BIO: Sam Waardenburg was born and raised in Auckland (NZ) where he attended Rangitoto School.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Sam Waardenburg made his NBL debut with the Cairns Taipans at 23 years of age. He scored four points in his first game.

After being one of the most sought-after NBL rookies, Sam Waardenburg signed a three-year deal with the Cairns Taipans ahead of the 2022/23 season, enticed by the promise of a starting role from head coach Adam Forde. The Taipans, coming off a disappointing season, retained key players such as leading scorer Tahjere McCall, Majok Deng, Bul Kuol, Mirko Djeric, and reigning Most Improved Player Keanu Pinder, while adding Waardenburg and fellow recruits Lat Mayen and Jonah Antonio to their youthful roster.

Cairns defied pre-season predictions of a last-place finish by opening the season with an impressive 5-1 record, including victories over Tasmania (106-84), South East Melbourne (85-76), and reigning champions Sydney (83-78). Their only loss in that stretch came against Perth (76-105). Waardenburg quickly became an integral part of the team, showcasing his ability to impact both ends of the floor.

One of the season’s standout performances came against Melbourne United, where Cairns outscored their opponents 11-1 in the final four minutes to secure an 81-77 win, moving into second place on the ladder. Waardenburg played a pivotal role throughout the season, combining with teammates like DJ Hogg and Keanu Pinder to establish Cairns as one of the league’s surprise contenders.

Cairns consistently disrupted opponents’ momentum, snapping Brisbane’s three-game win streak in November (90-82) and ending Sydney’s record-setting 17-game road win streak (94-88) in an overtime thriller. Despite losing Pinder to an ankle injury in December, the team maintained their form with a five-game winning streak that included victories over Adelaide (86-83), Illawarra (96-89 and 89-84), Brisbane (107-81), and South East Melbourne (94-85).

In the final weeks of the regular season, Cairns battled New Zealand for second place. A late-season loss to Adelaide (96-99) hurt their chances, despite Waardenburg and Hogg both scoring 26 points. Cairns rebounded with a win over Perth (84-71), briefly moving into second place before New Zealand’s back-to-back victories relegated them to third due to a lower points percentage. Cairns finished with an 18-10 record, securing a spot in the NBL’s inaugural play-in tournament.

Waardenburg played a key role in Cairns’ playoff campaign, which began with a history-making performance from DJ Hogg, whose 32 points helped secure a 91-78 victory over Perth. In the semifinals against Sydney, Waardenburg’s resilience was tested during a chaotic series. Despite injuries to McCall and other teammates, Cairns forced a decisive game three with a 93-82 victory in game two, fueled by Hogg’s 25 points and McCall’s 20-point, 7-assist effort. Ultimately, Sydney’s defense held firm in game three, defeating Cairns 79-64 and advancing to the Championship Series.

Waardenburg capped off his rookie season with averages of 11.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists across 30 games. His stellar performances earned him the NBL’s Next Generation Award, replacing the Rookie of the Year accolade, and cementing his place as one of the league’s brightest young talents.

After Adam Forde’s first season as head coach ended with Cairns finishing ninth with a 9-19 record, the Taipans retained Tahjere McCall, Majok Deng, Mirko Djeric, Rookie of the Year Bul Kuol and reigning Most Improved Player Keanu Pinder. Kuol and Pinder both took up the mutual options in their contracts, keeping the two award winners in Cairns for a second season. Kouat Noi (to Sydney) departed, Nathan Jawai was not re-signed despite wanting to continue playing, and imports Scott Machado and Stephen Zimmerman were replaced.

Forde added Lat Mayen (via Nebraska), Jonah Antonio (via Czech League) and promoted injury replacement player Ben Ayre to the main roster. DJ Hogg (via Cholet) and Shannon Scott completed Cairns’ import trio alongside the returning McCall, with the changes giving the Taipans the youngest roster in the league.

On June 9, Sam Waardenburg signed a two-year deal with Cairns for his first professional season. Waardenburg had spent time with the New Zealand Breakers as a development player before completing his college career at the University of Miami. Waardenburg was pursued by several NBL teams before choosing Cairns after Forde offered him an immediate starting role. “Sam was a top priority for us this off-season, as he was for many other teams,” Forde said. “His impact in the league and for the Taipans will be immediate.”

Haven't heard about Sam Waardenburg?

