Mojave King Moves to Adelaide 36ers for NBL22

Following his rookie season with the Cairns Taipans, Next Star Mojave King will relocate to the Adelaide 36ers for the 2021/22 Hungry Jack’s NBL season.

The NBL Next Stars program is focused on player development and progression. King, the NBL and the Cairns Taipans were aligned that a change of environment is the best move for his second season.

Adelaide expressed interest in signing the young star and terms of the move have been agreed between the NBL, the Cairns Taipans and the 36ers.

In King’s rookie season in Cairns, the 195cm, 19-year-old, suited up for 30 games (including nine starts) capped off by a season-high 25 point performance in the final game of NBL21 against Brisbane.

Mojave King said, “I’m excited for this new chapter to try to take the next step in my career. Making a change was a difficult decision but I’m really comfortable with the coaching staff in Adelaide and their vision for me. Grant and Jeff have given me an opportunity to spread my wings as I work towards my goal of playing in the NBA and helping Adelaide achieve big things this season.”

NBL Commissioner Jeremy Loeliger said: “Mojave is a player with enormous potential and the Next Stars program aims to bring that to life. In consultation with all parties, we felt a change of scenery was best for the coming season.

“We saw signs of what Mojave can become in Cairns and we thank the Taipans for helping him grow in his rookie season. I’m looking forward to seeing what Mojave can do in NBL22 with the support of the 36ers as he prepares for the NBA Draft.”

Taipans President Troy Stone said: “We are really pleased that Mojave first chose the Taipans to begin his basketball journey and it’s been a pleasure watching him mature and develop over the past year in Cairns. It’s great that we can all facilitate another NBL opportunity for him ahead of the Draft and get him primed with as much experience as possible. We can’t wait to see where his career leads.”

Adelaide 36ers Chairman Grant Kelley said, "We are once again proud to partner with the NBL on the Next Stars program, which ran so successfully last year with Josh Giddey.  We believe Mojave King, like Josh, is similarly destined for great things, and we look forward to working with Mo to help him achieve his dream of playing in the NBA."

King joins an Adelaide 36ers roster for NBL22 that includes Mitch McCarron, Isaac Humphries, Daniel Johnson, Sunday Dech and Kai Sotto.