CANBERRA (FIBA U18 Asian Championship 2018) - What a year it has been for Tamuri Wigness. After barely turning 16 years old, the Australian prodigy made his debut in the FIBA U16 Asian Championship earlier this April in Foshan, China. The Green and Gold cruised to a championship, with Wigness in the center spotlight averaging 14.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.8 rebounds per game. Even more impressively, Wigness seemed to have saved his best for the later stages of the tournament when the stakes were raised.

 After averaging 22.0 minutes and scoring 9.7 points on only 34.5% shooting in his first 3 games, Wigness exploded for 22.5 points on on 65.5% in 33.5 minutes on New Zealand and China who finished 3^rd and 2^nd, respectively. It was easy to see that Wigness was a full step ahead of the competition and he was more than ready for the next level.

Wigness recovered from a slow start in Foshan to play a key role in Australia winning the title

The blazing-quick guard didn’t have to wait long for the next stage when Australia then played in the FIBA U17 World Championship in Argentina. As they faced among the best players of the world in their age level, Australia and Wigness weren’t able to stroll over the competition as they had done in the previous tournament and ended up finishing in 6^th place. Though Wigness was able to put up an admirable 10.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, it was still not enough. And he knows it.

 “I could have been more of an aggressor. I could have gotten to the rim more—I was second-guessing everything,” Wigness shared with The Pick and Roll  in a recent interview. “When we had patches [of not scoring], I was a bit quiet. I could have picked up my team much better and be more of a leader.”

 Some players might be content with themselves if they went through the four-month stretch Wigness has had — but Wigness is not just some player. He’s aiming for goal that he can see on the horizon, but still requires an immense amount of work to reach.

 “My long-term goal is definitely the NBA, we are trying to find ways that I can enjoy to make it there,” Wigness shared.

The diminutive guard knows it’s a long process, but he’s been on track so far heading towards the prestigious league after starring for the national team in the youth levels.

“[Representing Australia is] such a big honour,” Wigness shared with The Pick and Roll. “I made that as my first goal – to represent my country first. “Then, perhaps lead myself to the NBA.”

That is a lofty goal indeed, but one that is not out of reach for the lefty from Torres Strait Islands. Wigness is already enrolled as an NBA Global Academy Prospect and will be featured among other prospects from around the world in the second NBA Academy Games and Basketball Australia Prospects Camp. With NBA personnel watching over the camp which is held from 15-21 July, it will only help Wigness to be recognized and get the proper development needed to achieve his dreams.

Wigness will not get much rest after that as his hectic mid-year basketball schedule then leads him to Thailand, where he and the Australian National Team will play in the FIBA U18 Asian Championship. They are grouped with New Zealand, Bahrain, and host nation Thailand as the Crocks aim to add another Asian Championship trophy to their collection.

It’s already been a successful year for Tamuri Wigness so far after all that he’s accomplished, but he knows that he can’t be content with himself if he wants to be where he plans to go. The FIBA U18 Asian Championship will just have to be another stage where he displays how far he can go.

As fans, let’s just all sit back and enjoy the ride.

 FIBA