Keanu Pinder facts for kids
Pinder with the Cairns Taipans in 2022
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| Akita Northern Happinets | ||||||||||||||
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| Power forward / center | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
| Born | 28 May 1995 Derby, Western Australia, Australia |
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| High school | Sunrise Christian Academy (Wichita, Kansas) |
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| Listed weight | 103 kg (227 lb) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 2018 / Undrafted | |||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2013–present | |||||||||||||
| League | B.League | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Lakeside Lightning | |||||||||||||
| 2015 | East Perth Eagles | |||||||||||||
| 2018–2020 | Legia Warszawa | |||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | Adelaide 36ers | |||||||||||||
| 2021–2023 | Cairns Taipans | |||||||||||||
| 2022 | Northside Wizards | |||||||||||||
| 2023 | Fuenlabrada | |||||||||||||
| 2023–2025 | Perth Wildcats | |||||||||||||
| 2025 | Shanxi Loongs | |||||||||||||
| 2025–present | Akita Northern Happinets | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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Keanu Tecumseh Pinder (born on May 28, 1995) is an Australian professional basketball player. He currently plays for the Akita Northern Happinets in Japan's B.League. Before becoming a pro, he played college basketball for Hutchinson Community College and the Arizona Wildcats.
Contents
Early Life and Basketball Beginnings
Keanu Pinder was born in Derby, Australia. He lived there until he was 10 years old. Then, he moved to Perth for school. When he was young, Keanu enjoyed playing both basketball and Australian rules football.
First Steps in Basketball
In the 2012–13 season, Keanu was part of the training team for the Perth Wildcats. This was a great start for him. In 2013, he played for the Lakeside Lightning team. They won the SBL championship that year. He also played a short time for the East Perth Eagles in 2015.
Moving to the United States
In 2013, Keanu moved to the United States. He attended Sunrise Christian Academy in Wichita, Kansas. This move helped him prepare for college basketball.
College Basketball Journey
From 2014 to 2016, Keanu played college basketball for Hutchinson Community College. During his first year, he scored about 6.5 points and grabbed 6.5 rebounds per game. In his second year, he improved, averaging 10.2 points and 6.9 rebounds. He also blocked 1.8 shots per game.
Playing for the Arizona Wildcats
In March 2016, Keanu moved to the University of Arizona. He joined the Wildcats team. In the 2016–17 season, he played in 35 games. He averaged 2.2 points and 2.9 rebounds in about 12 minutes per game. In his final year, 2017–18, he averaged 2.3 points and 2.1 rebounds in about 10 minutes per game.
Professional Basketball Career
After college, Keanu Pinder started his professional basketball career. He has played for several teams around the world.
Starting in Poland
In August 2018, Keanu signed with Legia Warszawa in Poland. He played there for two seasons. In his first season (2018–19), he averaged 7.2 points and 4.0 rebounds. In his second season (2019–20), he averaged 7.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game.
Playing in Australia's NBL
On July 17, 2020, Keanu joined the Adelaide 36ers for the 2020–21 NBL season in Australia. He played 35 games, averaging 4.8 points and 4.3 rebounds.
Then, on July 19, 2021, he signed a two-year deal with the Cairns Taipans. In the 2021–22 NBL season, he averaged 10.9 points and 7.6 rebounds. He also won the NBL Most Improved Player Award. During the 2022 off-season, he played for the Northside Wizards.
In the 2022–23 NBL season, Keanu had a great start. He averaged 16.9 points and 9.3 rebounds in 19 games. However, his season was cut short due to injuries. He had an ankle injury and then an eye injury. He won the NBL Most Improved Player award for the second year in a row. This made him the first player in the league's history to win it twice!
Short Stint in Spain
On March 3, 2023, Keanu signed with Fuenlabrada in Spain. He wore a special protective mask for his face injury while playing there.
Return to Australia with Perth Wildcats
On April 1, 2023, Keanu signed a two-year deal with the Perth Wildcats. He also joined the Phoenix Suns for the 2023 NBA Summer League. However, he got a back injury during practice and could not play. In the 2023–24 NBL season, he averaged 13.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
On October 25, 2024, Keanu scored 34 points against the Sydney Kings. This was a career-high for him. On February 11, 2025, he scored a new career-high of 35 points. He also had 11 rebounds and two blocks in a win against the South East Melbourne Phoenix.
Playing in China and Japan
On March 15, 2025, Keanu signed with the Shanxi Loongs in China for the rest of their 2024–25 season.
Most recently, on June 19, 2025, Keanu signed with the Akita Northern Happinets in Japan. He will play for them in the 2025–26 season.
National Team Career
Keanu Pinder has also proudly represented Australia in international basketball.
Youth and University Teams
In 2013, he played for Australia at the 2013 FIBA Under-19 World Championship. In 2015, he played for the Australian University National Team. They competed at the World University Games in South Korea.
Senior National Team
In 2022, Keanu won a gold medal with the Boomers. This was at the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup in Indonesia. He was not able to play in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup because of a groin injury.
Personal Life
Keanu Pinder comes from a family with a strong basketball background. His mother, Tracey Smith, is an Indigenous Australian. She grew up in the Kimberley region. His father, Kendal Pinder, is from the Bahamas. Kendal also played professional basketball for the Perth Wildcats in the National Basketball League.
See also
In Spanish: Keanu Pinder para niños
