Cameron Thew made his NBL debut with the Adelaide 36ers at 23 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.
After a tough NBL22, plagued by injuries and team chemistry issues, head coach CJ Bruton approached the 2022/23 season with renewed hope, benefiting from a full offseason to work with the squad. The 36ers kept their core intact, retaining Mitch McCarron (captain), Anthony Drmic, Daniel Johnson, Sunday Dech, Hyrum Harris, and Kai Sotto.
Adelaide bolstered their roster with key additions, signing proven NBL imports Antonius Cleveland (via Illawarra) and Robert Franks (via Brisbane) to multi-year deals, while bringing in G-League star Craig Randall II for offensive firepower.
The season began on a high note, with the 36ers pulling off a historic preseason victory over the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, becoming the first overseas team to beat NBA opposition since 2015. They followed this up with a strong performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
However, things quickly took a turn. Despite being championship favourites, Adelaide fell to a 3-4 record in their first month. Randall II averaged 20.3 points and 3.2 rebounds but clashed with coach Bruton, leading to his release after just six games.
Following Randall’s exit, Franks (17.7 points, 6.5 rebounds) and Cleveland (15.8 points, 5.3 rebounds) stepped up, but Johnson had his lowest-scoring season in nearly a decade. The team lost six of their final eight games and missed the Play-In tournament.
McCarron (7.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists) and Drmic (10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds) contributed solidly, while Sotto (6.8 points, 4.5 rebounds) showed potential but saw limited minutes. Adelaide finished the season eighth with a 13-18 record.
Midseason, the 36ers brought in Ian Clark (12.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists), hoping to boost their playoff chances. Despite his impact, the team managed only two wins in their last eight games, falling short of the playoffs.
The preseason win over the Suns may have set expectations too high, and despite a promising start, Adelaide couldn’t capitalize.
As a development player, Thew appeared in just four games for the 36ers, without scoring in limited minutes.
Cameron Thew played one season in the NBL.
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 23 | Adelaide | 13-15 (8) | 4 | 4.2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0 | Totals | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0% | 0% | 0 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 23 | Adelaide | 13-15 (8) | 4 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0 | Total | 4 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0% | 0% | 0 |
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|---|
Thew joined Northside Wizards for the 2020 QSL season and averaged over 15 points while finishing top five in the league for total rebounds, producing 9.18 rebounds per game and shooting over 60 per cent from the field.
Northside Wizards re-signed him for the 2021 NBL1 North season, with the 208cm forward-centre continuing in the frontcourt after his QSL breakout and remaining part of the club’s senior men’s group.
He returned to Northside Wizards for the 2022 NBL1 North season and averaged 14.38 points and 6.75 rebounds per game, including 14 points and 10 rebounds against South West Metro and 18 points against Darwin.
Brisbane Capitals added Thew for the 2024 NBL1 North season and he played 21 games, averaging 8.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 0.9 blocks and 1.0 steals while shooting 60.3 per cent from two-point range. His season included 20 points and nine rebounds against Darwin, 12 points and 15 rebounds against Townsville, and 13 points with 12 rebounds against Mackay.
Southern Districts Spartans signed Thew for the 2026 NBL1 North season, adding the Brisbane and Northside frontcourt player to their men’s roster.
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