NBL news 2024: Isaac Humphries’ life ‘best it’s ever been’ since coming out

Fifteen months after Isaac Humphries revealed he was gay, the self-proclaimed “Mr Adelaide” has reflected on the moment that set him on the path to peace and happiness in life and basketball.

Fifteen months after Isaac Humphries revealed to the world he was gay, the self-proclaimed “Mr Adelaide” has reflected on the moment that set him on the path to peace and happiness in both life and basketball.

Fresh off committing to another three years with the 36ers, Humphries says November 16, 2022, was a day that held “so much unknown” but the reaction to his decision to be the only current professional basketballer to come out has been overwhelmingly positive, to the point where he’s “just Ice”.

“No one had ever really done it before, so I didn’t know how the sport would react, I didn’t know how my friends would react, my teammates,” Humphries said, during a dual announcement on the 27th floor of One Festival Tower, where developer Walker Corporation confirmed it would stay on as major partner and jersey sponsor.

Adelaide star Isaac Humphries, who has re-signed for three years with the 36ers, and Walker Corporation ambassador Jessica Adamson. Picture Mark Brake

“But the reaction was amazing, my life’s the best it’s ever been and I think that’s just purely being able to be myself, feeling comfortable to be myself.

“At the end of the day, it was this big announcement and I’m the only one in the world right now, but I’m just Ice to everyone else and … that’s what I wanted.

“Life goes on and I’ll advocate forever, given the position I’m in, because I know there’s more work to do, but my experience has been phenomenal, so far.”

Lifting the burden of hiding his sexuality led to the best season of his basketball career in Adelaide, where he was a key player in the 36ers’ mid-season turnaround under new coach Scott Ninnis.

While club and player were initially far apart on terms — and the lure of home in Sydney with the Kings was a spanner in the works — the Sixers, with the newly-signed Ninnis pushing hard, came with a beefed up offer and the 26-year-old was comfortable remaining in the City of Churches.

Isaac Humphries is the self-proclaimed “Mr Adelaide”. Picture: Getty Images

“I am the self proclaimed Mr Adelaide and I want to stay that way,” Humphries said.

“Basketball-wise, I really love what we’re trying to create down here and it just made more sense for me, right now, to be here.

“I considered all my offers very heavily. Sydney was definitely on the cards, I don’t think there was any secret there.

“I have a very strong family connection in Sydney, however, I’m not a 10-year-old boy anymore and I live my own life and I felt like my life was in a different place and in a different direction.”

Isaac Humphries enjoyed a breakout campaign for Adelaide. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Isaac Humphries played his way into the Boomers team for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifyiers. Picture: Getty Images

Humphries joked Ninnis clinched his signature by purchasing tickets to his upcoming shows at the Adelaide Fringe Festival.

The 211cm giant is channelling the vulnerability of his decision to come out into a show aptly titled Unearthed.

“It’s no secret I’ve been through a pretty full on couple of years with my personal life and my coming out and the show is going to unearth a lot of lessons and situations and people that I’ve met, things I’ve learned from people, all these tough conversations I’ve had,” he said.

“It’s a very personal show, it’s a very vulnerable show but, of course, there’s a massive high toward the end because my life’s the best it’s ever been.

“I can’t neglect the fact that, yes, we all go through really dark days — and I went through my dark days — but we’re well and truly past that and there’s a huge light that I’m now in at the end of the tunnel.”

Originally published as NBL news 2024: Isaac Humphries’ life ‘best it’s ever been’ since coming out