2022-2023 NBL Depth Charts
February 7, 2023
Koen Sapwell
- Nationality: AUS
- Date of Birth: 13/03/99
- Place of Birth: Adelaide (SA)
- Position: GRD
- Height (CM): 191
- Weight (KG): 83
- Junior Assoc:
- College: Cal State Monterey Bay (2017-2020)
- NBL DEBUT: 4/12/21
- AGE AT DEBUT: 22
- LAST NBL GAME: 21/12/22
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 23
- NBL History: South East Melbourne 2022 | Brisbane 2023
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Koen Sapwell was born in Adelaide (SA) and is the son of ex-NBL player Rupert Sapwell, who played for five NBL team’s across his career. He attended Trinity College (Adelaide) and represented his state in Under 16’s and 18’s, before moving to the United States to play college ball at Cal State Monterey Bay. He returned to Australia in 2021 sign on to play with the Hobart Chargers in the NBL1 South Season.
At the end of the 2021 NBL season Sapwell spent training with the Cairns Taipans and the Devonport Warriors in the 2021 NWBU state league competition before signing a development player deal with the South East Melbourne Phoenix.
FAMILY: Koen Sapwell is the son of Rupert Sapwell who played 359 games in the NBL.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Koen Sapwell made his NBL debut with the South East Melbourne Phoenix at 22 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.
After making their maiden Finals appearance the year prior, South East Melbourne aimed to go one step further. The Phoenix’s first move was re-signing head coach Simon Mitchell to a one-year deal. Mitchell then focused on retaining the majority of the team’s local core, securing key re-signings, including Kyle Adnam, Ryan Broekhoff, Izayah Le’Afa, and Mitch Creek.
Despite the departures of Keifer Sykes (to the NBA) and Yanni Wetzell (to New Zealand), the Phoenix bolstered their squad by signing Tohi Smith-Milner (via Melbourne), Chinese national team member Zhou Qi, and imports Zach Hankins and Xavier Munford.
South East Melbourne started the season strongly, winning three of their first four games. However, injuries to Zhou Qi and Ryan Broekhoff contributed to a disappointing second half of the season. The Phoenix managed to win only six of their final 14 games, finishing in sixth place with a 15-13 record. The lone highlight of their second half was an overtime victory over Perth (102-100), which ended the Wildcats’ 35-year playoff streak.
With injuries and player absences due to COVID-19 protocols, the team saw multiple roster changes throughout the season. Development player Sapwell managed to make two appearances, scoring a total of two points.
BRISBANE BULLETS
2022/23
After finishing second to last in the previous season, the Brisbane Bullets aimed for a resurgence by adding Boomers big man Aron Baynes and veteran guard Tyler Johnson, who had previously been teammates in the NBA with the Phoenix Suns.
To further strengthen their roster, the Bullets signed Devondrick Walker (via NBL1) as a second import and acquired local talents Harry Froling (via Illawarra), Gorjok Gak (via Europe), and DJ Mitchell (via NBL1), the son of former Bullets import Mike Mitchell. These additions were expected to complement the returning core of Jason Cadee, Tyrell Harrison, Tanner Krebs, and captain Nathan Sobey.
The Bullets’ off-season recruiting efforts led many media analysts to predict a top-four finish for the team. However, questions lingered regarding the health of Sobey, who was returning from a knee injury that sidelined him for half of the NBL22 season, and Baynes, who was making his comeback after a severe neck injury sustained during the Olympics that nearly left him paralyzed.
Six games into the season, the Bullets were yet to secure a victory. Baynes (11.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists) struggled to recapture his NBA form, and Sobey (15.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.6 assists) posted his lowest scoring and rebounding averages in five years.
Brisbane then recorded back-to-back wins over Illawarra. The first victory (82-56) was fueled by a dominant 17-point, 14-rebound performance from Baynes, while the second (86-61) saw Sobey explode for a career-high 14 points in the first quarter and 22 points in the first half. The consecutive 25+ point victories marked the first time Brisbane had achieved such a feat since February 2007.
A narrow two-point victory over Tasmania (74-72) extended their winning streak to three games. However, just as momentum was building, the Bullets made the decision to release underperforming import Walker (9.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists) and part ways with head coach James Duncan.
Walker was replaced by Andrew White (7.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.7 assists), and Duncan was succeeded by General Manager Sam Mackinnon as interim coach. Mackinnon’s tenure lasted only three games before assistant coach and former Townsville Crocodile Greg Vanderjagt took over as head coach for the remainder of the season. Unfortunately for Brisbane, their best performances were already behind them.
Sapwell joined the team in early December as an injury replacement player. He appeared in three games, scoring a total of two points.
Brisbane once again finished second last with an 8-20 record, with three of their eight wins coming against Illawarra, who endured their worst season in franchise history.
Sapwell appeared in only three games during the season, scoring a total of two points.
Koen Sapwell played two seasons in the NBL, playing for both the South East Melbourne Phoenix and the Brisbane Bullets..
