BIO: Josh Giddey was born in Melbourne (VIC) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Melbourne basketball program. Giddey received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 2019. He spent one year there and played for the program’s state league team.
FAMILY: Josh Giddey is the son of Warrick Giddey who played 449 games in the NBL. Also, his mother, Kim, played for the Tigers in the Women’s National Basketball League. Giddey’s sister, Hannah, plays forward for the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles.
Josh Giddey made his NBL debut with the Adelaide 36ers at 18 years of age. He scored seven points in his first game.
After long-time head coach Joey Wright was released from the 36ers amidst several issues with players, the team appointed former Perth Wildcats assistant Conner Henry as his replacement. The shake-up continued as co-captain Kevin White was granted a release from his remaining contract, and Nathan Sobey and Harry Froling moved to Brisbane. In a separate move, Obi Kyei requested a release to focus on his clothing line.
With the 36ers retaining Jack McVeigh, Brendan Teys, Daniel Dillon, and Alex Mudronja, Henry and GM of Basketball Jeff Van Groningen set out to rebuild the roster.
On 12 March 2020, Adelaide announced the signing of Josh Giddey, a highly touted 18-year-old who had recently become the youngest Australian to debut for the Boomers since Ben Simmons, joining the 36ers via the Next Stars program.
‘Josh is arguably the best young basketball talent in the nation, and we’re thrilled for him to choose to start his professional career at the Adelaide 36ers,’ said Adelaide 36ers owner Grant Kelly on Giddey’s signing.
The team further strengthened its roster by signing five-time club MVP Daniel Johnson to a new three-year deal, adding 2018 NBL Rookie of the Year Isaac Humphries fresh from a stint in the NBA, and bringing in Keanu Pinder after a season in Europe. They also signed Sunday Dech from Illawarra and import guards Donald Sloan and veteran forward Tony Crocker.
In the season opener, Adelaide started young guns Giddey (18) and Humphries (23) but suffered a heavy loss to Melbourne (65-89). Coach Henry quickly adjusted the lineup, bringing in Sloan as the starting point guard, which resulted in a bounce-back win over South East Melbourne (116-108). Humphries came off the bench and delivered a dominant performance with 25 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks, earning the NBL’s Player of the Week.
However, Giddey experienced a setback when he suffered a nasty fall after a dunk, leading to him missing the next game as a precaution.
Despite returning to the starting lineup after Sloan’s brief reinstatement, Giddey began to establish himself as the team’s primary playmaker, especially after Sloan was granted a mutual release mid-season. This change led to Sunday Dech stepping into the starting lineup alongside Giddey, solidifying the backcourt for the remainder of the season.
As the season progressed, Adelaide’s early momentum faltered with the disruption of the NBL Cup, which required the league to play eight consecutive games in Melbourne. The 36ers’ form dipped, and by the end of the Cup, they had dropped from third place to seventh on the ladder.
Although Brandon Paul was brought in mid-season to bolster the roster, the team suffered a major blow when Isaac Humphries went down with a season-ending injury. Despite these challenges, Daniel Johnson (19.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists) continued his exceptional play, leading the team in scoring for the sixth time in his career and earning co-MVP honours alongside Giddey.
Josh Giddey finished the season averaging 10.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game, leading the league in assists and earning the NBL Rookie of the Year award. Despite Giddey’s standout individual performance, Adelaide finished the season with a disappointing 13-23 record, placing seventh on the ladder.
Josh Giddey played one season in the NBL. He averaged 10.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 7.6 assists in 28 NBL games.
CAREER RANKINGS:
– 5th in assists per game.
HIGHLIGHTS:
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | 18 | Adelaide | 13-23 (7) | 28 | 899.7 | 304 | 206 | 213 | 32 | 174 | 32 | 12 | 93 | 43 | 114 | 268 | 43% | 29 | 99 | 29% | 47 | 68 | 69% | 51% | 48% | 19 | Totals | 28 | 900 | 304 | 206 | 213 | 32 | 174 | 32 | 12 | 93 | 43 | 114 | 268 | 42.5% | 29 | 99 | 29.3% | 47 | 68 | 69.1% | 51% | 48% | 19 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | 18 | Adelaide | 13-23 (7) | 28 | 32.1 | 10.9 | 7.4 | 7.6 | 1.1 | 6.2 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 4.1 | 9.6 | 43% | 1.0 | 3.5 | 29% | 1.7 | 2.4 | 69% | 51% | 48% | 19 | Total | 28 | 32.1 | 10.9 | 7.4 | 7.6 | 1.1 | 6.2 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 4.1 | 9.6 | 42.5% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 29.3% | 1.0 | 3.5 | 69.1% | 51% | 48% | 19 |
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 19 | 12 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
|---|
Giddey joined BA Centre of Excellence for the 2019 NBL1 South season as a 16-year-old guard, playing under coach Adam Caporn. Giddey played 8 games and made 2 starts, averaging 6.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 0.9 steals in 16.4 minutes per game while shooting 41.3 per cent from the field, 23.1 per cent from three-point range and 76.9 per cent at the foul line, finishing the stint with 51 points, 27 rebounds, 19 assists and 7 steals.