There's a lot for Cairns fans to like about their new signing 👀@SamWaardenburg @CairnsTaipans #NBL23 pic.twitter.com/vcwzeORR06

— The NBL (@NBL) June 10, 2022

Cairns opened the season at MyState Bank Arena on October 3, where Waardenburg (6 points and 3 rebounds), Deng (26 points and 5 rebounds) and Hogg (17 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks) led the Taipans to a 106-84 win over Tasmania, while Rashard Kelly (15 points and 4 rebounds) was the JackJumpers’ leading scorer. Cairns scored 39 points during the third quarter, its highest-scoring period of the 40-minute era, and the victory began a 5-1 start that also included wins over South East Melbourne and reigning champion Sydney.

Waardenburg (11.3 points and 5.6 rebounds across 30 games) established himself as Cairns’ starting power forward and shot 53 per cent from the field during his rookie season. He missed only three of the Taipans’ 33 games. A foot injury kept him out of Cairns’ November 4 win over Melbourne, before a collision with DJ Mitchell during the December 14 game against Brisbane placed him in concussion protocols and ruled him out against Tasmania on December 17 and Perth on December 20.

Waardenburg’s best game of the season came in Brisbane on January 5, where he made 7-of-10 field goals and finished with 24 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal as Cairns defeated the Bullets 107-81. Hogg (23 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 block) and Ayre (20 points and 4 assists) helped the Taipans hold Brisbane’s starters to a combined 23 points, while Tyler Johnson (32 points, 4 assists, and 4 steals) provided the Bullets’ only consistent offence. The victory was Cairns’ third during a six-game winning streak, with five of those wins coming while Pinder was sidelined by an ankle injury.

His highest-scoring game came against Adelaide at the Cairns Convention Centre on January 30, where Waardenburg (26 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Hogg (26 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks) led the Taipans, while Kuol (15 points and 6 rebounds) provided support. Antonius Cleveland (27 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) and Robert Franks (20 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists) carried Adelaide to a 99-96 win, opening the door for New Zealand to move ahead of Cairns in the battle for second place.

Hogg (18.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks across 33 games) led Cairns in scoring and earned All-NBL Second Team honours. Pinder (16.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals across 19 games) joined Hogg on the Second Team and became the first player in league history to win consecutive Most Improved Player awards. McCall (16.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2 steals across 25 games), Scott (10.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.6 steals across 31 games), Kuol (10.3 points and 3.7 rebounds across 33 games), Deng (6.4 points and 3.9 rebounds across 32 games) and Ayre (5.8 points across 32 games) completed the main rotation. Waardenburg won the league’s inaugural Next Generation Award, which replaced the Rookie of the Year award, while Forde was named Coach of the Year.

Cairns completed the regular season at RAC Arena on February 3, where Waardenburg (9 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks), Kuol (15 points and 9 rebounds) and Deng (14 points and 11 rebounds) led the Taipans to an 84-71 win over Perth, while Bryce Cotton (28 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists) led the Wildcats. The victory briefly moved Cairns into second place, but New Zealand’s final-round wins left both teams with an 18-10 record and the Breakers claimed second on percentage, leaving the Taipans third and requiring them to enter the inaugural play-in tournament.

Cairns opened the postseason against Tasmania in the Seeding Qualifier at the Cairns Convention Centre on February 9, where Waardenburg (12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block), McCall (24 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) and Scott (17 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) led the Taipans. Milton Doyle (25 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals), Isaac White (18 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Jack McVeigh (13 points and 9 rebounds) powered Tasmania to an 87-79 win, while McCall partially dislocated his shoulder during the loss and joined Pinder on the sidelines.

The Play-In Game remained at the Cairns Convention Centre, where Waardenburg (15 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 block), Hogg (32 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks) and Kuol (23 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists) led the undermanned Taipans to a 91-78 win over Perth. Cotton (19 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists), TaShawn Thomas (14 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Corey Webster (14 points and 4 rebounds) led the Wildcats, but Hogg set a Taipans postseason scoring record and moved Cairns into the semifinals.

Game one of the semifinals moved to Qudos Bank Arena, where Waardenburg (11 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block), Hogg (24 points) and Antonio (20 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 block) helped Cairns build a nine-point halftime lead. Sydney responded by outscoring the Taipans 27-10 during the third quarter, with Xavier Cooks (27 points and 14 rebounds) and Derrick Walton Jr. (21 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists) leading the Kings to a 95-87 win.

