BIO: Bairstow was born and raised in Brisbane, Australia. He attended Runcorn State High School before graduating from Anglican Church Grammar School in 2008. His parents are Ian and Penny Bairstow, a veterinarian and a school teacher, who both also coach youth basketball in Australia.

Bairstow is the third of seven children, with four brothers (Kieran, Jarred, Daniel, and Sean) and two sisters (Melissa and Stephanie).

Bairstow played for the South West Metro Pirates and Brisbane Capitals youth teams.

He was also a member of the Queensland team that won the 2009 Under-20 Australian National Championship, and he played on the Australian Under-19 team that won the 2009 FIBA Oceania Championship in Saipan. Bairstow received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 2009. He spent two years year there and played for the program’s state league team (2009, 2010).

FAMILY: Cam’s brother, Jarred Bairstow also played 117 games in the NBL. Also, his sister Steph attended Utah State before forging a playing career in the NBL.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Cam Bairstow made his NBL debut with the Brisbane Bullets at 25 years of age. He scored 15 points in his first game.

During the 2016/17 season, Cam Bairstow averaged 12.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1 assist as the Brisbane Bullets finished in eighth place with a 10-18 record.

2018/19
After finishing last in the previous season, Brisbane said farewell to Adam Gibson (to South East Melbourne), Shaun Bruce (to Sydney), and Anthony Petrie (retired). They retooled their roster by adding Boomers sharpshooter Cameron Gliddon (via Cairns), Jason Cadee (via Sydney), Matt Hodgson (via Adelaide), Tom Jervis (via Perth), and Mika Vukona (via New Zealand). Cam Bairstow returned to the team after recovering from a knee reconstruction, and Brisbane signed Makoto Hiejima as the first Japanese player under the NBL’s Asian Player rule. They also brought in NBA veteran Alonzo Gee (via Puerto Rico) as an import.

These key signings were expected to bolster the Bullets as they faced a challenging schedule, with 12 of their first 15 games against last season’s top-four teams.

However, the season got off to a rocky start, with Brisbane forced to release Alonzo Gee (7.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists) after four games due to personal reasons. Import Stephen Holt (7.1 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists) followed suit, leaving to pursue opportunities in Europe after expressing concern over his playing time. Brisbane replaced them with Lamar Patterson (via China) and Jeremy Kendle (6.0 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists) to fill the gaps.

Brisbane’s season was marked by inconsistency. By January, the team sat at a 9-9 record, including a 29-point loss to Cairns. The team made additional moves, signing Nnanna Egwu (0 points, 2.3 rebounds) as an injury replacement for three games and extending Kendle’s contract for the remainder of the season. Japanese guard Hiejima was replaced by import AJ Davis (4.1 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.3 assists) to further strengthen the squad.

Cam Bairstow (11.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists) delivered a solid season for the Bullets, primarily as a starter. Some of his best performances included a dominant 23 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block against Cairns (25 Jan 2019), 22 points and 4 rebounds against New Zealand (1 Feb 2019), and 20 points and 7 rebounds against Sydney (12 Jan 2019).

In addition to Bairstow’s contributions, Brisbane was led by Most Improved Player and Sixth Man of the Year Reuben Te Rangi (9.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists), Cameron Gliddon (13.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists), and Lamar Patterson (17.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.3 steals), who was named to the All-NBL First Team.

Brisbane finished the regular season tied with Adelaide at 14-14, but due to a higher points percentage, they secured the fourth spot and advanced to the playoffs.

In the semi-finals against Perth, the Bullets were outclassed in Game 1 (89-59), with Terrico White (24 points) and Bryce Cotton (19 points, 10 assists) leading the Wildcats. Bairstow added 5 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist, while Gliddon was Brisbane’s top scorer with 18 points.

In Game 2 (84-79), despite strong efforts from Lamar Patterson (19 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals) and Matthew Hodgson (15 points), Brisbane was eliminated as Perth advanced to the Grand Final. Bairstow contributed 8 points and 4 rebounds in Brisbane’s final game of the season.

ILLAWARRA HAWKS
2020/21
In April 2020, the Illawarra Hawks entered voluntary administration before creditors voted to liquidate the club the following month. The NBL ensured the franchise survived and awarded the licence to Dorry Kordahi, Bryan Colangelo and Michael Proctor on June 17. Under the new ownership the team was rebranded as “The Hawks”, while six-time NBL championship-winning coach Brian Goorjian was appointed head coach.

Sam Froling and Emmett Naar were the only full-time players from the previous season to return, with Goorjian adding Cam Bairstow (via Rytas Vilnius), Deng Adel (via Long Island), Next Star Justinian Jessup and imports Tyler Harvey (via Ulm) and Justin Simon. Bairstow signed a one-year deal after his season in Lithuania was cut short by COVID-19, while AJ Ogilvy later returned as an injury replacement for Daniel Grida, who entered the season recovering from the ACL injury suffered in March 2020. “The Hawks have a new ownership, new direction, new coach, so it is an exciting thing to be back for the start of something new,” he said. Cameron Bairstow interview and highlights.

