Sunday Dech & Adam Forde reunite in FNQ

The Kenfrost Homes Cairns Taipans welcome Sunday Dech to the Far North on a two-year deal, reuniting the Perth guard with Head Coach Adam Forde. Boasting 210 NBL games and two championships, the defensive specialist will suit up in orange for his 11^th season in the league.

The reunion between the two Western Australians is meaningful, with “Fordey” having played a pivotal role in Dech’s basketball journey, dating back to when he first joined the East Perth Eagles as a teenager.

Now, the 32-year-old returns to his longtime mentor with ambitions to re-establish himself as one of the best defenders in the NBL.  

“I think this has been a long time coming. Our journey goes back to 2012 when I started playing basketball and we’ve joked about it nearly every off-season, but Fordey returning to Cairns created the perfect storm.

“The opportunity to build and be a part of something that's growing in Cairns, under a coach who I’m familiar with at this stage of my career, is something I’m really looking forward to,” said Dech.

“My defence is how my bread is buttered. That's how I made my injection into the league and I want to get back to that.

“That also goes back to my relationship with Fordey. He's the guy who moulded me as a player from the beginning, shaping my identity, work ethic and approach to the game.

“I want to get back to my identity. I want to get back into the ‘Defensive Player of the Year’ conversations and be one of the best perimeter defenders in the league.”

Dech’s career began with the Wildcats in 2013 as a development player, setting him up for his collegiate campaign in 2016. He played at the Metro State University of Denver and Barry University before returning home in 2018 to train with multiple NBL clubs, including Cairns, as he prepared to re-enter the league.

Initially signing as a training player in Perth, Dech later stepped into a nominated replacement player role and would be part of their 2019 championship-winning squad.

The South Sudanese Australian signed with the Illawarra Hawks in 2019 but his move to Adelaide in 2020 marked a five-season stint at the Sixers, where he earned two multi-year contracts.

In his best season, Dech averaged 12.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 steal per game (2021-22) while providing a strong defensive presence off the bench – a trait that Coach Forde was keen to acquire.

“We need an injection of defence this year after our worst showing last season. Every team will jokingly say they need a ‘Bryce Cotton stopper’ but that’s exactly what it is, and that will be Sunday for us,” said Forde.

“I trust Sunday with this task because I’ve seen the work he has put in over the last 12-plus years.

“We’ve won state league titles together, NBL Championships together and since then he's performed on the Olympic stage for South Sudan.

“This version of Sunday we are getting now has another layer of maturity and hunger which should get the Cairns community excited.

“I might be biased, but we are getting the best version of him right now.”

First representing South Sudan on the world stage in 2022, Dech played a key role in their push to qualify for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, including 18 points and five assists against Egypt, and 15 points and eight assists against Tunisia in the qualifiers.

As South Sudan earned a World Cup debut, it would go on to finish 17th (out of the 32 countries), resulting in qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics – also a first for the nation – with Dech continuing to play a strong role in the squad.

Dech becomes the sixth confirmed signing for the 2026–27 Kenfrost Homes Cairns Taipans, joining Jack McVeigh, Reyne Smith, Kyrin Galloway, Luke Paul and Shaun Bruce. Join the team and join the Orange Army! End-of-financial-year sale on now: save 20% on all membership categories! Ends Tuesday.