During that 2019 NBL1 South stint, Giddey recorded an 11-point, 7-rebound outing in a Centre of Excellence game noted during the season, and the team finished 8–12 for 15th place on the ladder, which left them outside the finals.
In 2023, Giddey earned selection to Australias FIBA World Cup squad. The team went on to finish in tenth place, with a record of 3-2.
The following year, Giddey was selected as a part of the 22-player Boomers squad that prepared for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
| YEAR | AGE | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 22 | 4 | 118 | 70 | 31 | 24 | 2 | 29 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 20 | 27 | 54 | 50.0% | 9 | 19 | 47.4% | 7 | 13 | 53.8% |
| 2023 | 21 | 5 | 138 | 97 | 25 | 30 | 3 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 8 | 39 | 72 | 54.2% | 2 | 12 | 16.7% | 17 | 26 | 65.4% | Total | 9 | 256 | 167 | 56 | 54 | 5 | 51 | 3 | 1 | 27 | 28 | 66 | 126 | 52% | 11 | 31 | 35% | 24 | 39 | 62% |
| YEAR | AGE | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 22 | 4 | 29.5 | 17.5 | 7.8 | 6.0 | 0.5 | 7.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 2.3 | 5.0 | 6.8 | 13.5 | 50.0% | 2.3 | 4.8 | 47.4% | 1.8 | 3.3 | 53.8% |
| 2023 | 21 | 5 | 27.6 | 19.4 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 0.6 | 4.4 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 3.6 | 1.6 | 7.8 | 14.4 | 54.2% | 0.4 | 2.4 | 16.7% | 3.4 | 5.2 | 65.4% | Total | 9 | 28.4 | 18.6 | 6.2 | 6.0 | 0.6 | 5.7 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 7.3 | 14.0 | 52% | 1.2 | 3.4 | 35% | 2.7 | 4.3 | 62% |
Josh Giddey was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder with pick #6 in the 2021 NBA Draft.
🎬 SHOWTIME!@joshgiddey hits the behind-the-back dribble for the JAM! #SeeRed
— NBA Australia (@NBA_AU) November 19, 2024
📲 Watch every game live on NBA League Pass 👉 https://t.co/bqmxfDHpTb pic.twitter.com/7LmtNsuqPM
Giddey played 334 games in the NBA. He averaged 14.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game over his NBA career.
| Season | Team | PTS | AST | STL | BLK | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 70% | 100% | 87% | 78% | ||||||
| 2 | 0 | 19 | 13 | 3 | 2 | ||||||
| Total | 114 | 268 | 42.5% | 29 | 99 | 29.3% |
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 23 | Chicago | PG | 54 | 51 | 1731 | 919 | 448 | 494 | 67 | 381 | 55 | 27 | 196 | 90 | 321 | 717 | 45% | 103 | 283 | 36% | 174 | 228 | 76% | 56% | 52% |
| 2024-25 | 22 | Chicago | PG | 70 | 69 | 2117 | 1022 | 566 | 503 | 127 | 439 | 84 | 45 | 202 | 122 | 371 | 798 | 46% | 105 | 278 | 38% | 175 | 224 | 78% | 57% | 53% |
| 2023-24 | 21 | Oklahoma City | SG | 80 | 80 | 2011 | 986 | 514 | 386 | 111 | 403 | 51 | 44 | 168 | 111 | 402 | 847 | 47% | 82 | 243 | 34% | 100 | 124 | 81% | 55% | 52% |
| 2022-23 | 20 | Oklahoma City | SG | 76 | 76 | 2367 | 1260 | 599 | 469 | 148 | 451 | 57 | 31 | 211 | 143 | 539 | 1118 | 48% | 76 | 234 | 32% | 106 | 145 | 73% | 53% | 52% |
| 2021-22 | 19 | Oklahoma City | SG | 54 | 54 | 1700 | 674 | 421 | 345 | 98 | 323 | 51 | 20 | 171 | 88 | 281 | 670 | 42% | 56 | 213 | 26% | 56 | 79 | 71% | 48% | 46% | Total | 334 | 330 | 9926 | 4861 | 2548 | 2197 | 551 | 1997 | 298 | 167 | 948 | 554 | 1914 | 4150 | 46% | 422 | 1251 | 34% | 611 | 800 | 76% |
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 23 | Chicago | PG | 54 | 51 | 32.1 | 17.0 | 8.3 | 9.1 | 1.2 | 7.1 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 3.6 | 1.7 | 5.9 | 13.3 | 45% | 1.9 | 5.2 | 36% | 3.2 | 4.2 | 76% | 56% | 52% |
| 2024-25 | 22 | Chicago | PG | 70 | 69 | 30.2 | 14.6 | 8.1 | 7.2 | 1.8 | 6.3 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 1.7 | 5.3 | 11.4 | 46% | 1.5 | 4.0 | 38% | 2.5 | 3.2 | 78% | 57% | 53% |
| 2023-24 | 21 | Oklahoma City | SG | 80 | 80 | 25.1 | 12.3 | 6.4 | 4.8 | 1.4 | 5.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 5.0 | 10.6 | 47% | 1.0 | 3.0 | 34% | 1.3 | 1.6 | 81% | 55% | 52% |
| 2022-23 | 20 | Oklahoma City | SG | 76 | 76 | 31.1 | 16.6 | 7.9 | 6.2 | 1.9 | 5.9 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 7.1 | 14.7 | 48% | 1.0 | 3.1 | 32% | 1.4 | 1.9 | 73% | 53% | 52% |
| 2021-22 | 19 | Oklahoma City | SG | 54 | 54 | 31.5 | 12.5 | 7.8 | 6.4 | 1.8 | 6.0 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 3.2 | 1.6 | 5.2 | 12.4 | 42% | 1.0 | 3.9 | 26% | 1.0 | 1.5 | 71% | 48% | 46% | Total | 334 | 330 | 29.7 | 14.6 | 7.6 | 6.6 | 1.6 | 6.0 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 5.7 | 12.4 | 46% | 1.3 | 3.7 | 34% | 1.8 | 2.4 | 76% |
