Cameron Bairstow returns to the NBL after signing with The Hawks for the 2020-21 season
After making the move to play in the big leagues of Europe, this former NBA player never had a return to the NBL on his mind until Australia’s most winningest coach came calling. Now he takes us inside how it all happened.
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He left the NBL almost 18 months ago and didn’t have any thoughts about coming back.
But that all changed when Cameron Bairstow received a call from Australia’s most winningest coach.
The former Chicago Bulls NBA forward has signed to join legendary coach Brian Goorjian at foundation club, The Hawks, for the upcoming season.
Bairstow returns to the NBL after a season with Rytas Vilnius in Lithuania and joins a revamped Hawks roster, which includes Australian NBA talent Deng Adel and US import Tyler Harvey.
He also joins a club with a new ownership group, including former NBA general manager Jerry Colangelo.
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Bairstow said a return to the NBL wasn’t even on the cards until The Hawks came calling.
“We were kind of prioritising and only looking at options in Europe and overseas to be honest, a return to the NBL wasn’t really on the radar,” Bairstow said.
“But then my agent told me about an offer from The Hawks and that deal was done pretty quickly.
“There were a lot of factors that made it attractive, from playing for Goorj, to the new ownership group and the direction the club is going in and then on top of that, the players that were signing.
“All of that together made it an opportunity that was pretty tough to pass up.”
Bairstow grew up watching Goorjian win championship after championship in the NBL and said he could not wait to play for the NBL icon.
“I obviously watched him a lot growing up and loved watching the way he coached,” he said.
“He just looks like he gets the best out of players and that’s what I’m really looking forward to.
“Just playing for a coach who really wants you and believes and trusts in you is going to be great.
“I feel like I’m a better player after my time in Europe, it was a different style of play so I learned a lot and I’m ready to bring that back when the NBL starts.”
The 2020/21 season will be the Rio Olympian’s third in the NBL and first since his departure from the Brisbane Bullets after the club declined his option and chose to prioritise other free agents instead.
The 29-year-old was one of Brisbane’s marquee signings in their return season in 2016 but said there’s no bad blood with his former club.
“I don’t feel any type of way about, it ended up being good for me because I went to Europe and had that experience which has made me a better player,” Bairstow said.
“It’ll just be good to play at home in front of family and friends when we play in Brisbane, as well as seeing the new arena.”
Bairstow is currently in San Antonio, US with his wife but will return to Australia in the next two weeks.