BIO: Groves was born in Spokane, Washington. He attended Shadle Park High School, where he was named All-State and All-Greater Spokane League as a senior after averaging 18.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Tanner Groves made his NBL debut with the Cairns Taipans at 25 years of age. He scored 19 points in his first game.

Cairns began the 2024/25 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.

After splitting their opening games in September, the Taipans briefly surged to a promising 3–1 start, securing notable victories against Tasmania and Melbourne. However, their momentum quickly diminished after narrow losses to Perth and a heavy defeat to Sydney, which triggered a challenging 10-game losing streak across November and December. Despite standout individual performances from Edwards (33 points vs New Zealand), Armstrong (29 points vs Tasmania), and Groves (21 points vs New Zealand), defensive lapses and inability to close games plagued their progress. They ended the calendar year anchored at the bottom of the standings with a 3–16 record.

By the end of 2024, injuries significantly impacted Cairns’ campaign—Taran Armstrong missed several games due to an ankle sprain during warmups in Round 3, and Tanner Groves was sidelined for multiple weeks with a calf injury. Kyrin Galloway remained the sole Taipan to feature in all 28 games, highlighting the severity of the team’s health struggles. The projected starting lineup collectively missed 25 games, forcing Cairns to sign short-term replacements Deshon Taylor (3 games) and Tad Dufelmeier Jr (4 games).

January saw Cairns experience a brief resurgence, posting a 4–3 record. This included significant victories like an overtime win over Perth, a dominant 111–80 road triumph against Brisbane, and a home success over Illawarra. Edwards shined with a 35-point effort against Brisbane, and Armstrong recorded the season’s only triple-double with 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in another victory over Brisbane. However, despite competitive play down the stretch, Cairns closed out their campaign at 8–21, finishing last with the league’s lowest points percentage (92.49%). Shortly after the season concluded, head coach Adam Forde parted ways with the club, ending a three-year tenure that included one finals appearance.

Rob Edwards was a major bright spot for Cairns, ranking among the league’s top scorers with averages of 19.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists across 26 games, stepping up notably in the absence of other key players. Taran Armstrong displayed his potential, averaging 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in 19 games, solidifying himself as a key figure in the team’s future. Sam Waardenburg (14.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.0 blocks across 26 games) 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 delivered a solid contribution despite injury setbacks, finishing with averages of 13.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and nearly a block per game across 22 appearances.

Pedro Bradshaw (10.7 points, 5.7 rebounds across 24 games) also offered consistent production, while young players Kyrin Galloway (7.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.1 blocks), Akoldah Gak (6.3 points, 5.6 rebounds), and Alex Higgins-Titsha (6.2 points, 3.9 rebounds) took advantage of increased opportunities, providing promising performances amid the team’s extensive injury challenges.

Groves’ top performances of the season included a 23-point, 9-rebound effort against Adelaide on January 19, a 21-point, 8-rebound performance against New Zealand on December 31, and a well-rounded game of 20 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks against Melbourne United on December 26. These standout games highlighted his ability to impact both ends of the floor and his importance to Cairns’ overall competitiveness.

Tanner Groves played one season in the NBL. He averaged 13.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 22 NBL games.