‘It was pretty special’: Paul savours NBL debut

Luke Paul had been waiting a long time for this moment.

After an ankle injury delayed the start of his NBL career, the highly rated 17-year-old finally stepped onto the floor for the Kenfrost Homes Cairns Taipans on Thursday night, making his debut in a thrilling 97-91 victory over the Brisbane Bullets at the Cairns Convention Centre.

And watching from the stands were three people who had travelled a long way to be there.

Paul’s parents and sister made the journey from Perth to Cairns to witness his first NBL game, adding another layer to a night the young guard won’t soon forget.

“I went over and said hello to Mum and Dad and my sister after the game,” Paul said.

“They're my biggest supporters in my life. So, to have them here at my first game, it was pretty special.”

The debut had been more than a month in the making after an ankle injury ruled Paul out of the Taipans’ opening five games of the 2026-27 season.

For one of Australian basketball’s brightest young talents, being forced to watch from the sidelines was difficult.

“The start of the season was pretty frustrating. But I just kind of took the positives out of it, being able to lift more, get ready for the season, put some size on, and then get quicker, get stronger,” Paul said.

“Look at the positive sides rather than the negative.”

MAKING AN INSTANT IMPACT

The 198cm guard entered the contest late in the opening quarter and immediately got involved, picking up an early steal before attempting a step-back jumper.

His milestone moment arrived early in the second quarter when Paul attacked the basket and finished a tough drive for his first NBL points.

Paul admitted his opening shot might not have been exactly what head coach Adam Forde had in mind, but it didn't shake his confidence.

“I kind of had a mix-up with Fordey when I took the first shot,” Paul said.

“But the guys trust me to keep doing my thing and keep shooting.

“I wanted to get downhill and get one on the board.”

MEASURED APPROACH

Paul’s first appearance also provided an immediate introduction to the speed and physicality of professional basketball, with the teenager spending time matched up against veteran Bullets guard Mitch Norton.

“It's physical out there. It's a fast-paced game. There are international players from all around the world,” Paul said.

“You just got to kind of adjust to that. But I'm loving it out there, and I'm loving it here in Cairns.”

While Paul was eager for more minutes, his return will remain measured as he works his way back to full fitness.

“As much as I wanted to keep playing, I just got to limit it and come back into it and ease into it,” he said.

“But it's good to get one under the belt.”

FAITH IN THE GROWTH

More important than the minutes themselves was the trust Paul felt from his coach and teammates.

“Fordey trusts me and the boys trust me to go out there and play my game and do what I do best,” he said.

That belief is becoming an important part of a Taipans group now carrying momentum after back-to-back wins.

The Duke commit said there is a clear picture of the reputation Cairns wants to build throughout the NBL27 season.

“It's super special. Everyone on the team can play and we've got some hoopers on the team and everyone trusts each other,” he said.

“We want to build an identity that it's hard to play against us and no one wants to play against us.”

Paul will get his second taste of NBL action when the Taipans travel to Wollongong to battle the Illawarra Hawks on Sunday at 4pm AEST.