Biwali Bayles

Biwali Bayles
Bayles with the Sydney Kings in 2021
No. 14 – BBC Nyon
PositionPoint guard / shooting guard
LeagueSwiss Basketball League
Personal information
Born (2002-02-15) 15 February 2002 (age 22)
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Listed height185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Listed weight84 kg (185 lb)
Career information
High schoolAlexandria Park
(Sydney, New South Wales)
CollegeHawaii (2020–2021)
NBA draft2022: undrafted
Playing career2020–present
Career history
2020BA Centre of Excellence
2021Inner West Bulls
2021–2023Sydney Kings
2022Mackay Meteors
2023North Gold Coast Seahawks
2023–2024Illawarra Hawks
2024–presentSydney Comets
2024–presentBBC Nyon
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Australia
FIBA U17 Oceania Championship
Gold medal – first place 2019 Nouméa Team

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.[12] 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

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

College

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2020–21 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]

References

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