- NBL Rookie Of The Year (2021)
Whilst we try to source as much information as we can for every player who has ever played in the NBL some information on a player profile may be missing. If you have additional information on a player you'd like us to add to a profile, please send it to us using the enquiry form below.
Submissions are then sent to info@aussiehoopla.com
Former Sydney Kings and Townsville Crocodiles big man Rolan Roberts joins the podcast to reflect on his time in Australia, including joining the Kings mid-season and helping them complete their historic 2005 NBL three-peat. Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms. Host Dan Boyce chats with Roberts about playing under Brian Goorjian, becoming a key interior presence for Sydney, and being part of the Kings team that became the first in NBL history to win three straight championships. The episode also dives into…
READ MOREAt some point over the next 12 months, the Boomers are going to have to make a decision that Australian basketball has managed to avoid for almost two decades. Who exactly is this team built around now? Since 2010, that answer was simple. It was Patty Mills’ team. Mills has been the primary scorer for the Boomers for nearly two decades and few Australian victories have been recorded without a major scoring performance from Patty. But as the Boomers move toward the 2027 FIBA World…
READ MOREA player arriving in the NBL with NBA experience always creates interest. Fans get excited when their team signs a former NBA player, commentators mention it during broadcasts, and every article about that player usually links their NBL performance back to their NBA résumé. Sometimes, we see a big-time college prospect use the NBL as a springboard to the NBA and never return. Other times, established NBA veterans come to Australia looking for a fresh opportunity. And in many cases, local talent develops in the…
READ MOREOver the years, Aussie Hoopla has taken a deep dive into the full list of players who have competed in both the NBL and the NBA. You can see the full list of NBL players who have played in the NBA here: Names from every decade since the 1980s have featured, including NBL legends like Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Lanard Copeland and Rob Rose, alongside a long list of imports who used the NBL as a stepping stone to the world’s biggest stage. But with…
READ MOREFormer Adelaide 36ers star Julius Hodge joins the podcast to reflect on one of the most dominant short stints in NBL history, his journey from the NBA to Australia, and the impact he made during the 2007/08 season. Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms. Host Dan Boyce chats with Hodge about his incredible all-around performances, triple-doubles, and what it was like adjusting to the Australian game mid-season. The episode also dives into his time playing in the NBA and overseas, his perspective…
READ MOREBelow is an up-to-date roster for each NBL team and a list of rumours and potential signings derived from discussions with NBL staff and media. Players listed as contracted come from information supplied by the National Basketball League. * = Denotes import player ** = Naturalised Australian DP = a member of the team's development roster SRP = the previously named Asian player exception denoting an Asian player who qualifies as a local in the NBL. MP = Marquee players listed as known Click here…
READ MORECurrent head coach of the Akita Northern Happinets, Mick Downer joins the podcast to discuss the differences between coaching in Japan and the NBL, his stints with Perth, Cairns, Brisbane and Adelaide over the past 25 years, and his time with the Australian Boomers program. Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms. Host Dan Boyce chats with Downer about what he learnt stepping into the head coaching role in a non-English speaking country, as well as providing updates on NBL talent in Japan…
READ MOREWe wrap up our seven-part deep dive into one of Aussie hoops’ fiercest rivalries — Sydney vs Illawarra — as the modern era turns the heat all the way up and the Freeway Series swings wildly from season to season. Host Dan Boyce picks things up after the Hawks’ rebirth under new ownership and Brian Goorjian — a fresh start that quickly turns into a brutal reality check, including the worst season in franchise history (3–25) — before Illawarra pulls off one of the great…
READ MORE