Nathan Sobey speaks after burglars trashed his family’s home, stealing his Olympic medal

An Olympic hero has spoken for the first time since his family’s Brisbane home was ransacked as burglars stole his history-making bronze medal.

BRISBANE Bullets basketball star Nathan Sobey has revealed he feared for his children’s safety after burglars ransacked his family home and stole a piece of Australian sporting history.

Sobey was recovering following his team’s win over Tasmania on February 26 when his wife and the couple’s two children, both under three, returned home to find their house trashed.

The 31-year-old cut his recovery short and immediately returned home where he was shocked to find the burglars had gone through his children’s things.

Olympic basketballer and Brisbane Bullets NBL star Nathan Sobey had his history making bronze medal from the Tokyo Games stolen from his home on the weekend. Picture: Jamie Hanson

Sobey was then dealt a devastating blow when he discovered his bronze medal from the Tokyo Olympics, the first ever medal at a major international event for the Australian men’s basketball team, was stolen.

And despite the medal being part of a landmark moment in Australian basketball and what Sobey called “easily” the biggest achievement of his career, the Warnambool product said it was nowhere near his biggest concern at the time.

Nathan Sobey has had his Olympic bronze medal stolen. Picture: Instagram

“The biggest and scariest thing for us, having two kids under two and a half years, is that someone was in our house,” Sobey said.

“Someone coming through the house with kids that age is always going to put thoughts in your head.

“Obviously the things that are missing it’s sad and you don’t want them missing but at the same time knowing that someone has been through your kids’ stuff is the worst part.

Nathan Sobey in action against Nigeria at the Tokyo Olympics. Picture: Adam Head

“It’s super disappointing to see the house the way it was and to find out about the stuff that was missing but at the end of the day my family is OK and we’re all good and that’s what is really important to me.

“Also there’s a lot of people going through a lot worse right now.”

After the incident, the Bullets released a statement saying they believed it was a targeted attack and Sobey said it was hard to disagree.

“It’s kind of hard to predict that type of stuff but I mean it’s hard not to knowing there was a two hour window from when my family leaves for the game and then gets home,” he said.

“Whether that was just a coincidence or not, you can put many thoughts in your head on what’s gone on but you really don’t know until you find something out.

Nathan Sobey in action for the Brisbane Bullets. (Steve Bell/Getty Images)

“Whether it was targeted or wasn’t, it’s the same result as far as what’s missing and who’s been through our house, they’re the things that can’t be changed.”

The Olympic medal holds a special place in Sobey’s heart, not just because of the history it made for Australian basketball but because of the path he took to get there.

Having been one of the best players in the National Basketball League for several seasons, the dynamic guard was omitted from the original Boomers squad for the Tokyo Games.

But he turned the disappointment into motivation and had his best season in the NBL in 2020/21, where he finished in the top three for MVP voting and his form made it impossible for coach Brian Goorjian not to add Sobey as a late inclusion.

A short time later and Sobey is standing on the podium alongside NBA stars such as Patty Mills and Joe Ingles after the Boomers beat Slovenia to claim the team’s first ever Olympic medal in August.

Nathan Sobey in action against Germany during the Tokyo Olympics. Picture: Adam Head

“I’d love to get it back, you work so hard for those types of moments but at the end of the day, as people like Luc Longley and (former Boomers and Bullets coach) Drej (Andrej Lemanis) said to me, I’m always going to be part of what happened,” Sobey said.

“Whether the medal is there or not, no one can take the memories, the friendships and chemistry we built as a team away from me.

“I’d love to have the medal back but it still doesn’t mean anything to anyone else apart from myself and the group that went through what it took to win an Olympic medal.”

Sobey also said he could not thank the Australian basketball community, his family and friends as well as his support staff enough for their support in pushing for the medal to return home.