Game two moved to the Cairns Convention Centre, where Waardenburg (15 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks), Hogg (25 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block) and McCall (20 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals) led Cairns to a 93-82 win. Walton Jr. (22 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) and Justin Simon (19 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 steals) led Sydney during a game that also saw Kings coach Chase Buford ejected, Cooks suffer an ankle injury, Waardenburg and former teammate Noi leave the court after hits to the head and Tim Soares charged with striking, while Scott was unavailable with a hamstring injury.

Game three returned to Qudos Bank Arena, where Waardenburg (17 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block), Ayre (20 points, 4 assists, and 1 steal) and McCall (9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) led Cairns, while Dejan Vasiljevic (15 points and 5 rebounds), Cooks (11 points and 11 rebounds) and Noi (11 points and 11 rebounds) led Sydney to a 79-64 win.

2023/24
Following an 18-10 campaign that ended with a deciding semifinal loss to eventual champions Sydney, Cairns reshaped its roster around coach Adam Forde and captain Tahjere McCall. Keanu Pinder (to Perth), DJ Hogg (to Sydney), Shannon Scott and Gabe Hadley (to Brisbane), Majok Deng (to Tasmania), Ben Ayre (to South East Melbourne) and Mirko Djeric (released) exited, while Patrick Miller (via Bamberg), Sam Mennenga (via Davidson), Akoldah Gak (via Illawarra), Taran Armstrong (via California Baptist), Bobi Klintman (via Wake Forest), Josh Roberts (via Manhattan) and Lachlan Anderson (via Skopje) joined the team. Development players Alex Mudronja (via Illawarra) and Kian Dennis (via Brisbane) completed the squad.

Waardenburg entered the second season of the two-year contract he signed with Cairns in 2022 after winning the NBL’s inaugural Next Generation Award during his rookie campaign. He spent part of the off-season with Riesen Ludwigsburg in Germany and joined Minnesota’s NBA Summer League roster, although a lingering knee complaint limited him to one appearance. During the trip, Cairns and Waardenburg agreed to extend his contract beyond NBL24, with Forde later explaining, “To have a stretch big make big plays like a point guard allows us to add and explore unique opportunities on the floor.”

Cairns opened the season at Spark Arena on September 30, where Waardenburg (12 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) helped the short-handed Taipans establish a seven-point first-half lead before New Zealand pulled away for a 98-87 victory. Mennenga (17 points and 4 rebounds) and Miller (15 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals) were Cairns’ other leading performers, while Jackson-Cartwright (25 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, and 6 steals) controlled the game for the Breakers as Tom Abercrombie celebrated his 400th NBL appearance.

In his second NBL season, Waardenburg (9.7 points and 5.2 rebounds across 25 games) remained a versatile frontcourt option and led Cairns in rebounding. His outside shooting, mobility and ability to make decisions on the move allowed him to operate as both a centre and stretch forward throughout an injury-interrupted campaign.

Waardenburg’s best rebounding game came in Cairns on October 5, where he finished with 6 points, a career-high 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 3 blocks as the Taipans defeated South East Melbourne 87-80 and collected their first win. Miller (23 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists) directed the offence and Klintman (15 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocks) recorded a double-double, while Mitchell Creek (20 points and 8 rebounds) led the Phoenix.

His best scoring game came against Sydney on October 28, where Waardenburg (22 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) made nine of 16 field-goal attempts as the undermanned Taipans defeated the defending champions 87-80. Kuol (24 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists) played all 40 minutes and Klintman (17 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) provided another strong performance, while Noi (18 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals) led Sydney. Cairns improved to 3-2 despite entering without McCall and Armstrong before losing Miller to a back injury late in the first half.

Following Tropical Cyclone Jasper and the flooding that affected the Cairns community, Waardenburg (20 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) led the Taipans to an emotional 94-75 home win over South East Melbourne on December 22. Miller (17 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists) and Kuol (15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) helped Cairns improve to 8-9, while Alan Williams (29 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) was the Phoenix’s best.

A January concussion then kept Waardenburg sidelined for three games and disrupted the back half of his season. He returned to the rotation late in the month but continued to work back into rhythm and also dealt with Achilles tightness during the final rounds.

Miller (19.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.2 steals) led Cairns offensively and received the club’s Most Valuable Player and Players’ Player awards, while McCall (17 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.9 steals) was named Defensive Player of the Year. Kuol (12.7 points and 3.1 rebounds) remained the leading perimeter scorer outside the import duo, and Klintman (9.7 points and 4.8 rebounds) received the Members’ Choice MVP. Armstrong (7.7 points and 4 rebounds), Mayen (6.9 points and 3.5 rebounds), Mennenga (6.9 points and 3.9 rebounds) and Gak (5.5 points and 3.7 rebounds) provided the remaining scoring support, with Mayen receiving the Coaches Award.

