AJ Ogilvy
February 2, 2021
Rhys Martin
- Nationality: AUS
- Date of Birth: 13/02/86
- Place of Birth: Brisbane (QLD)
- Position: PG
- Height (CM): 185
- Weight (KG): 84
- Junior Assoc: QLD - Southern Districts
- College: Nova Southeastern (2005–2007)
- NBL DEBUT: 19/09/07
- AGE AT DEBUT: 21
- LAST NBL GAME: 18/02/18
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 32
- NBL History: Brisbane 2008 | Wollongong 2009-18
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Rhys Martin was born and raised in Brisbane (QLD) . He began playing basketball as a junior with the Southern Districts Spartans.
Somewhat of a basketball savant and with the talent to match, Rhys Martin would probably go down as one of the smartest players to come out of Queensland.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Rhys Martin made his NBL debut with the Brisbane Bullets at 21 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.
During his time with the Hawks Martin helped the team reach the Grand Final after they finished in second place (16-12) during the 2009/10 season. In the Hawks semi-final matchup with the third placed Townsville Crocodiles. Martin contributed 9 points and 5 assists to help the Hawks win the opening game 87-68. In game two, the Crocodiles returned the favour, defeating the Hawks 82-53 on their home court with Martin contributing 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists. The series returned to Wollongong for game three where the Hawks led the game from start to finish, winning 88-76 with Martin having his best game of the series, recording 16 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists.
The 2010 NBL Grand Final would then see the Hawks face the Perth Wildcats who claimed game one in Perth, 75–64, with Martin contributing 5 points. The series then headed to Wollongong for game two, where the Hawks returned the favour and defeated Perth 75–63, behind a huge offensive game from Cam Tragardh (28 points) and Martin contributing 10 points. The deciding game three would return to Western Australia where Perth comfortably defeated Wollongong 96-72, with Kevin Lisch exploding for 29 points (5 from 9 three point shots) in front of their home fans. Martin added 12 points in the final game while Kevin Lisch was named Finals MVP after averaging 18 points and 4 rebounds over the three games.
During his time with the Hawks Martin helped the team reach the 2010 NBL grand final series before falling short to the Perth Wildcats.
2017/18
After finishing fourth with a 15-13 record and reaching the 2017 NBL Grand Final, where they were swept by Perth, Illawarra entered 2017/18 with Marvelle Harris (to Team Challenge ALS) and Michael Holyfield (to Beijing Dongfang) departing. Former NBL MVP Rotnei Clarke returned, while coach Rob Beveridge added Demitrius Conger (via Antwerp Giants) and Delvon Johnson (via Södertälje Kings). Beveridge said of Conger, “I always said we needed a stud three-man, and I feel very confident that we’ve found him.”
Rhys entered the second season of the two-year deal he had signed with Illawarra in April 2016, continuing a run with the Hawks that had begun in 2008.
Illawarra opened the season in Cairns on October 6, where Martin (1 point, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists) came off the bench as Ogilvy (22 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal, and a block) and Clarke (22 points) led the Hawks, but Alex Loughton (19 points) helped Cairns hold on for an 88-87 win.
Martin (5.9 points and 1.3 steals across 28 games) appeared in all 28 games for Illawarra, making him one of four Hawks to play every game, and did not miss any games through injury.
Martin’s best game of the season came against Sydney at WIN Entertainment Centre on November 16, where he finished with 13 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals without committing a turnover as Illawarra recovered from a 16-point deficit entering the fourth quarter to defeat the Kings 97-93 in overtime. Ogilvy (19 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Clarke (19 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists) led the Hawks, while Jerome Randle (28 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists) was Sydney’s best in his first game for the Kings. Conger was later charged with striking Brad Newley during a hard screen in the same game and received a one-game suspension.
Illawarra lost starting point guard Mitchell Norton to a fractured thumb against Melbourne on December 4, with surgery ruling him out for six weeks. Indiana Faithfull (via Sydney Comets) was added on December 9 as injury cover and appeared in nine games before Norton returned in late January. Despite calls for his replacement during the season, Johnson (4.4 points and 4.6 rebounds across 28 games) remained with the Hawks for the entire campaign and Illawarra made no mid-season import change.
On December 23, Martin (7 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and a steal) helped Illawarra recover from a 16-point first-quarter deficit against defending champion Perth at WIN Entertainment Centre. Clarke (21 points and 6 assists) and Conger (21 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks) led the comeback as the Hawks won 96-84, while JP Tokoto (27 points and 12 rebounds) was Perth’s best.