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 24 | Brisbane | 8-20 (9) | 3 | 7.4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 2 | 2 | 100% | 34% | 0% | 2 |
| 2021-22 | 23 | South East Melbourne | 15-13 (6) | 2 | 3.8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 33% | 0 | 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 33% | 0% | 2 | Totals | 5 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 20.0% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 2 | 2 | 100.0% | 0% | 0% | 2 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 24 | Brisbane | 8-20 (9) | 3 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.7 | 0.7 | 100% | 34% | 0% | 2 |
| 2021-22 | 23 | South East Melbourne | 15-13 (6) | 2 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 33% | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 33% | 0% | 2 | Total | 5 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 20.0% | 0.0 | 0.0% | 0.2 | 100.0% | 0% | 0% | 2 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- Hobart (2021), Ballarat (2022), Southern Districts (2023), Central Districts (2024–2026)
In 2021, After spending three years playing at Cal State Monterey Bay, Sapwell returned home to play with the Hobart Chargers for the 2021 NBL1 South season after returning from Cal State Monterey Bay, with the 6-foot-3 guard averaging 16.66 points, 3.80 rebounds and 1.66 assists while shooting 44 per cent from the field. He also shot 45 per cent from three-point range during the season and had one of his strongest games against Ballarat with 26 points.
Hobart also used him as a starting-level scorer throughout 2021, including 15 points and 10 rebounds against Eltham, 20 points against Knox, and 11 points in the Chargers’ season-opening loss to North West Tasmania.
Ballarat Miners signed Sapwell for the 2022 NBL1 South season after his Hobart year, adding him to a roster built to contend in the conference. He averaged 16.7 points per game and was part of a Miners team that also featured Nic Pozoglou, David Crisp, Preston Bungei and Deng Gak.
The Ballarat stint included several scoring performances above 20 points, with Sapwell leading the Miners with 21 points in a win over Kilsyth, top-scoring with 22 points in a Round 15 game, producing 31 points and four steals in a win over Bendigo, and recording a 33-point game against Melbourne.
Southern Districts Spartans added Sapwell for the 2023 NBL1 North season, where he became the team’s leading offensive option and won the Spartans men’s MVP. He averaged 25.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 53 per cent from the field.
The 2023 season included a 25-point, six-steal performance for Southern Districts against Ipswich and another major scoring display in a 104–82 road win over North Gold Coast, continuing a run that placed him among the top scorers in NBL1 North before his move to Germany with Dresden for 2023–2024.
Central Districts Lions signed Sapwell for the 2024 NBL1 Central season, bringing the Adelaide guard back to his junior club. He averaged 22 points, six rebounds and four assists during the season while playing as a primary guard for the Lions.
Central Districts retained Sapwell for the 2025 NBL1 Central season and he helped the Lions reach the NBL1 Central Championship Game. In the semi-final win over first-placed Forestville, he finished with 27 points, seven rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and three blocks as Central Districts won 107–74.
Sapwell continued with Central Districts into the 2026 NBL1 Central season, with the early-season numbers showing 16.50 points, 4.50 rebounds, 4.50 assists, 1.50 steals and 1.50 blocks while remaining one of the Lions’ main guards.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Germany - Dresden Titans (2023–2025) | Finland - KTP Basket (2025–2026)
Sapwell joined Dresden Titans for the 2023–24 German ProA season in Germany, and he averaged 13.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals in 34 games while shooting 80.5 percent from the free throw line.
Sapwell remained with Dresden Titans for the 2024–25 German ProA season, and he averaged 14.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals in 32 games while improving his field goal percentage to 44.6 percent and three-point percentage to 37.9 percent.
Sapwell joined KTP Basket for the 2025–26 Finnish Korisliiga season, and he averaged 14.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 steals in 38 games while ranking among the league leaders in scoring.
COLLEGE
Koen Sapwell played three seasons of college basketball at California State University Monterey Bay from 2017–18 through 2019–20, competing for the Otters in NCAA competition before moving on to a professional career.
As a freshman in 2017–18, Sapwell made an immediate impact by starting his first 23 games, setting a school freshman record for starts in a season, and finishing the year with 25 games started out of 26. He shot well from long range, making 46 three-pointers, which tied for No. 13 on the Cal State Monterey Bay single-season list, and scored in double figures on seven occasions while leading the team in scoring twice and assists four times.
In his sophomore season in 2018–19, Sapwell led the Otters in scoring at 12.0 points per game and produced double-figure scoring in 17 of 26 games. He matched his career high of 22 points against Fresno Pacific on December 19 and made 55 three-pointers, ranking No. 11 on the CSUMB single-season list. Sapwell also made a career-high six 3-pointers in a win over Cal State San Bernardino on February 2 and matched a career high with five assists at Cal State LA on February 9.
During that 2018–19 campaign, he showed scoring versatility, hitting multiple long-range shots and pacing the Otters in key offensive categories while also contributing rebounds and hustle plays, helping the team remain competitive in Western Collegiate Athletic Association play.
One notable performance from Sapwell’s Monterey Bay career came on January 5, 2019, when he scored 21 points with five three-pointers in a strong individual outing against Stanislaus State, demonstrating his ability to carry the scoring load in big games.
Across his three-year NCAA career at Cal State Monterey Bay, Sapwell’s long-range shooting and scoring consistency placed him among the program’s all-time contributors in three-point field goals, and his early-career accomplishments helped establish him as one of the most productive guards in the Otters’ recent history.
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