Already eliminated from postseason contention, Cairns closed the season at the Cairns Convention Centre on February 16 by completing its first regular-season sweep of Melbourne with a 97-88 victory. McCall (23 points, 9 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3 steals) and Miller (20 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists) led the Taipans, while Clark (20 points) was United’s leading scorer as Cairns finished eighth with a 12-16 record. Waardenburg (9 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks) played 27:21 minutes in the win.

2024/25
Heading into NBL25, Cairns began the season with a major roster overhaul following the departure of imports Patrick Miller and Tahjere McCall. Also exiting were Bul Kuol (to Sydney), Lat Mayen (to Adelaide), Bobi Klintman (NBA Draft), and Josh Roberts, leaving significant gaps in the roster.

To rebuild, Cairns brought in imports Rob Edwards, Pedro Bradshaw, and Tanner Groves, while naming rising point guard Taran Armstrong team captain and elevating him into the starting unit. Veteran guard Kyle Adnam (via Illawarra), athletic wing Jackson Makoi (via Sydney), and versatile forward Kyrin Galloway (via Adelaide) also joined the squad. Sam Waardenburg re-signed to anchor the frontcourt, while development players Alex Higgins-Titsha and Kody Stattmann (via South East Melbourne) added roster depth.

Waardenburg entered his second full season with the Taipans as one of the few returning players and quickly reaffirmed his importance to the team’s structure. A versatile frontcourt piece, he provided defensive presence, rebounding, and offensive versatility, and was regularly relied upon as a stabilizer in lineups constantly disrupted by injuries.

After opening the season 3–1 with strong wins over Tasmania and Melbourne United, Cairns struggled to maintain momentum. A narrow home loss to Perth and a blowout in Sydney triggered a 10-game losing streak through November and December. During this period, Waardenburg delivered several strong two-way performances, including 22 points and 9 rebounds in Sydney, 16 points against South East Melbourne, and a 14-point, 14-rebound double-double in the overtime clash with Adelaide.

By the end of 2024, the Taipans had fallen to 3–16 and sat at the bottom of the ladder. Injuries played a significant role—Taran Armstrong missed several games with an ankle sprain suffered during warmups in Round 3, and import Tanner Groves was sidelined for multiple weeks with a calf injury. In fact, Kyrin Galloway was the only player to appear in all 28 games, with the projected starting lineup missing a combined 25 games across the season. To plug holes, Cairns turned to short-term additions Deshon Taylor (3 games) and Tad Dufelmeier Jr (4 games).

Despite the adversity, Waardenburg remained a consistent contributor. His ability to rebound, stretch the floor, and initiate offense from the high post made him a key piece throughout the team’s midseason struggles. In November, he posted double-digit rebounds against Brisbane and Sydney, and in January, he had another standout 22-point game against South East Melbourne. In the double-overtime thriller against Perth, he added 9 rebounds in a critical road win.

January marked a turning point, with Cairns winning four of seven games, including a dominant 111–80 road victory in Brisbane and a gritty home win over Illawarra. Rob Edwards went on a scoring tear, and Taran Armstrong recorded the season’s only triple-double in Round 28. Waardenburg continued to anchor the frontcourt, contributing 16 points and 6 rebounds in the narrow loss to New Zealand in February.

Despite a more competitive finish—going 5–5 over their final 10 games—the Taipans closed the year at 8–21, finishing last with the league’s lowest points percentage (92.49%). On February 14, head coach Adam Forde parted ways with the club, ending a three-year tenure that included one finals appearance.

Sam Waardenburg (14.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists) was a steady two-way contributor all year, earning Club MVP, Defensive Player, and Members’ Choice MVP honours at the end of the season. Tanner Groves (13.5 points and 5.7 rebounds) and Pedro Bradshaw (10.7 points and 5.7 rebounds) were both serviceable while youngsters Kyrin Galloway (7.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks), Akoldah Gak (6.3 points, 5.6 rebounds), and Alex Higgins-Titsha (6.2 points, 3.9 rebounds) delivered a breakout season, making the most of Cairns’ injury woes.

