Nathan Sobey
No. 20 – Brisbane Bullets
PositionPoint guard / shooting guard
LeagueNBL
Personal information
Born (1990-07-14) 14 July 1990 (age 33)
Warrnambool, Australia
Listed height190 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Listed weight82 kg (181 lb)
Career information
High school
College
NBA draft2014: undrafted
Playing career2010–present
Career history
2010Warrnambool Seahawks
2014Ballarat Miners
2014–2015Cairns Taipans
2015Cairns Marlins
2015–2019Adelaide 36ers
2016Warrnambool Seahawks
2017PAOK
2018Warrnambool Seahawks
2019SIG Strasbourg
2019–presentBrisbane Bullets
2020–2021; 2023Ipswich Force
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Australia
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Tokyo Team
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2018 Gold Coast Team

Nathan Adam Sobey (born 14 July 1990) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Brisbane Bullets of the National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the University of Wyoming's Cowboys. He was a member of the Australian Boomers team that won bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Early life

Sobey was born in Warrnambool, Victoria.[1] He attended Emmanuel College in Warrnambool[2] and St Patrick's College in Ballarat.[3] He is listed by Emmanuel College as being a member of their Class of 2008,[2][4][5] but sources also indicate he attended and represented St Patrick's College in 2008.[3][6][7] In 2010, he played for the Warrnambool Seahawks in the Big V Division One.[8]

College career

Sobey moved to the United States in 2010 to play college basketball for Cochise College. During his freshman season, he averaged 7.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists.[1] As a sophomore in 2011–12, Sobey averaged 16.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game. He earned First-Team All-Conference and First-Team All-Region honors.[1]

In April 2012, Sobey signed a National Letter of Intent to play for Wyoming in the NCAA Division I.[9]

As a junior in 2012–13, Sobey appeared in 32 games for the Cowboys and averaged 3.5 points and 1.0 rebounds in 13.3 minutes per game.[1] On 26 February 2013 against Air Force, he scored a season-high 22 points in a career-high 31 minutes.[1]

As a senior in 2013–14, Sobey was one of two Cowboys to start all 33 games. He averaged 9.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 30.2 minutes per game.[1] He scored a career-high 33 points to go with four rebounds and three assists against Colorado State on 8 March 2014.[1]

Professional career

Sobey joined the Ballarat Miners of the semi-pro South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL), the 2nd-tier level club league in Australia, in 2014.[10] He began his full professional career in the 2014–15 season, with the Cairns Taipans of Australia's top-tier level National Basketball League (NBL). He then moved to the Australian club, the Adelaide 36ers, after he signed a three-year contract with them.[11]

He then spent the 2015–16 and 2016–17 seasons with Adelaide. In the 2016–17 NBL season, with the 36ers, he averaged 15.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. He was named the NBL's Most Improved Player in 2017.[12] He was also named to the All-NBL Second Team that season.[13]

In 2016, Sobey led the Warrnambool Seahawks to the Big V Division One championship. He was named league MVP and Finals MVP, and led the league in both points (31ppg) and assists (6apg).[14][15] He played for the Seahawks again in 2018.[16]

He joined Greek Basket League club PAOK in March 2017.[17][18] He extended his contract with the Adelaide 36ers for another two years in April 2017.[19]

Sobey was invited to the Utah Jazz's free agent mini camp in June 2017, and his performance impressed the team's coaching staff. He then signed to play with the Jazz's summer league team at the 2017 NBA Summer League.

On 5 April 2019, Sobey signed with the Brisbane Bullets on a three-year deal.[20]

On 27 April 2022, Sobey re-signed with the Bullets on a three-year deal.[21]

In the 2023 NBL1 North season, Sobey helped the Ipswich Force reach the grand final series, where they defeated the Gold Coast Rollers 2–1 to win the championship. Sobey was named Finals MVP.[22][23]

On 9 February 2024, Sobey scored a career-high 37 points in the Bullets' 102–84 win over the Adelaide 36ers.[24]

National team career

In 2018, Sobey won gold with the Australian Boomers at the Commonwealth Games. The following year he played for the Boomers at the FIBA World Cup.[25]

