Biwali Bayles Explained

Biwali Bayles
Number:14
Position:Point guard / shooting guard
Height Cm:185
Weight Kg:84
League:Swiss Basketball League
Team:BBC Nyon
Birth Date:15 February 2002
Birth Place:Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
High School:Alexandria Park
(Sydney, New South Wales)
College:Hawaii (2020–2021)
Draft Year:2022
Career Start:2020
Years1:2020
Team1:BA Centre of Excellence
Years2:2021
Team2:Inner West Bulls
Years3:2021–2023
Team3:Sydney Kings
Years4:2022
Team4:Mackay Meteors
Years5:2023
Team5:North Gold Coast Seahawks
Years6:2023–2024
Team6:Illawarra Hawks
Years7:2024–present
Team7:Sydney Comets
Years8:2024–present
Team8:BBC Nyon
Highlights:

Biwali Bayles (born 15 February 2002) is an Australian professional basketball player for BBC Nyon of the Swiss Basketball League. He is also contracted with the Sydney Comets of the NBL1 East. He won two NBL championships with the Sydney Kings of the National Basketball League (NBL) in 2022 and 2023.

Early life

Biwali Bayles was born on 15 February 2002 in Brisbane.[1] He moved to the Sydney suburb of Redfern with his family when he was one or two years old, and grew up in The Block, which is home to him. He was a big fan of Brisbane Broncos player Jharal Yow Yeh, and at one point wanted to make a career out of rugby league football, until his mother suggested giving basketball a try.[2]

College career

Bayles committed to playing college basketball at Hawaii in January 2020.[3]

He led the team in assists per game (2.6) in his lone season with the program, while also averaging 6.2 points per game. He also hit a three-point shot against Cal State Northridge that would prove to be the game-winning shot for Hawaii.[4]

Bayles left the program in March 2021 to turn professional and play in Australia.[5] [2]

Professional career

NBL and Europe

Bayles signed with the Sydney Kings on 27 April 2021.[6] He helped the Kings win the 2022 NBL championship.[7]

On 14 January 2023, it was announced that Bayles would be taking paid leave of absence from Kings for the rest of the 2022–23 season.[8] The Kings went on to win the 2023 NBL championship.[9]

On 25 May 2023, Bayles signed with the Illawarra Hawks as a development player for the 2023–24 NBL season.[10]

In August 2024, Bayles signed with BBC Nyon of the Swiss Basketball League.[11]

NBL1

In 2020, Bayles had a two-game stint with the BA Centre of Excellence in the Waratah League. In 2021, he had a two-game stint with the Inner West Bulls, also in the Waratah League.[12]

In 2022, Bayles played for the Mackay Meteors in the NBL1 North. He continued in the NBL1 North in 2023 with the North Gold Coast Seahawks before joining the Sydney Comets of the NBL1 East in 2024. He is set to re-join the Comets for the 2025 NBL1 East season.[13]

National team career

Bayles won a gold medal at the FIBA U17 Oceania Championships in 2019 playing for the Australia national under-17 team. He has also been a member of the Australia national under-19 team, playing for them at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup.

Career statistics

College

|-| 2020–21 | align=left|Hawaii| 21 || 12 || 19.3 || .404 || .432 || .697 || 3.1 || 2.6 || 0.6 || 0.1 || 6.2

Personal life

Bayles' cousin, Quaden,[14] is an actor.[15]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Biwali Bayles . Sydney Kings . 14 January 2023.
  2. Web site: Proszenko . Adrian . NBL 2021: New kid on The Block: Rising Indigenous Sydney Kings basketball star Bayles set to make a difference . . 4 December 2021 . 14 January 2023.
  3. Web site: Hawaii men’s basketball: Australian point guard Biwali Bayles commits to Rainbow Warriors . Hawaii Warrior World . 1 August 2021.
  4. Web site: Biwali Bayles bails out Hawaii to earn tough road win at Cal State Northridge . Honolulu Star Advertiser . 1 August 2021.
  5. Web site: Biwali Bayles leaving ‘Bows Basketball program to play professionally in Australia . KHON2 . 1 August 2021.
  6. Web site: Kings Secure Young Gun Biwali Bayles for NBL22 . NBL . 1 August 2021.
  7. Web site: Kings Win First Championship in 17 Years with Record Crowd. NBL.com.au. 11 May 2022. 11 May 2022.
  8. Web site: Sydney Kings Statement: Biwali Bayles . NBL.com.au . 14 January 2023. 14 January 2023.
  9. Web site: Kings' Big Finish to Secure Back-to-Back Championships . NBL.com.au . 15 March 2023 . 15 March 2023.
  10. Web site: Biwali Bayles joins the Hawks as Development Player . Hawks.com.au . 25 May 2023 . 25 May 2023.
  11. News: BBC Nyon inks two more players . 16 November 2024 . eurobasket . 19 August 2024.
  12. Web site: Biwali Bayles, Basketball Player, News, Stats - Eurobasket . Eurobasket LLC . 16 November 2024 . subscription.
  13. News: Biwali Bayles returns for 2025 . 16 November 2024 . nbl1.com.au . 15 November 2024.
  14. Web site: Chenery . Susan . Armstrong . Rebecca . 'Don't call me cute': Bullied boy with dwarfism Quaden Bayles and mum Yarraka share reality of going 'viral' . ABC . 16 June 2024 . 25 November 2020.
  15. Web site: Scott . Leisa . Semmler . Erin . Mad Max Furiosa actor Quaden Bayles says he's 'a whole different person' four years after viral bullying video . ABC . 16 June 2024 . 10 June 2024.