Conger (19.7 points and 5.7 rebounds across 27 games) led Illawarra in scoring, finished second in NBL MVP voting and earned All-NBL First Team honours, while Clarke (18 points across 25 games), Kay (11.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals across 28 games), Ogilvy (9.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks across 22 games), Norton (7.8 points across 19 games), Coenraad (6.9 points across 28 games) and Ellis (6.7 points across 20 games) were the other major contributors. White (2.8 points across 26 games) served as captain, while Forman (3.7 points across 26 games) played his final NBL season.
The season proved to be Martin’s final NBL campaign. Illawarra and Martin parted ways on June 21 after 10 seasons together, and although he continued playing in the Queensland Basketball League with the Gold Coast Rollers, he did not return to the NBL.
Martin’s final NBL appearance came in Illawarra’s last game of the season against minor premier Melbourne at Hisense Arena on February 18, where Martin (7 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, a steal, and a block) helped the Hawks defeat United 94-84. Kay (27 points, 7 rebounds, and a block) and Coenraad (24 points and 6 rebounds) led Illawarra, while Tai Wesley (14 points and 4 rebounds) was Melbourne’s equal-leading scorer as the Hawks finished fifth with a 12-16 record.
Rhys Martin played eleven seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Brisbane Bullets and the Illawarra Hawks. He averaged 7.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 267 NBL games.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-18 | 32 | Illawarra | 12-16 (5) | 28 | 539.5 | 164 | 56 | 76 | 12 | 44 | 36 | 5 | 34 | 43 | 63 | 154 | 41% | 13 | 53 | 25% | 25 | 32 | 78% | 48% | 45% | 13 |
| 2016-17 | 31 | Illawarra | 15-13 (4) | 31 | 520.8 | 146 | 63 | 78 | 16 | 47 | 37 | 6 | 54 | 49 | 45 | 134 | 34% | 17 | 62 | 27% | 39 | 45 | 87% | 47% | 40% | 15 |
| 2015-16 | 30 | Illawarra | 17-11 (3) | 18 | 491.8 | 164 | 60 | 75 | 10 | 50 | 12 | 4 | 31 | 47 | 61 | 146 | 42% | 16 | 55 | 29% | 26 | 31 | 84% | 51% | 47% | 17 |
| 2014-15 | 29 | Wollongong | 6-22 (8) | 22 | 587.0 | 213 | 57 | 68 | 9 | 48 | 34 | 0 | 38 | 53 | 76 | 165 | 46% | 30 | 83 | 36% | 31 | 39 | 79% | 58% | 55% | |
| 2013-14 | 28 | Wollongong | 13-15 (4) | 30 | 843.0 | 271 | 104 | 90 | 28 | 76 | 34 | 6 | 46 | 72 | 96 | 231 | 42% | 27 | 81 | 33% | 52 | 67 | 78% | 52% | 47% | |
| 2012-13 | 27 | Wollongong | 13-15 (3) | 15 | 444.0 | 177 | 42 | 49 | 9 | 33 | 17 | 3 | 29 | 28 | 66 | 129 | 51% | 18 | 41 | 44% | 27 | 35 | 77% | 61% | 58% | 28 |
| 2011-12 | 26 | Wollongong | 9-19 (8) | 28 | 754.0 | 275 | 68 | 101 | 13 | 55 | 20 | 4 | 72 | 53 | 94 | 203 | 46% | 23 | 69 | 33% | 64 | 88 | 73% | 56% | 52% | 20 |
| 2010-11 | 25 | Wollongong | 15-13 (5) | 15 | 282.0 | 95 | 37 | 31 | 11 | 26 | 17 | 0 | 25 | 28 | 36 | 87 | 41% | 9 | 24 | 38% | 14 | 16 | 88% | 50% | 47% | 14 |
| 2009-10 | 24 | Wollongong | 16-12 (4) | 34 | 775.0 | 266 | 84 | 106 | 19 | 65 | 28 | 8 | 74 | 63 | 90 | 223 | 40% | 29 | 80 | 36% | 57 | 78 | 73% | 51% | 47% | 18 |
| 2008-09 | 23 | Wollongong | 11-19 (7) | 30 | 424.0 | 122 | 54 | 54 | 14 | 40 | 27 | 5 | 40 | 52 | 45 | 93 | 48% | 12 | 28 | 43% | 20 | 31 | 65% | 57% | 55% | 15 |
| 2007-08 | 22 | Brisbane | 20-10 (3) | 16 | 80.0 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 7 | 26 | 27% | 2 | 10 | 20% | 1 | 3 | 33% | 31% | 31% | 3 | Totals | 267 | 5741 | 1910 | 632 | 735 | 145 | 487 | 267 | 43 | 450 | 499 | 679 | 1591 | 42.7% | 196 | 586 | 33.4% | 356 | 465 | 76.6% | 53% | 49% | 32 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-18 | 32 | Illawarra | 12-16 (5) | 28 | 19.3 | 5.9 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 2.3 | 5.5 | 41% | 0.5 | 1.9 | 25% | 0.9 | 1.1 | 78% | 48% | 45% | 13 |
