Mojave King to relocate to Adelaide

The CQUniversity Cairns Taipans announce that Mojave King will not return to the club and will instead relocate to the Adelaide 36ers for his second season in the NBL Next Stars program.

The program is focused on player development and progression and has recently seen success in the likes of LaMelo Ball and RJ Hampton, with King projected to nominate for the 2022 NBA Draft.

The Taipans, the NBL and the King family all aligned on the view that a change of environment would be in King’s best interests and NBA aspirations, providing him with the opportunity to further develop his skills and versatility on another team.

Adelaide expressed interest in signing the young star and terms of the move have been agreed between the club, the NBL and the 36ers.

In King’s rookie season in Cairns, the 19-year-old suited up for 30 games (including nine starts) capped off by a season-high 25-point performance in his last game against Brisbane.

Taipans President Troy Stone said:

“We are really pleased that Mojave first chose the Taipans to begin his basketball journey and it’s been a pleasure watching him mature and develop over the past year in Cairns.

"It’s great that we can all facilitate another NBL opportunity for him ahead of the Draft and get him primed with as much experience as possible. We can’t wait to see where his career leads.”

Mojave King said:

“I’m excited for this new chapter to try to take the next step in my career. Making a change was a difficult decision but I’m really comfortable with the coaching staff in Adelaide and their vision for me. Grant and Jeff have given me an opportunity to spread my wings as I work towards my goal of playing in the NBA.”

NBL Commissioner Jeremy Loeliger said:

“Mojave is a player with enormous potential and the Next Stars program aims to bring that to life. In consultation with all parties, we felt a change of scenery was best for the coming season.

“We saw signs of what Mojave can become in Cairns and we thank the Taipans for helping him grow in his rookie season. I’m looking forward to seeing what Mojave can do in NBL22 with the support of the 36ers as he prepares for the NBA Draft.”

The Taipans would like to thank King for his time in Cairns, his commitment to the club and wish him all the very best for the future, in the NBL and beyond.