The Hawks opened the season at Nissan Arena on January 16, where Bairstow (9 points, 9 rebounds, and 1 block) started as Illawarra defeated Brisbane 90-84, with Froling (19 points and 4 rebounds) and Naar (17 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) leading the Hawks while Nathan Sobey (19 points) was Brisbane’s leading scorer.

Bairstow (11.4 points and 6.2 rebounds across 14 games) made only one start and provided scoring and experience from the bench, shooting 45.2 percent from the field, 37.8 percent from three and 72.7 percent from the free-throw line. The Hawks began the season 4-0 despite public backlash over removing “Illawarra” from the club’s name, with a membership and corporate campaign eventually leading to the NBL restoring the Illawarra name before the club’s first home game.

Bairstow rolled an ankle during warm-ups before Illawarra’s second game against Cairns and missed three consecutive games. He returned against South East Melbourne on February 7, where Bairstow (15 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 block) played 14 minutes off the bench, with Adel (17 points and 3 assists) and Harvey (13 points) leading the Hawks while Ben Moore (15 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 blocks) helped the Phoenix win 98-82.

Bairstow’s best all-round game came against Cairns on February 20, where Bairstow (13 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) recorded his second double-double in three games. Harvey (24 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) and Deng (17 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks) led Illawarra, while Scott Machado (31 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists) led Cairns to a 101-95 win.

Bairstow’s best scoring game came two days later against New Zealand, where Bairstow (17 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) shot 6-of-9 from the field and made all three three-point attempts as Illawarra defeated the Breakers 102-88. Harvey (22 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals) and Jessup (20 points and 3 steals) led the Hawks, while Tai Webster (20 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists) was New Zealand’s best.

A hip complaint later forced Bairstow to miss a game in March before he returned for two appearances, but he was then sidelined again with what the club initially described as a lower-leg issue. After missing nine consecutive games, the Hawks confirmed on May 11 that Bairstow had a minor hip issue and ruled him out for the remainder of the season. Tim Coenraad (5.5 points across 11 games) came out of retirement as his injury replacement. “It’s obviously disappointing that I can’t continue to be out there and help the boys in the playoff push,” he said.

Harvey (20 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.5 steals across 37 games) led Illawarra in scoring, was named the club MVP and to the All-NBL First Team and finished runner-up to Bryce Cotton for league MVP. Jessup (13.2 points and 3.6 rebounds across 38 games) was the Hawks’ second-leading scorer, while Froling (11.3 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks across 39 games) won the NBL Most Improved Player award and Simon (8.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.8 steals across 39 games) won the Damian Martin Trophy as Defensive Player of the Year. Deng (6.4 points and 3.8 rebounds across 39 games) provided further depth, while Adel (5.9 points and 3.6 rebounds across 23 games) was released by mutual consent in May after ongoing injuries prevented him from establishing himself. Illawarra’s scoring fell from 90.5 points across its opening ten games to finish with a league-low 81.5 points per game, while the Hawks also finished last in field-goal percentage at 42.5 percent, shot 33.2 percent from three and 69.4 percent from the free-throw line.

Despite Bairstow remaining sidelined, Illawarra won eight of its final ten regular-season games from Round 16 and qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2017, finishing third with a 20-16 record after never falling below fifth place during the season.

Bairstow remained unavailable when the semifinal series opened at RAC Arena, where Jessup (17 points and 4 rebounds) and Simon (16 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led Illawarra, while Harvey (10 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals) struggled from the field. Todd Blanchfield (24 points), John Mooney (13 points and 15 rebounds) and Luke Travers (12 points and 6 rebounds) led Perth before Simon’s putback dunk with 15 seconds remaining gave the Hawks a 74-72 win and only their second victory in 24 games at RAC Arena.

Game two moved to the WIN Entertainment Centre, where Harvey (24 points and 4 steals), Jessup (11 points and 1 block) and Deng (9 points and 4 rebounds) led Illawarra, while Mooney (18 points and 10 rebounds), Travers (13 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Clint Steindl (12 points) led Perth. Steindl scored all 12 of his points during the third quarter as the Wildcats won 79-71 and levelled the series.

Game three returned to RAC Arena, where Froling (14 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks), Harvey (10 points) and Simon (9 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Illawarra, while Blanchfield (24 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals), Mooney (16 points and 15 rebounds) and Mitch Norton (15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) led Perth to a 79-71 win.

ADELAIDE 36ERS
2021/22
After finishing seventh with a 13-23 record the previous season, Adelaide lost Josh Giddey (to Oklahoma City), Jack McVeigh (to Tasmania) and Keanu Pinder (to Cairns), before adding Mitch McCarron (via Melbourne), Kai Sotto (via the NBA G League Ignite), Tad Dufelmeier Jr (via Cairns), Mojave King (via Cairns), Dusty Hannahs (via Santa Cruz) and Todd Withers (via Italy). King had sought a larger role after believing his limited playing time in Cairns was hurting his NBA chances. Adelaide then surprisingly released coach Conner Henry despite a year remaining on his contract, with the club saying their directions were no longer aligned, and appointed CJ Bruton only weeks before the opening game. Bruton, who had narrowly missed out on Brisbane’s head coaching position to James Duncan, added Bairstow and Hyrum Harris (via Hawke’s Bay), while McCarron was named captain and positioned as Adelaide’s franchise player moving forward.

