Stattmann (via South East Melbourne) strengthened the roster depth.

Cairns began with a mixed start, managing a promising 3–1 record initially, highlighted by significant wins against Tasmania and Melbourne. However, momentum faltered rapidly after tight losses to Perth and a heavy defeat in Sydney, triggering a difficult period marked by a ten-game losing streak in November and December. Notable individual performances from Rob Edwards, Taran Armstrong, and Pedro Bradshaw were overshadowed by ongoing defensive issues and struggles in close games. By year’s end, the Taipans found themselves at the bottom of the league with a 3–16 record.

Injuries deeply impacted the Taipans throughout the season, notably affecting Armstrong with an ankle sprain in Round 3 and Groves with a calf injury, sidelining him for several weeks. Kyrin Galloway was remarkably durable, featuring in all 28 games, though the starting lineup collectively missed 25 games due to injuries. Cairns responded by temporarily adding Deshon Taylor (3 games) and Tad Dufelmeier Jr (4 games).

January provided renewed optimism as Cairns posted a 4–3 record, capturing an overtime win against Perth, a decisive 111–80 victory at Brisbane, and a crucial home win over Illawarra. Edwards notably recorded 35 points against Brisbane, while Armstrong delivered the season’s only triple-double with 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Despite this promising stretch, the Taipans finished the season with an 8–21 record, holding the league’s lowest points percentage (92.49%). Following the season, head coach Adam Forde exited after a three-year tenure.

Pedro Bradshaw provided solid contributions throughout the season, averaging 10.7 points and 5.7 rebounds across 24 games. His consistent performances helped mitigate the team’s significant injury disruptions. Alongside Bradshaw, Rob Edwards excelled offensively, ranking among the league’s best scorers (19.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists per game). Armstrong (17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists), Waardenburg (14.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists), and Groves (13.5 points, 5.7 rebounds) also played key roles. Young players Kyrin Galloway (7.3 points, 2.6 rebounds), Akoldah Gak (6.3 points, 5.6 rebounds), and Alex Higgins-Titsha (6.2 points, 3.9 rebounds) maximized their opportunities amidst the team’s injury crisis.

Bradshaw’s standout games included an impressive 18-point, 14-rebound performance against Illawarra on October 19, a versatile effort of 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists against Illawarra again on January 23, and a strong showing of 12 points and 13 rebounds with 4 assists against Perth on January 25. These performances underscored Bradshaw’s value as a key contributor on both ends of the floor, vital to Cairns’ competitiveness.

Pedro Bradshaw currently plays for the Cairns Taipans and has played 24 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 10.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists since entering the league in 2024.

CURRENT CONTRACT:

Cairns Taipans – 1 Year Deal (2024-25)

Dan Boyce (837 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.