NICKNAME/S: Sobey-Wan Kenobi, Sobes

BIO: Nathan Sobey was born in Warrnambool (VIC) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Warrnambool basketball program and played his high school basketball at Emmanuel College in Warrnambool and St Patrick’s College in Ballarat, Victoria.

Sobey made his debut for the Warrnambool Seahawks in the Victorian state league senior team when he was 19 years old and from there, received a offer for Cochise, a junior college in Arizona. Sobey transferred to the University of Wyoming for his junior and senior seasons of eligibility before returning to Australia.

After playing collegiately in the United States Sobey had no offers from NBL clubs. Sobey joined the Ballarat Miners in the SEABL in 2014 and had a very strong season. He was noticed by then Cairns Taipans head coach Aaron Fearne who had been following Sobey at Wyoming and keeping tabs on him. The two were in touch when Sobey was with Ballarat and Fearne wanted to give Sobey a opportunity to develop in a NBL environment so he offered Sobey a contract as a “training player” for the team

NBL EXPERIENCE

Nathan Sobey made his NBL debut with the Cairns Taipans at 24 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

In 2015, Cairns became the first regional team to finish the season in first place (21-7) since Geelong achieved the feat in 1984. Cairns also achieved an NBL first when coach Aaron Fearne utilised the same starting five of Scottie Wilbekin, Cameron Gliddon, Stephen Weigh, captain Alex Loughton, and Matt Burston for all 28 games.

The roster did see some change during the season, however, with training player Nathan Sobey (1.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.1 assists) being elevated into the squad mid-season after injuries to Corey Maynard (1.1 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.6 assists) and Shaun Bruce (3.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists). Sobey played in 10 games with Cairns as a training player, averaging 1.5 points and 1.7 rebounds. The Taipans finished the regular season in first place with a 21-7 record.

In the semifinals, they faced off against 4th-seeded Perth. Behind the all-around brilliance of Wilbekin (28 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists), who was unstoppable in their game one win (71-64), Cairns took control. Wilbekin (16 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists) then led Cairns to victory in game two (80-68), progressing to the Grand Final series.

Cairns faced the New Zealand Breakers in the Grand Final and, despite having home-court advantage, lost the opening game 86–71. A buzzer-beating fadeaway from Breakers forward Ekene Ibekwe resulted in a heartbreaking game two loss (83–81), and the Taipans missed out on winning their first NBL championship.

Wilbekin (15.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists) led the team in scoring and assists, earning the club’s MVP award. Sobey finished the season with 1.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.1 assists per game.

Although sparingly used by the Taipans, Sobey did enough to catch the eye of Joey Wright, who noticed him working out after a Taipans practice when Wright’s Adelaide 36ers were in town. Sobey subsequently signed a contract to play with the Adelaide 36ers for the following season.

ADELAIDE 36ERS
2015/16
The Adelaide 36ers retooled their backcourt ahead of the 2015/16 season, bringing in import guards Kenyon McNeail and two-time NBL champion Ebi Ere. With Brock Motum departing for Europe and the decision not to re-sign Luke Schenscher (who joined Townsville), the 36ers added two young players—Melbourne Tigers forward Lucas Walker and guard Nathan Sobey, who had spent the previous season as a training player with Cairns. Coach Joey Wright had taken notice of Sobey during warm-ups when Adelaide faced Cairns, leading to the offer of a roster spot with the 36ers.

Daniel Johnson (15.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game) continued to be the 36ers’ top scorer and rebounder, but three games into the season, McNeail left the team due to a shoulder injury sustained during a pre-season dunk contest. This forced Wright to search for another import point guard.

The 36ers found Jerome Randle, a point guard who had been viewed as “too small” for the NBA and had spent the last five years playing in Europe. Randle, who had begun to lose his passion for the game, found himself rejuvenated by Wright’s coaching style. Wright, known for his blunt approach, famously told Randle, “If you don’t play your game, then you’re gonna f***in’ sit on the bench!” This tough love approach resonated with Randle, making him feel at home on the court again for the first time since leaving Chicago.

Randle (23.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists) became the league’s top scorer, recording four 30+ point games, including a 40-point explosion against Perth on November 5. He finished the season as the NBL’s leading scorer, the first Adelaide player to achieve that feat, and won the inaugural NBL Australia Post Fan’s MVP award.