Cam Bairstow (via Illawarra) joined Adelaide on a one-year deal on November 8 after other NBL clubs overlooked him because of concerns surrounding his injury history. Bruton had previously worked with Bairstow in Brisbane and convinced him to join the 36ers in an attempt to revitalise his career. “I’m excited to be a 36er and contribute to the team’s success this season… I want to be part of this team’s journey,” Bairstow said.

Adelaide opened at RAC Arena on December 3, where Bairstow (15 points and 7 rebounds) provided an immediate impact from the bench, but Perth defeated the 36ers 85-73 behind Victor Law (37 points and 4 rebounds). Daniel Johnson (22 points and 6 rebounds) and Hannahs (10 points and 4 rebounds) were Adelaide’s other leading scorers.

Bairstow (11.4 points and 8 rebounds across 18 games) led Adelaide in rebounding, moved into the starting lineup after five games and started each of his final 13 appearances. He produced four double-doubles and six games with at least 10 rebounds, delivering his most complete NBL season after injuries had limited him throughout the previous campaigns. Adelaide lost its opening two games before defeating Tasmania and New Zealand to reach 2-2 and sixth place, the team’s highest position of the season and the only point it did not have a losing record.

Bairstow’s season-high scoring game came at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on January 18, where he made his first start for the 36ers and finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks on eight-of-12 shooting. Johnson (21 points and 8 rebounds) and McCarron (10 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists) helped Adelaide establish a 28-point lead in its first game for 31 days, while Law (16 points and 14 rebounds) led Perth before the 36ers won 87-74.

His best rebounding game came at MyState Bank Arena on January 28, where Bairstow (11 points, 18 rebounds, and 3 blocks) collected eight offensive rebounds, but Tasmania recovered from a 12-point deficit to defeat Adelaide 76-71. Hannahs (22 points) and Sotto (12 points and 2 blocks) provided support, while Josh Adams (24 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals) led the JackJumpers.

Bairstow’s best all-round game followed two days later against league-leading Melbourne at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, where he finished with 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists as Adelaide ended United’s eight-game winning streak with an 88-83 overtime victory. Hannahs (19 points) made the game-tying three-pointer with 13.5 seconds remaining and Withers (17 points and 5 rebounds) provided further support, while Jo Lual-Acuil (23 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks) led Melbourne.

An illness forced Bairstow from Adelaide’s March 4 game against South East Melbourne after seven minutes and kept him out of the March 6 loss to Perth. He returned against New Zealand on March 12 and played three more games before suffering an ankle injury that initially ruled him out for two weeks, with Isaac Gattorna elevated as his injury replacement. Bairstow remained unavailable for Adelaide’s final nine games and did not return during the season.

Johnson (16.1 points and 7 rebounds across 28 games) led Adelaide in scoring and won his second consecutive Mark Davis Award as the club’s Most Valuable Player. Hannahs (13.6 points across 23 games) and Sunday Dech (12.3 points and 4.2 rebounds across 23 games) were the team’s other double-figure scorers, although Hannahs and Withers (8.3 points and 3.9 rebounds across 26 games) did not provide the consistent import production Adelaide expected. Isaac Humphries (7.7 points and 5 rebounds across 6 games) suffered a knee injury that ended his season, while McCarron (7.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 2 steals across 27 games) and Sotto (7.5 points and 4.5 rebounds across 23 games) completed the main rotation. Harris (4.2 points across 22 games) was named Adelaide’s Most Improved Player, while Bairstow received the Coaches Award.

With Bairstow sidelined, Adelaide was 7-17 and outside playoff contention with a month remaining. Three consecutive road victories later gave the 36ers an opportunity to collect a fourth, but South East Melbourne recovered from a 17-point deficit to defeat Adelaide 94-91 at John Cain Arena on April 22.

Bairstow announced his retirement on August 23 after his accumulated injuries, further surgeries and the repeated rehabilitation required to continue playing took their toll. “The mental toll its had has taken away a lot of the joy that I get from playing,” Bairstow said.

Adelaide ended the season at MyState Bank Arena on April 24 without Bairstow, turning a seven-point half-time lead into a 93-60 win over New Zealand, the team’s largest victory of the season and its third win from the final four games. Dech (19 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals) and King (15 points and 2 steals) led Adelaide, while Chasson Randle (14 points) was New Zealand’s equal-leading scorer as the 36ers missed the playoffs and finished seventh for the third consecutive season with a 10-18 record.
Cam Bairstow played four seasons across three NBL teams. This included the Brisbane Bullets, Illawarra Hawks and Adelaide 36ers. He averaged 11.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 74 NBL games.