Why Cairns checked every box for McVeigh

Three key reasons made Jack McVeigh’s decision an easy one.

He had no hesitation committing to a second season with the Cairns Taipans, and for coach Adam Forde, it provides valuable stability as the Snakes look to build their roster for next NBL season.

Cairns received a major lift ahead of their final home game of NBL26 on Thursday, announcing that McVeigh would remain in Far North Queensland for another year. It was a timely boost.

The former Tasmania JackJumpers championship hero, who has since represented the Boomers at the Olympics and spent time in the NBA and G League, is producing the best NBL season of his career in Cairns. He delivered another 25-point performance in the narrow four-point loss to Melbourne, albeit admitting he wasn’t satisfied with his individual display.

Still, there is no doubt about how he feels off the court.

McVeigh believes in what the Taipans are building. He and his family, including their new baby, have felt genuinely embraced by the Cairns community. And the Far North Queensland lifestyle has only strengthened that connection.

Together, those factors made staying an easy call.

“I’m excited about what we’re trying to build and I trust in what we’re doing, and then from a club front I’ve loved being here and my family’s been treated with so much respect and consideration,” McVeigh said.

“And then I’ve loved living here too, so it’s like the trinity of what you want as a person and showing up for a job every day so I’m really excited and I’m happy about it.

“I’m definitely very grateful as well.”

Coach Forde was understandably thrilled to secure McVeigh’s commitment. Beyond the immediate boost, it gives Cairns something just as valuable: time.

Last season, landing McVeigh was a major coup, but it came late in the piece. Much of the roster had already been assembled by the time he signed. This time, it’s different. With their marquee piece locked in early, the Taipans can shape their squad around him as the cornerstone heading into next season.

“It’s massive for the club and when you scale it in terms of the timeline, last year it was the big domino to fall late July and now to have that piece in February early on, it’s just good for multiple reasons,” Forde said.

"Obviously having a marquee level player like Jack return with the season that we've had as well is huge for the club and the community.

"It's important now to construct the right pieces around him and you go to market early and aggressive, and hard on what that local contingent looks like.

"When you know you've got arguably one of the best players in the league and he's a four man, then you look at what kind of players you need in every other position to fit around that.

"And then you start to move into the depth of the bench and being able to hone in on what that depth looks like again that's going the complement Jack with his game is massive when it comes to timing."