Sobey spent his first season with Adelaide developing his skills but saw limited playing time. He averaged 4.0 points and 1.5 rebounds while playing alongside Randle and Johnson. The team finished with a 14-14 record, just missing out on the playoffs.

Despite Randle’s individual brilliance, the 36ers placed fifth (14-14) and failed to make the postseason. Randle earned a spot on the All-NBL First Team, while Johnson was selected for the All-NBL Second Team.

2016/17
During the 2016 NBL off-season, the Adelaide 36ers retained their star point guard Jerome Randle and bolstered their roster by signing promising prospects Anthony Drmic, the younger brother of former NBL player Frank Drmic, local talent Majok Deng, and import forward/centre Eric Jacobsen. Additionally, the team added 18-year-old high school star Terrance Ferguson from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who was a projected NBA Draft prospect. Ferguson chose to play professionally in the NBL rather than commit to college basketball, a decision that later influenced the creation of the NBL’s Next Stars Program.

Though most pundits predicted the young and relatively inexperienced 36ers to finish last, by mid-season they had emerged as a force in the league. Early season injuries to captain Mitch Creek (ankle) and Daniel Johnson (hamstring) saw Adelaide struggle at first, starting the season 3-6, with a low point being a tough loss to Brisbane (87-105) in Round 7 that left them at the bottom of the standings. However, with the return of their key players, Adelaide bounced back to beat Brisbane (101-83) in their very next game and went on an eight-game winning streak. By Round 11, they had vaulted from last place to first, and by Round 16, they had won 14 of their last 15 games, locking in the top spot on the ladder with three rounds to go. Even though they lost their final four regular-season games, Adelaide still finished two games ahead of the competition with a 17-11 record.

Nathan Sobey (15.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.0 steals), in his second year with the 36ers, capitalised on Creek’s absence, establishing himself as a crucial player for the team. Sobey stepped into the starting lineup, tripling his scoring output from the previous season (4 points in 10 minutes per game), and remained in the starting lineup even after Creek’s return. His improvement earned him a spot on the All-NBL Second Team and the league’s Most Improved Player award.

Big ups to the one and only Sobey Wan-Kenobi on taking out the Most Improved Player at #NBL17MVP @sobes2zero #NBL17 #YourGame pic.twitter.com/Tm0YFgFQlB

— The NBL (@NBL) February 13, 2017

Sobey averaged 15.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists over the season, while Jerome Randle (21.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 5.4 assists) led the team in scoring, was named to the All-NBL First Team, and won the NBL’s Most Valuable Player award, becoming only the second 36ers player to do so after Mark Davis in 1987. Daniel Johnson (15.1 points and 7.1 rebounds) led the team in rebounding, and Sobey’s improved play earned him the NBL’s Most Improved Player award, reflecting his leap from 4 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist in 10 minutes per game the previous season to becoming Adelaide’s third scoring option with 15.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 28 minutes per game.

In the semifinals, Adelaide faced fourth-placed Illawarra. After a dominant win in game one (93-78), led by an MVP-worthy performance from Randle (26 points and 4 assists), the Hawks stunned the 36ers by taking games two (100-94) and three (106-98), ending Adelaide’s season earlier than expected.

2017/18
After showing they had the potential to contend for a championship, the Adelaide 36ers retained their core Australian players—Mitch Creek, Nathan Sobey, Daniel Johnson, Matthew Hodgson, Brendan Teys, Majok Deng, Anthony Drmic, and Adam Doyle—for the 2017/18 season. However, a notable absence was star import Jerome Randle, who reportedly requested $300k per season, a figure far beyond what Adelaide or other NBL teams could offer. As a result, Randle opted to play in Turkey with Bahçeşehir, and Adelaide replaced him with experienced guard Shannon Shorter.

Philadelphian shooting guard Ramone Moore (via Melbourne) and athletic forward Ronald Roberts were signed as the team’s other two imports, rounding out the roster.

In mid-September 2017, the 36ers competed in the Merlion Cup in Singapore. Remaining undefeated throughout the tournament, they defeated the Shanghai Sharks in the final to win the 2017 Merlion Cup.

However, import issues plagued Adelaide early on. Roberts was released just a week before the season tipped off, with the team citing a ‘knee injury.’ Roberts responded on Twitter, stating he was ‘100 percent fine.’ The team signed veteran forward Alan Wiggins as his replacement, but Wiggins broke his arm in his NBL debut against the Sydney Kings. With Wiggins requiring surgery and set to miss eight weeks, the 36ers signed former Sydney Kings star Josh Childress.

