NICKNAME/S: Vanilla Gorilla

BIO: Rhys Anthony Vague was born in the Perth suburb of Kardinya (WA). He played his first game of basketball at the age of seven, starting at the Spearwood Hawks Junior Basketball Club before joining the Cockburn Cougars junior program. He is also a product of the rich basketball program at Willetton Senior High School.

As a teenager he barracked for the Perth Wildcats, idolising the players and dreamt of playing for the club.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Rhys Vague made his NBL debut with the Perth Wildcats at 17 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

In 2014, Rhys Vague joined the Perth Wildcats as a development player during a season where the team aimed to secure back-to-back championships. The Wildcats retained nearly their entire roster from the previous season, including key players Shawn Redhage, Jermaine Beal, Damian Martin, Matthew Knight, Greg Hire, and Tom Jervis. Redhage signed a new three-year deal and relinquished the captaincy to Damian Martin. However, Perth faced a significant loss with star import James Ennis departing for the NBA, leading the team to replace him with forward Deandre Daniels (14.8 points and 7.7 rebounds).

The Wildcats struggled with injuries throughout the season, particularly in the frontcourt. Matthew Knight appeared in just six games, while Greg Hire played 19 games before being sidelined. Redhage suffered a stress fracture in his right foot, forcing him to miss the entire finals campaign. Vague saw limited court time, appearing in just one game during the season.

Despite these setbacks, Beal (16.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists) stepped up as the team’s primary offensive weapon and earned the Wildcats’ MVP award. Perth finished the regular season in fourth place with a 16–12 record. Matthew Knight earned All-NBL Second Team honours, and Damian Martin won his fifth consecutive NBL Best Defensive Player award.

In the semifinals, the Wildcats were eliminated by the Cairns Taipans in two straight games. Game one saw Cairns’ Scottie Wilbekin dominate with 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists, leading the Taipans to a 71–64 victory. In game two, Wilbekin continued his strong play with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists, guiding Cairns to an 80–68 win and ending Perth’s season.

2015/16
Heading into the 2015/16 season, head coach Trevor Gleeson acknowledged the chemistry issues from the previous year and revamped the roster by signing high-profile recruits Casey Prather and Nathan Jawai, as well as backup guard Jarrod Kenny. With Jawai’s arrival, a healthy Matthew Knight shifted to his natural position of power forward, creating a formidable frontcourt alongside Tom Jervis.

The Wildcats battled Melbourne United for the top spot on the ladder throughout the season, ultimately finishing second with an 18–10 record. Vague saw limited action again, appearing in six games and averaging 2.2 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 0.3 assists. He did not feature in the playoffs but was part of the Wildcats’ championship squad that defeated the New Zealand Breakers 2–1 in the Grand Final series.

2017/18
The Wildcats entered the 2017/18 season with Grand Final MVP Bryce Cotton re-signed but lost Casey Prather, who pursued NBA opportunities and ultimately joined Melbourne United. Perth initially replaced Prather with Devondrick Walker, but a preseason foot injury sidelined Walker, leading the Wildcats to sign JP Tokoto instead. Other roster changes included Derek Cooke Jr. replacing Jameel McKay, and Lucas Walker transitioning from a training player to a full-time roster spot in place of the retired Shawn Redhage.

Early in the season, Matthew Knight announced his intention to retire at the end of the year but brought forward his retirement to November after suffering three head knocks. Despite the upheaval, Perth started the season strong with a 10–3 record, leading the league after Round 9. However, injuries to Damian Martin and other key players caused the Wildcats to slump to 13–9 in mid-January. They finished the regular season in third place with a 16–12 record.

Vague played a career-high 13 games this season, averaging 1.5 points and 0.6 rebounds. On the eve of the playoffs, Martin was named the league’s Best Defensive Player for a record-breaking sixth time, while Cotton won the league MVP award and earned All-NBL First Team honours. JP Tokoto was named to the All-NBL Second Team.

The Wildcats faced the second-seeded Adelaide 36ers in the semifinals, but their playoff run ended abruptly. In game one, Perth suffered a devastating 109–74 loss, their second-worst finals defeat in club history. Game two was a closer contest, but Adelaide edged out an 89–88 victory, sweeping the series and eliminating Perth from the postseason.