At the 2019 Australian Basketball Hall of Fame awards night, Sobey was recognised alongside Nick Kay with the 2019 Gaze Family Medal for performances at the World Cup Qualifiers and the Commonwealth Games.[26]

In February 2021, Sobey was named in the Boomers' Olympic squad.[27] He went on to help the Boomers win the bronze medal.[28]

Personal life

Sobey has two brothers.[1] Sobey was married in 2018.[16]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Nathan Sobey". gowyo.com. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b "An inspiring visit from Emmanuel Alumni Nathan Sobey". emmanuel.vic.edu.au. 28 May 2018. Archived from the original on 18 July 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021. ...with Commonwealth Games Basketball Gold Medallist and member of the Emmanuel College Class of 2008 - Nathan Sobey.
  3. ^ a b "Old Boys in the News - March 2018". stpats.vic.edu.au. Archived from the original on 8 April 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  4. ^ Price, Kimberley (9 August 2019). "Warrnambool's Emmanuel College honours past alumni who inspire next generation". standard.net.au. Retrieved 18 July 2021. Two members of the class of 2008 Australian basketball player Nathan Sobey...
  5. ^ "Young Alumni Achievers Nomination". emmanuelcollegewarrnambool.worldsecuresystems.com. Archived from the original on 18 July 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Nathan Sobey". Warrnambool Basketball Incorporation. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  7. ^ "St Pat's knocked out of Shield". thecourier.com.au. 4 June 2008. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Sobey to live his US dream". bigv.com.au. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  9. ^ "NATHAN SOBEY SIGNS WITH COWBOY BASKETBALL". gowyo.com. 11 April 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  10. ^ Cairns Taipans give Warrnambool export Nathan Sobey opportunity in training squad.
  11. ^ "SIXERS ADD SOBEY AND HOGDSON". Archived from the original on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  12. ^ "MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: NATHAN SOBEY". Archived from the original on 14 February 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  13. ^ "ALL NBL FIRST & SECOND TEAMS 2016/17". Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  14. ^ "Warrnambool's Nathan Sobey scores at NBL Awards Night". bigv.com.au. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  15. ^ "The young movers and shakers of the NBL". NBL.com.au. 1 August 2016. Archived from the original on 18 July 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021. The 26-year-old has spent the off-season with his home-town Warrnambool Seahawks in the Victorian state league, dominating to the tune of 31 points and 6 assists per game.
  16. ^ a b McCullagh-Beasy, Justine (24 April 2018). "Warrnambool Seahawks to boast Australian Boomer Nathan Sobey in Big V game". standard.net.au. Retrieved 18 July 2021. Sobey will remain in Warrnambool until May 22 before jetting to America for his June 4 wedding.
  17. ^ Adelaide 36ers’ star guard Nathan Sobey clinches deal to play for PAOK in Greece.
  18. ^ Νathan Sobey officially joins PAOK BC.
  19. ^ Nathan Sobey signs two-year deal with the Adelaide 36ers.
  20. ^ "Warrnambool export Nathan Sobey joins NBL club Brisbane". standard.net.au. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  21. ^ "Sobey Re-Signs with Brisbane". NBL.com.au. 27 April 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  22. ^ Pike, Chris (6 August 2023). "NBL1 North Recap | Grand Finals Game 3". NBL1.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 August 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  23. ^ "Ipswich Force crowned NBL1 North men's champions". NBL1.com.au. 6 August 2023. Archived from the original on 6 August 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  24. ^ "Bullets close on Finals with big win". NBL.com.au. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  25. ^ "Nathan Sobey". Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  26. ^ "2019 INTERNATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS". Basketball Australia. 10 May 2019. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  27. ^ "AUSTRALIAN MEN'S BASKETBALL OLYMPIC SQUAD REVEALED". australia.basketball. 3 February 2021. Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  28. ^ "Basketball SOBEY Nathan - Tokyo 2020 Olympics". olympics.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2021.

External links

Brisbane Bullets current roster
NBL Most Improved Player Award
Australia men's basketball squad – 2020 Summer Olympics – Bronze medal
Categories