Despite the import carousel, the 36ers performed well on the road but struggled with consistency, winning half of their first 16 games. Around this time, Randle, who had left Turkey after not being paid on time, inquired about returning to Adelaide. However, with the team’s roster already finalized, Randle signed with the Sydney Kings as a replacement for import guard Travis Leslie.

Injuries hit the 36ers hard, with Mitch Creek sidelined for three weeks in mid-December due to a hamstring injury. Shortly after, Drmic (6.6 points and 2.7 rebounds) was also out for three weeks due to a knee injury.

On Christmas Eve, the 36ers suffered a disappointing 19-point home loss to the Cairns Taipans, but this would serve as a turning point. Adelaide went on to win 10 of their last 12 games, including seven straight, and secured second place on the ladder by the end of the regular season.

Sobey finished the season with averages of 12.7 points, 4 rebounds, and 2.9 assists.

In the semifinals, Adelaide dominated third-seeded Perth, demolishing the Wildcats 109–74 in game one, marking the second-biggest finals loss in Wildcats’ history. The 36ers clinched the series in game two (89–88), with Josh Childress (25 points and 10 rebounds) leading the charge.

In the Grand Final series against Melbourne, Casper Ware (20 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) exploded in the first half of game one before leaving with a hip injury. Chris Goulding stepped up with an impressive 26-point performance, guiding Melbourne to a 107-96 win at Hisense Arena. Daniel Johnson (18 points) and Mitch Creek (14 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists) led the way for Adelaide.

Game two saw Adelaide tie the series, with Majok Deng (18 points) leading the team and strong showings from Mitch Creek and Ramone Moore (both with 17 points) in a 110-95 win. However, the 36ers lost Childress (13 points and 8 rebounds) to a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter, ruling him out for the remainder of the series.

In game three, tensions ran high as Nathan Sobey clashed with Casey Prather after Prather hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to close the first half. Sobey was ejected for a disqualifying foul, and after further confrontations at the final buzzer, 36ers coach Joey Wright was fined for questioning the referees’ integrity. Melbourne eked out a 101-98 victory, with Casper Ware (25 points), Prather (23 points), and Goulding (15 points) hitting clutch shots late in the game.

In game four, Sobey (16 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists) led Adelaide to a 90-81 victory at home, forcing a deciding game five. Johnson (29 points and 10 rebounds) and Prather (23 points) were the top scorers.

Game five saw Melbourne’s Goulding, Ware (both with 23 points), and Prather (19 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 steals) power United to a 100-82 victory, securing Melbourne’s first title since rebranding from the Tigers. Shannon Shorter (20 points) led Adelaide in scoring, and Chris Goulding was named Finals MVP after averaging 16.6 points and 3.6 rebounds in the series. Prather collected his third consecutive NBL championship, becoming the first player in league history to win three straight titles in his first three seasons.

2018/19
Following their near miss in the previous season’s NBL championship, the Adelaide 36ers entered a rebuilding phase with the departure of several key players, most notably second-leading scorer Mitch Creek. Creek left to chase his NBA dream after lengthy negotiations between Adelaide and Basketball Australia.

During the 2018 NBL offseason, Creek was granted approval by the 36ers to play in Germany, with the understanding that he would return for the 2018/19 season. However, his standout performances in Germany attracted the attention of the Brooklyn Nets, who signed him to their G-League affiliate. The 36ers filed an injunction to prevent Basketball Australia from approving Creek’s NBA deal without compensation. After some initial backlash, a resolution was reached, allowing Creek to pursue his NBA aspirations.

Other departures included Shannon Shorter (to Japan), Josh Childress (retired), and Matthew Hodgson (to Brisbane). To fill these gaps, Adelaide signed import Jacob Wiley (via Germany), who had impressed Joey Wright at NBA Summer League as a replacement for Creek, and point guard Adris De León to assist with scoring and playmaking duties. Rising stars Harry Froling and Jack McVeigh were also signed straight out of college, adding youthful energy to the team.

Nathan Sobey, Majok Deng, Adam Doyle, Brendan Teys, and import Ramone Moore were all retained, while team-leading scorer Daniel Johnson returned and took over as captain following Creek’s departure.

Adelaide started the season with a loss to Perth (91–99) at home in Round 1 but quickly rebounded with a win over the Sydney Kings (94–83) on the road. In Round 3, Sobey delivered one of the season’s highlights by recording a triple-double (22 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists) in the 36ers’ win over Cairns (91–83).