PERTH WILDCATS
2018/19
During the off-season, Perth Wildcats re-signed star Bryce Cotton to a three-year deal, while also adding Nick Kay and Mitch Norton (both via Illawarra), former Wildcats big man Tom Jervis (via Brisbane), and new import Terrico White (via Korea). These additions coincided with the departures of Lucas Walker, Jarrod Kenny, and Dexter Kernich-Drew, who all signed with Cairns. Four-year development player Rhys Vague was elevated to the full-time roster, marking a significant step in his NBL career.

The team participated in two preseason games against NBA opponents, first suffering a heavy 130–72 loss to the Utah Jazz. Despite the result, coach Trevor Gleeson viewed the experience as a crucial moment for the team’s growth. In their second game, Perth narrowly lost to the Denver Nuggets (96–88), a game that showcased the Wildcats’ potential for the upcoming season.

Perth began the NBL season with an impressive 10–1 record. However, injuries disrupted their momentum as captain Damian Martin suffered a right calf tear that sidelined him for six games. Angus Brandt also missed three games in November due to an ankle injury sustained while representing the Australian Boomers. These challenges contributed to a downturn in form, with Perth losing eight of their next ten games, dropping to a 12–9 record by mid-January.

Under pressure to make roster changes, the Wildcats chose to remain loyal to their existing lineup. As players returned to full health, the team rediscovered their form, winning three consecutive games against Melbourne, Adelaide, and Sydney to finish the regular season in first place with an 18–10 record.

Rhys Vague played in 27 games, averaging 2.0 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.6 assists. His elevation to the full roster allowed him to contribute consistently off the bench. Among his standout performances was a 9-point, 4-rebound, and 2-assist effort against Brisbane (25 Oct 2018) and a career-high 10 points in a January 2019 win over Adelaide, marking his first NBL start.

Perth faced Brisbane in the semifinals, securing a 2–0 series win. In Game 1, Bryce Cotton (19 points, 2 rebounds, and 10 assists) and Terrico White (24 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist) led the team to a dominant 89–59 victory. In Game 2, White’s 24 points and Cotton’s second consecutive double-double (19 points and 10 assists) sealed the series with an 84–79 win. Vague saw minutes in both games but did not score.

In the Grand Final series, Perth faced defending champions Melbourne United, winning the series 3–1 to claim the championship. While Vague appeared in two games with limited impact, his contributions throughout the season solidified his role in the Wildcats’ success. Bryce Cotton and Terrico White were pivotal, with White being named Grand Final MVP.

2019/20
The Wildcats entered the 2019/20 season with significant continuity, re-signing four-time championship-winning coach Trevor Gleeson to a three-year deal and retaining six members of the championship squad, including Damian Martin, Jesse Wagstaff, and Terrico White. Development player Wani Swaka Lo Buluk was promoted to the full roster to replace retiring Greg Hire, while new additions included Dario Hunt and Majok Majok, who filled the void left by departing big men Tom Jervis and Angus Brandt.

Perth started the season strongly with a 5–1 record but experienced a mid-season slump, falling to 8–5 by Round 10 after consecutive losses. The team rebounded with a four-game winning streak, ending December with a 13–6 record. During this period, Damian Martin celebrated his 300th NBL game but was sidelined with a left heel injury that kept him out for the entire month of January.

Struggling to maintain consistency, Perth released Dario Hunt (8.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists) and replaced him with seven-year NBA veteran Miles Plumlee (9.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks). Plumlee’s presence revitalized the team’s frontcourt, exemplified by his 23-point, 18-rebound performance in a narrow 80–79 win over New Zealand.

With seven games remaining in the regular season, Perth won six of those matches to secure their 34th consecutive playoff appearance with a 19–9 record, finishing second on the ladder. Bryce Cotton (22.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists) led the league in scoring for the third straight year, becoming the first import to achieve this milestone. Nick Kay (15 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3.0 assists) had a breakout season, earning All-NBL First Team honours alongside Cotton.

Perth defeated Cairns 2–1 in the semifinals to reach their 15th Grand Final. In Game 1 against the Sydney Kings, Bryce Cotton (32 points) and Nick Kay (14 points and 6 rebounds) led the Wildcats to an 88–86 victory. Game 2, played without fans due to COVID-19 restrictions, saw Sydney even the series with a 97–85 win behind Jae’Sean Tate (21 points) and Andrew Bogut (24 points and 14 rebounds).