| 2016-17 | 31 | Illawarra | 15-13 (4) | 31 | 16.8 | 4.7 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 4.3 | 34% | 0.5 | 2.0 | 27% | 1.3 | 1.5 | 87% | 47% | 40% | 15 |
| 2015-16 | 30 | Illawarra | 17-11 (3) | 18 | 27.3 | 9.1 | 3.3 | 4.2 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 8.1 | 42% | 0.9 | 3.1 | 29% | 1.4 | 1.7 | 84% | 51% | 47% | 17 |
| 2014-15 | 29 | Wollongong | 6-22 (8) | 22 | 26.7 | 9.7 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 0.4 | 2.2 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 2.4 | 3.5 | 7.5 | 46% | 1.4 | 3.8 | 36% | 1.4 | 1.8 | 79% | 58% | 55% | |
| 2013-14 | 28 | Wollongong | 13-15 (4) | 30 | 28.1 | 9.0 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 7.7 | 42% | 0.9 | 2.7 | 33% | 1.7 | 2.2 | 78% | 52% | 47% | |
| 2012-13 | 27 | Wollongong | 13-15 (3) | 15 | 29.6 | 11.8 | 2.8 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 4.4 | 8.6 | 51% | 1.2 | 2.7 | 44% | 1.8 | 2.3 | 77% | 61% | 58% | 28 |
| 2011-12 | 26 | Wollongong | 9-19 (8) | 28 | 26.9 | 9.8 | 2.4 | 3.6 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 7.3 | 46% | 0.8 | 2.5 | 33% | 2.3 | 3.1 | 73% | 56% | 52% | 20 |
| 2010-11 | 25 | Wollongong | 15-13 (5) | 15 | 18.8 | 6.3 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 5.8 | 41% | 0.6 | 1.6 | 38% | 0.9 | 1.1 | 88% | 50% | 47% | 14 |
| 2009-10 | 24 | Wollongong | 16-12 (4) | 34 | 22.8 | 7.8 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 6.6 | 40% | 0.9 | 2.4 | 36% | 1.7 | 2.3 | 73% | 51% | 47% | 18 |
| 2008-09 | 23 | Wollongong | 11-19 (7) | 30 | 14.1 | 4.1 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 3.1 | 48% | 0.4 | 0.9 | 43% | 0.7 | 1.0 | 65% | 57% | 55% | 15 |
| 2007-08 | 22 | Brisbane | 20-10 (3) | 16 | 5.0 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 27% | 0.1 | 0.6 | 20% | 0.1 | 0.2 | 33% | 31% | 31% | 3 | Total | 267 | 21.5 | 7.2 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 6.0 | 42.7% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 33.4% | 0.7 | 2.2 | 76.6% | 53% | 49% | 32 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 32 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- Southern Districts (2005–2006), Caloundra (2007), Rockhampton (2008–2009), Mackay (2010–2011), Illawarra (2014), Mackay (2015), Gold Coast (2018–2019), North Gold Coast (2021), Mackay (2022)
Martin played for Southern Districts across the 2005–2006 QBL seasons, beginning his senior state-league run with his junior club. Southern Districts won the 2005 QBL championship during that stint and added another men’s title in 2006, giving Martin early state-league success before and during his college years at Nova Southeastern.
Martin joined Caloundra for the 2007 QBL season after returning from Nova Southeastern. The Caloundra stint came before he moved into the national league as a development player and kept him in Queensland’s top state competition after two seasons of NCAA Division II basketball.
Martin joined Rockhampton for the 2008 QBL season and became part of a championship team with the Rockets. Rockhampton won the 2008 QBL title and also claimed the last ABA National Championship before the format was discontinued, while Martin’s season earned him the first of four straight QBL All-League Team selections from 2008 to 2011.
Martin returned to Rockhampton for the 2009 QBL season and remained one of the league’s leading guards. Rockhampton reached the 2009 QBL grand final before finishing runner-up to Cairns, and Martin was again named to the QBL All-League Team after the season.