However, Adelaide then endured a four-game losing streak starting with a defeat to New Zealand (114–94) and ending with a loss to Brisbane (93–90) in Round 4. Key injuries, including a calf injury to Ramone Moore, disrupted their momentum. After an ultimatum was delivered to De León, Adelaide needed a win over Sydney to avoid further changes. Despite De León contributing 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists, Adelaide lost by 12 points. Consequently, De León (7.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists) was released, and Demitrius Conger, a former Illawarra import, was signed as his replacement. Shaun Bruce, unsigned after three seasons in Cairns, was also brought in to cover for Moore, who remained sidelined.

Despite the roster challenges, Sobey (16.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists) had a breakout season. His standout performances included a 27-point, 5-rebound, and 10-assist game in a win against New Zealand (114-107) on 7 February 2019, where he shot 9/14 from the field and 4/7 from three-point range. Another notable game saw Sobey score 24 points with 3 rebounds and 3 assists in a loss to Melbourne (109-122) on 28 January 2019.

Adelaide remained inconsistent throughout the season. After back-to-back wins against Cairns (109–95) and Illawarra (120–109) in Round 7, they dropped a close game to Illawarra (87–86) in Round 8. They followed a win over Brisbane (101–91) in Round 9 with another loss to Illawarra (90–93).

The 36ers found some form in Round 14, winning four straight games, including a crucial victory over Perth (97–84) and a dominant win against Sydney (119–99). However, their inconsistency returned with losses to Melbourne (114–91) in Round 16 and Brisbane (98–87 OT) in Round 17, which hurt their playoff chances.

Alongside Sobey, Daniel Johnson (17.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists) led the team in scoring, and both were selected to the All-NBL Second Team. Other key contributors included Jacob Wiley (12.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.0 assist), Demitrius Conger (11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists), Anthony Drmic (9.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists), and Harry Froling (7.9 points, 4.6 rebounds), who won the NBL Rookie of the Year award.

Adelaide hovered between fourth and fifth place for much of the second half of the season, but despite finishing equal with Brisbane at 14-14, the Bullets advanced to the playoffs due to a higher points percentage, ending the 36ers’ season in fifth place.

BRISBANE BULLETS
2019/20
On 5 April 2019, Sobey signed with the Brisbane Bullets on a three-year deal.

Sobey averaged 16.5 points and 3.9 rebounds, and helped guide the Bullets to a fifth place finish in the regular season with a 15-13 record.

2020/21
Brisbane continued to struggle in building a solid foundation and culture in their fourth year since re-entering the NBL. The Bullets saw major roster changes with the departure of key players, including Cam Gliddon (to South East Melbourne), Lamar Patterson (to New Zealand), and Will Magnay, who signed a deal to play in the NBA with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Joining the Bullets were rookie Tanner Krebs (St Mary’s – NCAA), Anthony Drmic and Harry Froling (both via Adelaide), alongside import signings Vic Law and Orlando Johnson.

Brisbane had assembled a high-scoring team, with Vic Law (18.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks) shooting 47% from the field and team captain Nathan Sobey (21.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists) also impressing with a 46% shooting percentage. Both players finished among the top five scorers in the league. The Bullets’ frontcourt, consisting of Matthew Hodgson (10.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks), Harry Froling (8.0 points, 4.9 rebounds), and Tyrell Harrison (5.2 points, 5.8 rebounds), ensured Brisbane dominated the boards, finishing third in offensive rebounding and second in defensive rebounds across the league.

The team displayed their potential in a win over Illawarra (97-91), where Law (29 points, 9 rebounds) and Sobey (18 points, 7 assists) led the way, while Froling and Hodgson combined for 13 rebounds.

Other memorable games included a victory over top-ranked Melbourne (96-88), where Law (10 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists) delivered his best rebounding performance of the season, and Hodgson scored a season-high 24 points. Another significant win came against Perth (95-92), with Law (23 points, 5 rebounds) and Sobey (31 points, 4 assists) combining for 54 points.

