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
- Championships: 2
- Sydney (2022-23)
BIO: Biwali Bayles was born in Brisbane (QLD) before moving to the Sydney suburb of Redfern with his family when he was one or two years old. There he then began playing junior basketball with the Sydney basketball program.
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 began their 2021/22 season with a significant change in leadership, replacing Adam Forde with unproven US coach Chase Buford. Buford, the son of NBA mastermind R.C. Buford, was handed a roster featuring a strong core of Xavier Cooks, Jarell Martin, and Dejan Vasiljevic. To bolster the lineup, the Kings added former NBA talents Jaylen Adams and RJ Hunter.
Injuries and leadership changes led to a challenging start to the season. RJ Hunter, who only played one NBL game, Adams, who missed a third of the season, and young big man Jordan Hunter, who missed the entire year, left the Kings struggling early on. A four-game losing streak in January deepened their woes. However, the return of Jaylen Adams and the midseason addition of Ian Clark, a former NBA teammate of Kings co-owner Andrew Bogut, turned things around for the team.
Biwali Bayles contributed 3.5 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game, playing a steady role as the Kings finished the regular season in spectacular fashion, winning 13 consecutive games to close it out.
Sydney entered the playoffs as the hottest team in the league and faced the Illawarra Hawks in the semifinals. Despite the Hawks being led by legendary coach Brian Goorjian, the Kings comfortably swept the series in two games. Meanwhile, the Tasmania JackJumpers, in their debut NBL season, upset Melbourne United in a three-game series to set up an improbable Grand Final matchup against Sydney. The JackJumpers had finished fifth during the regular season and qualified for the playoffs via points percentage after South East Melbourne’s victory over Perth in the final game of the season.
In Game 1 of the Grand Final series, Sydney dominated Tasmania (95–78), with Adams, who had been named NBL MVP earlier that week, scoring 18 points before suffering a left hamstring injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the series.
Game 2 was a thrilling contest played in front of a sellout Tasmanian crowd. JackJumpers star Josh Adams erupted for 36 points, but the Kings responded with strong performances from Xavier Cooks, Jarell Martin, and Dejan Vasiljevic. Each of the trio delivered 20-point games, with Martin shooting an impressive 80% from the field. Vasiljevic nailed a clutch long-range dagger in the closing moments, clinching the 90–86 victory and setting a league record with the Kings’ 12th straight road win in a single season.
Dejan Vasiljevic with the ???????????????????????? ????️
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– ???? Watch the #NBLFinals Live on ESPN pic.twitter.com/XDIgoHVKo9— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) May 8, 2022
The Kings closed out the series in Game 3, ending their 17-year championship drought in front of 16,000 fans at Qudos Bank Arena. Xavier Cooks and Jarell Martin combined for a dominant 45 points and 29 rebounds as the Kings secured their 19th win in their last 21 games.
Cooks was named Finals MVP after averaging 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists across the three games. At just 33 years of age, Buford became the fourth-youngest coach in NBL history to win a championship, joining an elite group that includes Bob Turner (1983), Ken Richardson (1982), and Jim Ericksen (1981), all of whom were player-coaches.
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 played three seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Sydney Kings and the Illawarra Hawks. He averaged 2.3 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.8 assists in 48 NBL games.
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 22 | Illawarra | 14-14 (4) | 21 | 88.0 | 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 | 83.0 | 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 | 172.0 | 60 | 25 | 19 | 2 | 23 | 5 | 3 | 15 | 16 | 22 | 59 | 37% | 6 | 24 | 25% | 10 | 16 | 63% | 45% | 42% | 12 | Totals | 48 | 343 | 115 | 47 | 43 | 4 | 43 | 9 | 4 | 25 | 39 | 40 | 123 | 32.5% | 12 | 52 | 23.1% | 23 | 39 | 59.0% | 41% | 37% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 48 | 7.1 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 2.6 | 32.5% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 23.1% | 0.3 | 1.1 | 59.0% | 41% | 37% | 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
In 2024, he scored 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 Sydney 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
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.
COLLEGE
Bayles committed to playing college basketball at Hawaii in January 2020. He led the team in assists per game (2.6) in his lone season with the program, while also averaging 6.2 points per game. He also hit a three-point shot against Cal State Northridge that would prove to be the game-winning shot for Hawaii. Bayles announced that he would leave the program in March 2021 to turn professional and play in Australia.
Related
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