Martin joined Mackay for the 2010 QBL season, beginning his first Meteors stint. Mackay reached the 2010 QBL grand final before losing to Rockhampton, and Martin earned another QBL All-League Team selection as one of the competition’s top guards.
Martin returned to Mackay for the 2011 QBL season and captained the Meteors to the club’s first men’s QBL championship. Mackay recovered from a 1–3 start by winning 16 straight games and defeated Rockhampton 100–82 in the grand final, while Martin earned QBL All-League Team honours for the fourth straight season.
Martin played for Illawarra during the 2014 state league season, adding a New South Wales stop to a career otherwise built largely across Queensland state competitions. The Illawarra stint sat between his long national-league run with the Hawks and his later return to Mackay.
Martin rejoined Mackay for the 2015 QBL season in a short five-game stint after the national-league season. Mackay later included him in the club’s Meteors Team of the Decade bench group for his 2010, 2011 and 2015 seasons.
Martin joined Gold Coast for the 2018 QBL season and continued with the Rollers in 2019. Gold Coast finished second on the 2019 QBL ladder at 15–3, advanced past Townsville in the semi-finals and reached the men’s grand final series before finishing runner-up to Brisbane.
Martin joined North Gold Coast for the 2021 QSL1 season on a one-year deal. The Seahawks reached the QSL1 men’s grand final, with Martin scoring 26 points and adding six rebounds in the 123–87 semi-final win over Gold Coast, then posting 20 points and six assists in the 89–77 grand final loss to Brisbane.
Martin returned to Mackay for the 2022 NBL1 North season, adding another late-career Meteors stint. Mackay sat on top of the ladder late in the regular season, with Martin contributing 12 points, four assists and four steals in a 103–70 win over Northside, five points and eight assists in a 99–74 win over Townsville, and seven points with six assists in a 98–87 road win over Darwin.
FIBA EXPERIENCE
Captained under 20s Australian national team.
COLLEGE
Martin played college basketball at Nova Southeastern University during the 2005-06 season and returned for the 2006-07 season, competing in NCAA Division II as a member of the Sunshine State Conference under head coach Gary Tuell.
In 2005-06, Nova Southeastern went 17-11 overall and 11-5 in Sunshine State Conference play, and Martin appeared in all 28 games with 23 starts while logging 781 total minutes (27.9 per game).
Across that freshman season, Martin totaled 315 points (11.3 per game) on 100-for-209 shooting from the field (47.8%), hit 31-of-76 three-pointers (40.8%), and made 84-of-101 free throws (83.2%), while adding 76 total rebounds (2.7 per game), 90 assists (3.2 per game), 43 steals (1.5 per game), 6 blocks, and 75 turnovers.
Martin’s 2005-06 production earned him Sunshine State Conference All-Freshman Team recognition, and he also made the SSC Commissioner’s List of Outstanding Achievement three times during the season (December, January and February).
Game-to-game, his 2005-06 season highs included 24 points vs Northern Kentucky (December 29, 2005), nine rebounds vs Rollins (February 25, 2006), eight assists vs Saint Leo (February 15, 2006), four made threes vs Barry (January 11, 2006), and a 14-for-14 free-throw night vs Florida Gulf Coast (February 13, 2006).
Against Florida Gulf Coast on February 13, 2006, Martin scored a game-high 20 points and went 14-for-14 at the foul line, a performance that also sits on Nova Southeastern’s single-game records list for perfect free-throw shooting (minimum 10 attempts).
Martin’s freshman-year volume and efficiency also show up in program record listings from that period, including 101 free-throw attempts (third-most single-season total on the listed chart), 83.2% free-throw accuracy on 101 attempts (ranked on the listed single-season percentage chart with minimum 50 attempts), 43 steals (appearing on the listed single-season steals chart), and 3.2 assists per game (listed among single-season assist-per-game marks).
Early in the 2006-07 season, Martin opened the year as Nova Southeastern’s point guard and posted a double-double with 22 points, 10 assists and five rebounds in a 108-107 win over North Alabama during the NSU/Courtyard Marriott Thanksgiving Classic, then followed with 12 points, seven assists and four rebounds in a 96-82 win over Valdosta State as the Sharks went 2-0 in the event.
For his play across the week of November 19–25, 2006, Martin was named Sunshine State Conference Player of the Week after averaging 17.0 points, 8.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds in those two wins while shooting 12-for-17 from the field (70.6%), going 3-for-3 from three-point range, and making 7-of-10 free throws.
Related
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