Despite their high-scoring offense and strong rebounding, Brisbane struggled to stay consistent, sitting at 8-8 midway through the season. Orlando Johnson (6.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists) was released in mid-March after underwhelming performances in 15 games. This coincided with Lamar Patterson’s return to Brisbane after being released by New Zealand due to a knee injury and a slow start to the season. Patterson (14.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.5 steals) overcame his knee issues and aimed to push the Bullets toward playoff contention. However, in the very next game, Law suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Brisbane, sitting at 10-8, had been in and out of the top four. While Sobey stepped up to fill the void left by Law, the Bullets lost five of their next seven games, conceding an average of 90 points while only scoring 80 per game. In response, the Bullets signed BJ Johnson (10.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.9 assists) to help turn things around. Despite his contribution, Brisbane finished their season with an 8-10 record.

Brisbane’s worst performance came in a 95-66 loss to South East Melbourne in Round 19. With Sobey sidelined due to injury, the Bullets struggled offensively, scoring just 66 points. Anthony Drmic (20 points) and Patterson (11 points) were the only players to score more than six points.

Despite flashes of brilliance, Brisbane finished the season in sixth place with an 18-18 record, missing out on the playoffs.

Nathan Sobey delivered the best season of his career, increasing his scoring average from 16 and 16.5 in the previous two seasons to 21.1 points per game, the second-highest in the league behind Bryce Cotton. Sobey earned All-NBL First Team honors, making seven 30-plus point games, including a season-high 35 points in a 108-119 loss to Sydney. In that game, he also recorded four rebounds and six assists.

2021/22
During the 2021/22 season Sobey averaged 16.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists and helped the Bullets finish with a record of 10-18 and ended the regular season in eighth place.

2022/23
After a disappointing second-to-last finish the previous season, Brisbane aimed to bounce back by adding Boomers big man Aron Baynes and veteran guard Tyler Johnson, former teammates in the NBA with Phoenix.

Devondrick Walker (via NBL1) was signed as a second import, and local talents Harry Froling (via Illawarra), Gorjok Gak (via Europe), and DJ Mitchell (via NBL1), the son of former Bullets import Mike Mitchell, were also added to the squad. They joined the returning core of Jason Cadee, Tyrell Harrison, Tanner Krebs, and captain Nathan Sobey.

With their off-season recruiting, many in the media predicted Brisbane would finish in the top four. However, there were concerns about Sobey’s recovery from a knee injury that kept him sidelined for half of NBL22 and Baynes’ return to the court after suffering a neck injury at the Olympics that nearly left him paralyzed.

Six games into the season, Brisbane remained winless. Baynes (11.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists) was far from his NBA form, and Sobey (15.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.6 assists) posted his lowest numbers in five years.

The Bullets finally recorded back-to-back wins, both against Illawarra. The first victory (82-56) came off a dominant performance by Baynes (17 points, 14 rebounds), and the second (86-61) was led by Sobey, who scored 14 points in the first quarter and 22 in the first half—both career highs. These wins marked the first time Brisbane won consecutive games by at least 25 points since February 2007.

A narrow two-point win over a strong Tasmanian side (74-72) extended Brisbane’s streak to three games. However, the momentum was short-lived, as underperforming import Walker (9.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists) was released, and head coach James Duncan was fired.

Walker was replaced by Andrew White (7.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.7 assists), and Duncan was replaced by General Manager Sam Mackinnon as interim coach. Mackinnon’s tenure lasted just three games before assistant coach and former Townsville Crocodile Greg Vanderjagt took over for the remainder of the season. Unfortunately, Brisbane’s best basketball was behind them.

Reports surfaced about an untenable relationship between Bullets CEO Peter McLennan and Mackinnon, and during this tumultuous period, Brisbane suffered two devastating defeats. One was a 37-point loss to New Zealand, the other a 49-point thrashing from Sydney, which marked the biggest defeat in NBL history and the largest loss by a coach on debut since Alan Black in 1989. Brisbane finished second last (8-20), with three of their eight wins coming against Illawarra, who endured their worst season ever.

Despite Tyler Johnson (15.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 steals) being nominated for the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award (won by Barry Brown Jr.), Brisbane’s season was defined by massive underachievement. A mass player exodus followed at season’s end.

Sobey, who led the franchise in points, steals, and assists, was named the team’s MVP, earning the Leroy Loggins Trophy.

2023/24
For the second season in a row, Sobey led the franchise in points, steals, and assists and was voted the clubs MVP for the second consecutive season.

Nathan Sobey currently plays for the South East Melbourne Phoenix and has played 265 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 14.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists since entering the league in 2014.

CURRENT CONTRACT:

South East Melbourne Phoenix – 2 Year Deal (2024-26)

HIGHLIGHTS:

Dan Boyce (815 Posts)

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.