Crosscourt: How Zylan Cheatham brother's tragic murder fuels him, Will Hickey on his Boomers stunner, Tai Webster’s NBL return
Zylan Cheatham says it’s a miracle he made it to 30. The basketball star has lost friends and family to gang violence and jail, his younger brother shot dead.
As his Arizona State team went down to Princeton by 1-point, Cheatham’s brother Wanyaa Stewart had stopped at a Tempe, Arizona, service station to pump up a flat tyre.
It was December 29, 2018 – and it would be the last thing Wanyaa would ever do. Shot dead by a local rival, Wanyaa, just 22, had fallen victim to the gang violence rife in impoverished South Phoenix.
Adelaide 36ers’ standout Cheatham admits it’s the same senseless turmoil that could have been his fate.
It’s why reaching, let alone celebrating, his 30th birthday was such a significant milestone in the young father’s life.
“My only little brother was killed in a homicide, it was a tragic situation,” Cheatham, who was 23 when his brother died, told Code Sports.
“I’ve lost a lot of family members and classmates to either homicides or jail or that type of stuff.
“So for me, where I’m from, to make it to 25 let alone 30, is a big-time achievement, and I don’t take it for granted.
“It was a little bit of luck, but credit to the decisions I made growing up and the person that my family raised me to be.”
Making it to 30 not a normal thing where I’m from. You might not understand but 30 actually kinda crazy…
— Zylan Cheatham (@1KingZ4) November 16, 2025
Life’s about decisions and how we deal with adversity and challenges.
For Cheatham, basketball was sanctuary and dreams of a professional career a constant driver whenever he hit a juncture that could have taken him down a path of no return.
“I’m not perfect, I’ve been in situations where I could have made different decisions, and, you know, thank God that, just the times that I did make the wrong decision, It wasn’t detrimental to my life or my career,” he said.
For many, our challenges pale in comparison to what Cheatham’s been through.
And yet the ultra-athletic forward dealt with the heartbreaking loss of his brother by channelling his energy into basketball and life.
“There’s two ways you can do it – you can play victim and let it be the reason why you didn’t do X, Y, Z, or the reason why you didn’t make it out (of your situation),” Cheatham said.
“Or you can channel it and make it energy and I think, for me, that’s kind of why I play the way I play and approach every situation the way I do.
“I don’t take a second for granted. I know I was put in this position for a reason, so I’ve just learned to channel it into energy and treat people the right way and have high character and it’s been paying off for me.”
Paying off in spades.
Cheatham’s had a wonderful basketball life, spending time alongside NBA star Zion Williamson during his rookie season with the New Orleans Pelicans and starring in leagues all over the world.
And his world changed again, three years ago, with the birth of son Zarrion.
“I’m trying to keep him straight and keep him away from a lot of the stuff that I had to see growing up,” he said.
“He’s three years old and he’s already lived in New Zealand, Japan, Australia, all over America.
“I’ve put him in position to do a lot of things differently than I did, and I genuinely am beyond proud of that.”
Cheatham’s Sixers sit second on the NBL ladder heading into Thursday night’s clash with Brisbane and his impact has been profound – and not just statistically.
Leading the NBL in rebounding at 10.8 per game, Cheatham’s averaging 11.4 points and 4 assists for the 11-3 Sixers.
But legendary five-time MVP Bryce Cotton says he’s the “heart and soul” of the club’s charge toward a first title in over two decades.
“We feed off his energy almost like our Adelaide’s (NBA star) Draymond Green, but he can put the ball in the hole a whole lot more,” Cotton said on 10 recently.
BOOMERS HERO AN INSPIRATIONAL STORY OF SELF BELIEF
Buzzer-beating Boomers hero Davo Hickey admits there are plenty of occasions where he could have given basketball away.
Whether it was as a junior when he was continually overlooked for state team or after development player stints at both Melbourne NBL clubs, the fight to establish himself has been one of experiencing, learning from and picking himself up after disappointment.
That is no more.
After an NBL championship, Asia Cup gold and an NBA Summer League stint, Hickey’s game-winning banked three that lifted the Boomers to a 79-77 victory over the Tall Blacks is the latest special moment in the late-blooming guard’s career.
“The journey, on the whole, is still insane to me,” Hickey told Code Sports the morning after his heroic turn.
“Growing, you play against a lot of kids who played state and now you look back and 95 per cent of those kids aren’t playing any more, so it’d be a very easy thing to look at it and go ‘oh, well, it’s not working out, I guess this ain’t for me’.
“But in my mind, I wanted this more than anything.
“I’ve always believed in myself and my ability, so I knew if I just stuck around, eventually I’d get to where I wanted to get and here I am now and I’m trying to take it in and be humble in these moments.”
