All Stars program celebrates NAIDOC Week

July 5, 2026

Basketball across Australia is proud to support the 2026 Indigenous Basketball Australia (IBA) All Stars series, running in Cairns today, as part of the leagues’ commitment to celebrating NAIDOC Week and honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, community and talent.

The IBA All Stars program brings together a Men’s and Women’s squad of proud Indigenous athletes from across the country, showcasing the depth of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander talent in the sport. In backing the event, the NBL and WNBL reaffirm their ongoing commitment to celebrating and elevating Indigenous voices, culture and community throughout the basketball pathway.

This year’s support carries extra significance, with NAIDOC Week 2026 marking 50 Years of Deadly – half a century of NAIDOC honouring the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Incredible depth of Indigenous talent

Players also took part in a Welcome and Cultural Exchange event with the visiting Poitūkohu Māori Aotearoa squad, alongside jersey presentations and a team dinner ahead of game day.

The IBA All Stars will face New Zealand’s Poitūkohu Māori Aotearoa in a double-header at Cairns Basketball Association on July 7, with the Women’s game tipping off at 6pm followed by the Men’s game at 8.30pm.

“The IBA All Stars series is exactly the kind of event the NBL and WNBL are proud to stand behind during NAIDOC Week,” NBLGroup CEO Dave Stevenson, said.

“It’s a chance to celebrate the incredible depth of Indigenous talent in our game and to mark 50 Years of Deadly in a way that brings community, culture and basketball together. We’re looking forward to seeing these athletes shine in Cairns.”

The four-day program also includes team practice sessions, physio and recovery, and media and content windows at Cairns’ Colonial Club, reflecting the professional standard of preparation the players will bring to Cairns Basketball.

Men’s team
Biwali Bayles
TJ Diop
Amarco Doyle
Jackson Harding
Harrison Hornery
Anthony Mundine III
Kobe McDowell-White
Will McDowell-White
Johny Narkle
Deshawn Ross-Paiwan
Tamuri Wigness
Deonte Williams

Women’s team
Monique Bobongie
Cheyenne Bobongie
Taryn Bond
Indiah Bowyer
Ambah Kowcun
Jess McDowell-White
Hayley McDowell-White
Laniesha Paddon
Shaneice Swain
Leichan Williams

Peter Rowe

Peter Rowe leads First Nations News as Editor, with over three decades of experience across international newsrooms, digital platforms and media strategy roles. For the past 20 years, he’s worked in Australia – reporting, editing and advising on stories that shape public debate.