Players
Keanu Pinder
Keanu Pinder
2024 Averages
14.1
PPG
1.0
APG
6.5
RPG
47
FG%
Biography
What a ride it has already been for the boy from Derby in the Kimberley to becoming a genuine star of the NBL as he prepares for a second season at the Perth Wildcats.
His father is Wildcats championship winning centre Tiny Pinder while his mother, Tracey, is proudly Nyul Nyul and Jabirr Jabirr from the Dampier Peninsula (north of Broome and Bunuba in the Fitzroy Valley region).
That Indigenous heritage remains a source of great pride, but his basketball talent started to shine when he moved to Perth to begin playing in the SBL (now NBL1 West) and in state programs.
Moved to the United States in 2013 and his last two college years were at the University of Arizona before spending two seasons in Poland with Legia Warszawa ahead of a first stint in the NBL with the Adelaide 36ers.
It was a mixed 2020/21 season, but when he landed at the Cairns Taipans to reconnect with Adam Forde after playing under him in WA, he truly started to realise his potential.
Delivered 10.9 points and 7.5 rebounds in NBL22 to be the league's Most Improved Player and then went up another level in NBL23. Was a legitimate MVP contender before suffering ankle and eye injuries.
Produced 16.9 points and 9.3 rebounds to be Most Improved Player once more and be named to the All-NBL Second Team before joining his home state Wildcats for NBL24.
Played well too for 13.6 points and 6.6 rebounds a game on a team that reached the post-season ahead of preparing for a second season with the 'Cats in NBL25.