Tamuri Wigness facts for kids
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Wigness in January 2020
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| Point guard | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 26 March 2002 Torres Strait Islands, Queensland, Australia |
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| High school | Cairns State (Cairns, Queensland) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 84 kg (185 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2020–present | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2020 | BA Centre of Excellence | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | Southern Districts Spartans | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2022 | Brisbane Bullets | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Brisbane Capitals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | North Gold Coast Seahawks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Tamuri Slim Wigness Jr. (born March 26, 2002) is an Australian professional basketball player. He last played as a point guard for the North Gold Coast Seahawks. This team is part of the NBL1 North league.
Contents
Early Life and Basketball Journey
Tamuri Wigness was born in the Torres Strait Islands region of Queensland, Australia. His mother is a Torres Strait Islander, and his father is from Gambia. When he was young, his family moved to Cairns. There, he started his primary school education.
Tamuri first became interested in sports by playing junior rugby league. He played this sport until he was 10 years old. His mother then suggested he try basketball instead. She thought it would be safer because it involved less physical contact.
Within a year of starting basketball, Tamuri joined the Tiny Taipans development program. This program was run by Cairns Basketball. By age 11, he was even training with professional players from the Cairns Taipans team.
High School and Sporting Choices
Tamuri went to Cairns State High School during his teenage years. He kept playing basketball there. He also tried junior Australian rules football with the Manunda Hawks. He was chosen for several junior representative teams in this sport.
Tamuri and another young basketball player from Cairns, Alex Davies, were both noticed by the Gold Coast Suns. This is a professional AFL team. They were offered spots in the Suns' special training academy. Alex chose to focus on football. Tamuri, however, decided to concentrate on basketball. They are still good friends and often train together.
Rising Star in Junior Basketball
At 14 years old, Tamuri was picked to play for his home state, Queensland. This was for the 2016 under-16 national championships. He played exceptionally well in the tournament. He scored an average of 25.56 points per game. In one game against South Australia, he scored an amazing 45 points!
In 2017, Tamuri received an NBA Global Academy scholarship. This gave him access to top-notch training facilities. These facilities are located at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. Later that year, he played for Queensland again at the under-16 national championships. His strong performance led to him being selected for the Australian team. This team competed at the 2017 FIBA Under-16 Asian Championship.
Tamuri played a very important role in helping Australia win the gold medal. He was also named the starting point guard in the All-Tournament Team. This means he was one of the best players in the whole competition. In 2018, he went to Treviso, Italy, for the NBA's Global Camp. There, he impressed scouts by playing well with fellow Australian guard Josh Green.
Tamuri also helped Australia win gold medals at other events. These included the 2018 FIBA Under-18 Asian Championship and the 2019 FIBA Oceania Under-18 Championship. He also played for Australia at the 2018 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup and the 2019 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup.
Playing for the Centre of Excellence
From 2017 to 2020, Tamuri played for the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence. He played in leagues like the SEABL, NBL1, and Waratah League. In the 2019 NBL1 season, he averaged 11.7 points, four assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game. In his final game of that season, he scored 22 points and had 12 assists.
Tamuri caught the attention of many college and NBA scouts. This happened when he went to Charlotte, North Carolina. He competed in the 2019 Basketball Without Borders Global Camp. He earned All-Tournament honors there, showing he was one of the best players.
In 2020, Tamuri played for the Southern Districts Spartans. This team is in the Queensland State League (QSL).
Professional Basketball Career
On July 20, 2020, Tamuri made a big decision. He chose not to go to an American college for basketball. Instead, he signed a two-year contract with the Brisbane Bullets. This team plays in the National Basketball League (NBL). He joined their Next Stars program, which helps young players develop. He played 44 games for the Bullets over two seasons.
During the 2021 off-season (the time when the main season isn't happening), Tamuri played for the Brisbane Capitals. This was a short time in the NBL1 North league. In 2022, he played for the North Gold Coast Seahawks, also in the NBL1 North.
National Team Play
Tamuri Wigness has proudly represented Australia in several junior international basketball tournaments. These include:
- The 2019 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup
- The 2018 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup
At the 2019 Under 17 FIBA Oceania Championship, he was named to the All-Star Five. This means he was one of the top five players in the tournament.