Hickey — whose game winner was robbed of a live airing when the broadcast went dark about two minutes before full-time, leaving fans infuriated and Basketball Australia seeking answers — said he only had one thing on his mind as the clock wound down.
“I just remember thinking ‘I gotta go’ and then I lost the ball,” he said.
“As I lost it, I checked the clock and then it was just a matter of getting a shot off and that was what went up, it went in and we got to walk away with a win.”
When the highlight showed up on social media a while after the game, Davo had been branded ‘Hickley’ by the excited commentator.
But did he call bank?
“Of course, of course,” he laughed.
“No one’s going to believe me but I saw it drifting right from the get-go, I called bank, it went in and then my reaction was my reaction to get around the boys, it was pretty sick.
“That’s part of why you play, to have those moments and, once it happens the emotion takes over.
“I reckon the celebration went for a couple of hours after the game and it’s still hitting me.”
After a delayed start thanks to an eye injury he suffered at the NBL Blitz, Hickey’s gone to another level in the NBL and is among the early favourite’s for the league’s most improved player award.
Charged with the starting point guard role in Illawarra this season, the 26-year-old is putting up career high numbers across the board — 16 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists and 1.4 blocks.
But did he know it was coming?
“I couldn’t say I knew it was happening, but I did understand that winning the chip, going to summer league, then onto Asia Cup, my confidence was on a high,” he said.
“You do all that and it’s easy to tell yourself ‘well, all right, I’ve been here now, I’m doing this, this is what I’m built for’.
“But then you have to go out and do that and that feeling of I guess confidence or belonging, just settles in on the basketball court.”
A FAMILIAR FACE RETURNS AS INJURIES BITE
Livewire Kiwi guard Tai Webster is back in the NBL, signing on as an injury replacement in New Zealand after Breakers’ defensive dynamo Izayah Le’Afa suffered a season-ending foot injury.
Webster emerged as a Breaker during NBL21, averaging 17.2 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 1.4 steals, before three seasons in Perth.
Without a job at the beginning of the season, he adds run and gun alongside superstar Parker Jackson-Cartwright in New Zealand.
The Breakers, who host Sydney in Wednesday night’s Ignite Cup clash, have also lost strong man forward Max Darling to an eye injury, set to keep him out until mid January.
The Kings have injury problems of their own, veteran point guard Matthew Dellavedova still recovering from an elbow injury that was complicated by an infection, which kept him in hospital on a drip for a week.
Third-placed South East Melbourne is also set to tackle its weekend double against Illawarra, then Melbourne United, undermanned with important trio Owen Foxwell (toe), Malique Lewis (chest) and Hunter Maldonado (concussion) all in doubt.
In good news for Brisbane, the Bullets are set to head to Adelaide to face the juggernaut 36ers with a full squad, thanks to the arrival of new and returning imports Terry Taylor and Javon Freeman-Liberty and return of defensive beast Sam McDaniel, who looks in tip-top shape, judging from the hype reel the club posted on Tuesday.
ROMANCE MOVIES, LIFE’S GREAT JOY AND A CHAMPIONSHIP MINDSET
Meet new Brisbane Bullets’ import Terry Taylor
Age: 26
Home: Kentucky, USA
Height: 193cm
College: Austin Peay
Previous experience: NBA – Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings
G League – Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Windy City Bulls, Stockton Kings
Family: “My partner’s name is Brena and we have a beautiful baby girl named Teal (10 months)
Player comparison: “I always heard (former Sydney King, now Houston Rocket) Jae’Sean Tate but I like to think I’m my own unique player, so no comparisons.”
Favourite artists: “Rod Wave, G Herbo, Gunna – My favourite song is G Herbo: 4am to 8am.”
Favourite movies: “Romance movies and thrillers. I love love and happy endings to stories and movies.”
Favourite actor: “Denzel Washington – he just so smooth and good.”
Favourite food: “Steak or chicken wings.”
Proudest basketball achievement: “Becoming my college’s all-time leading scorer.”
What I’d be if I wasn’t a basketballer: “Dental hygienist or basketball coach or trainer.”
Greatest life joy: “Spending time with my girlfriend and daughter.”
Hobbies: “Play the game, hang out with my family, watch movies, and just being outside doing something.”
Who is the GOAT?: “LeBron: the body of work is self explanatory. Accolades and stats back it up.”
Toughest opponent you’ve ever faced: “Pascal Siakam or Kevin Durant.”
Why the NBL? “Great basketball and amazing cities.”
What do you bring to the Bullets: “Toughness, a competitiveness to win, defensive and offensive versatility and a championship mindset. I’m all about winning and that’s all I care about.”
Originally published as Crosscourt: How Zylan Cheatham brother's tragic murder fuels him, Will Hickey on his Boomers stunner, Tai Webster’s NBL return