2025/26
After finishing last with an 8-21 record in NBL25, Cairns initially parted ways with Adam Forde before reappointing him as head coach. Rob Edwards (to Xinjiang), Taran Armstrong (to Golden State), Tanner Groves (to Nagasaki), Pedro Bradshaw (to Rostock), Akoldah Gak (to Mexico City), Jonah Antonio, Jackson Makoi, Deshon Taylor, Tad Dufelmeier Jr and Dillon Stith exited, while Sam Waardenburg, Kyrin Galloway, Kyle Adnam, Kody Stattmann and Alex Higgins-Titsha returned, with Stattmann and Higgins-Titsha elevated from development-player status. Forde added Jack McVeigh (via Houston), Admiral Schofield (via Lyon), Marcus Lee (via Melbourne), Reyne Smith (via Louisville), Mawot Mag (via BYU), Lloyd McVeigh (via South Adelaide) and Jed Richardson (via Northside), while Lachlan Barker (via Tasmania) was added as a nominated replacement player. Ashton Hagans (via Xinjiang) was initially signed before Andrew Andrews (via Vilnius) replaced him before the season.

Waardenburg returned for his fourth season with Cairns after winning the club’s NBL25 MVP award, then carried his strong form into Puerto Rico by averaging 17.2 points and 7.3 rebounds while helping Mayaguez reach the BSN Conference Finals. Expected to anchor the frontcourt and provide leadership as captain, he instead suffered an ankle injury during the pre-season and underwent surgery only days before the opening round.

Cairns opened the season at John Cain Arena on September 20 without Waardenburg, where South East Melbourne defeated the Taipans 114-77. Smith (19 points and 6 rebounds) and Jack McVeigh (18 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Cairns, while John Brown III (14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 6 steals) starred for the Phoenix.

Waardenburg (15.5 points and 5.4 rebounds across 8 games) missed Cairns’ first 11 rounds while recovering from surgery, removing one of the team’s main scoring, passing and rebounding options for the opening half of the season. He returned against Tasmania at the Cairns Convention Centre on December 13, finishing with 8 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal in 23:56 after opening his season with an alley-oop dunk, but the JackJumpers recovered from a 13-0 start by Cairns to win.

Waardenburg’s best game came against New Zealand at the Cairns Convention Centre on December 19, where he finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal and 1 block and narrowly missed the second triple-double in Taipans history as Cairns defeated the Breakers 99-95. Jack McVeigh (47 points and 8 rebounds) produced the highest-scoring performance by a Taipan during the 40-minute era, while Lee (15 points) provided support and Mennenga (24 points and 8 rebounds) led New Zealand as Cairns improved to 5-13.

After scoring in double figures in six of his next seven appearances, Waardenburg (13 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block) made all six of his field-goal attempts against Brisbane on January 12 before injuring his opposite ankle during the third quarter. Cairns held on for an 88-83 win behind Jack McVeigh (25 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) and Galloway (19 points and 5 rebounds), while Maldonado (31 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists) led Brisbane, but the injury ended Waardenburg’s season after only eight appearances.

Mojave King (11.2 points and 4.4 rebounds across 22 games) joined during the season as an injury replacement, while Kian Dennis was later added as temporary cover during Cairns’ continuing injury crisis. Waardenburg joined Higgins-Titsha and Mag among the frontcourt players lost for extended periods, while Smith also missed more than half the season.

Jack McVeigh (21.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4 assists across 29 games) and Andrews (14.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 7.6 assists across 31 games) carried the offence, with King, Smith (9.9 points across 14 games), Schofield (8.8 points and 4.3 rebounds across 30 games), Galloway (7.6 points and 4.6 rebounds across 33 games), Lee (6.8 points and 5.4 rebounds across 33 games), Stattmann (6.6 points across 23 games) and Higgins-Titsha (6.3 points and 4.6 rebounds across 9 games) the other main contributors. Jack McVeigh earned All-NBL Second Team, club MVP and Members’ Choice MVP honours, Andrews received the Players’ Player award and Galloway was named Defensive Player of the Year.

Cairns finished ninth with a 9-24 record and missed the postseason, with Waardenburg unavailable for the final 10 games. Their season ended at Eventfinda Stadium on February 19, where New Zealand won 115-84 behind Mennenga (32 points and 9 rebounds), while Andrews (24 points and 7 assists) and Stattmann (20 points and 5 rebounds) led Cairns.

Sam Waardenburg currently plays for the Cairns Taipans and has played 89 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 12.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists since entering the league in 2022.

CURRENT CONTRACT:

Cairns Taipans – 3 Year Deal (2026-29)
3rd Year Mutual Option