In Game 3, Perth dominated with Kay scoring a career-high 30 points and Cotton adding 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists in a 111–96 win. Sydney withdrew from the series before Game 4 due to travel and health concerns, resulting in Perth being awarded the championship. Cotton was named Grand Final MVP after averaging 30.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in the series.

Rhys Vague appeared in 25 games, averaging 2.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 0.2 assists. Following the season, Vague departed the Wildcats to pursue professional opportunities in Japan.

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX
2023/24
South East Melbourne entered a new era after a 15-13 season ended with a 106-99 Play-In Qualifier loss to Perth, with Mike Kelly replacing Simon Mitchell as head coach. Kyle Adnam (to Sibiu), Trey Kell III (to Adelaide), Ryan Broekhoff (retired) and Dane Pineau (to New Zealand) departed, while Kelly added Gorjok Gak (via Brisbane), Matt Kenyon (via Tasmania), Ben Ayre (via Cairns), Rhys Vague (via Kagawa), Craig Moller (via Germany) and import Will Cummings (via China) around returning leaders Mitch Creek, Alan Williams and Gary Browne. Williams suffered a knee injury during the preseason, leading to Tyler Cook joining as an injury replacement.

After spending three seasons with Kagawa in Japan, Vague returned to the NBL on a two-year deal with South East Melbourne and reunited with Kelly, who had previously coached him within the Australian Boomers program. Vague had averaged 12.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists during his final season in Japan before returning to Australia.

“Rhys brings a lot of qualities that we are looking for. He’s 6 foot 9 and super long, shoots the ball very well, really good person, will get along with his teammates well, but also has this kind of quiet determination or quiet toughness about him, and he’s not afraid to get physical,” Kelly said on signing Vague.

“I think he is going to be great in that four spot, backing up Mitch (Creek) and occasionally being able to play a little bit of that five,” he added.

South East Melbourne opened NBL24 against Melbourne United at John Cain Arena on September 28, where Vague (1 rebound) played eight minutes off the bench in an 82-67 loss. Ayre (17 points) and Cummings (14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) led the Phoenix, while Travers (20 points and 8 rebounds) was Melbourne’s best.

Vague (3.1 points across 27 games) appeared in 27 of South East Melbourne’s 28 games, averaging 12.8 minutes and making three starts as Kelly primarily used him off the bench at the four and occasionally at centre.

Vague’s best game came against Brisbane at John Cain Arena on October 21, where Vague (12 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist) made three of four three-pointers in 15 minutes as South East Melbourne defeated the Bullets 96-73. Williams (21 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Ayre (16 points and 3 rebounds) led the Phoenix, while Sobey (14 points and 7 rebounds) was Brisbane’s best.

Injuries and roster changes continued throughout the season. Cook (13.3 points and 7 rebounds across 3 games) departed when Williams (16.7 points and 10.9 rebounds across 15 games) returned, while Moller (6.2 points and 5.3 rebounds across 12 games) suffered a season-ending patellar tendon rupture. Gak (5.4 points and 4.9 rebounds across 17 games) missed time with a calf injury, leading to Daniel Johnson (3.7 points across 3 games) joining temporarily. Cummings (14.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.7 steals across 12 games) was released in December and replaced by Abdel Nader (14.4 points and 3.9 rebounds across 8 games).

Creek (20.8 points and 6.7 rebounds across 23 games) remained South East Melbourne’s leading scorer, earning All-NBL Second Team honours and winning his fifth consecutive club MVP award, while Williams led the NBL in rebounding despite playing only 15 games. Browne (13.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.2 steals across 20 games) remained the team’s primary playmaker when healthy, with Ayre (10.7 points across 27 games) enjoying a breakout season.

Despite originally signing for two seasons, Vague’s time with the Phoenix ended after NBL24, with the club announcing in March that he would not return for the second year of his deal.

South East Melbourne closed the season against Sydney at John Cain Arena on February 17, where Vague (7 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) played 20 minutes as the Phoenix suffered a club-record 122-67 defeat. Foxwell (16 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Creek (13 points and 3 rebounds) led South East Melbourne, while Hogg (25 points and 7 rebounds) was Sydney’s best as the Phoenix finished last with a 10-18 record.

Rhys Vague played six seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Perth Wildcats and the South East Melbourne Phoenix. He averaged 2.1 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 0.2 assists in 106 NBL games.