Embracing Indigenous Round with Brendan Teys

Written for nbl.com.au by Tom Hersz

 

This round is a chance for all of us to learn more about and celebrate Indigenous culture. But for Brendan Teys, that opportunity isn’t something reserved for just this week. 

Aboriginal culture has become his culture. The Adelaide 36ers veteran and Co-Captain whose wife Lori is indigenous has two young Indigenous Australian daughters, so to be able to play a part in recognising and celebrating that culture is very important to him.

Indigenous Round, now in its second season in the NBL, has become something that many around the league look forward to. Teys is certainly one of those.

“Indigenous Round is just an opportunity for me to be able to promote the indigenous culture in a positive light,” Teys told NBL Media on Wednesday. 

“Of course, I’ve married into an Aboriginal family, so to be able to do something positive toward their culture and give them something to be proud about is of utmost importance to me.”

The NBL took a big step last year by dedicating an entire round then, and each season going forward, to ensure that Indigenous Australians and New Zealanders are properly recognised, while also educating fans about those cultures so they can be appreciated and celebrated.

The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2021 is ‘More than a word. Reconciliation takes action.’ The NBL, with this commitment to Indigenous Round as well as the Reconciliation Action Plan, is taking action.

Teys knows how important steps like these are for his family’s people and for their culture, traditions and ongoing connection with the land to be understood and respected.

“I think it’s huge,” he acknowledged.  

“I’m still learning myself; my wife is still learning herself. It’s just as important for us to take these opportunities to learn more about our heritage and where my wife’s from, as well as obviously my children now. 

“Like I said, it’s just a great opportunity for us to be able to learn and educate ourselves about where they’re from, their story and promote it in a positive light.”

The Adelaide 36ers had their Indigenous Round home game on Sunday when they hosted the Perth Wildcats. They wore their indigenous uniforms, designed by local indigenous artist Shane Mankitya Cook, which was special for Teys and teammate Keanu Pinder.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">These uniforms... ? <a href="https://t.co/EhpOqTFcBZ">pic.twitter.com/EhpOqTFcBZ</a></p>&mdash; Adelaide 36ers (@Adelaide36ers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Adelaide36ers/status/1396332149687537665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

Pinder, one of four current Indigenous Australians in the NBL along with Nate Jawai, Tamuri Wigness and Will McDowell-White, is someone that Teys enjoys chatting to about his heritage and his views on what it means to be Indigenous in Australia in 2021.

“Yeah, me and Keanu have chats every now and then,” Teys said. 

“Like I said, I’m still pretty new to it all, like a lot of people are. I think it’s just a good opportunity to learn more about the culture and what’s happened throughout history and why things are the way they are. 

“To hear it from someone like Keanu who is a proud Aboriginal man, hearing his perspective on things is just a great way to learn and empathise with him and the indigenous people of Australia.” 

Teys has connected with artist Shane Cook in another way too. For the second straight season, Teys has had his game shoes painted by Cook as a way to not only embrace Indigenous Round, but also to raise some much-needed money for a charity to benefit local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients in Adelaide.

Teys’ game-worn shoes, along with an autographed jersey, can be won in a raffle that is raising money for the Women's and Children's Hospital Foundation Arts in Health program. You can buy raffle tickets here.

“The artist that I’ve collaborated with spent a lot of time in hospital as a kid as a burns victim,” explained Teys. 

“Funnily enough, I was talking to the Adelaide 36ers physio – Tristan Chai – and I said, ‘Man, I’d love to be able to paint some shoes like they do in the footy. I think that would be pretty cool’. I’ve always loved indigenous art, like aboriginal art. And I was like ‘It’d be pretty cool to get some shoes painted for Indigenous Round’, and he goes ‘Oh, one of my other clients paints the footy boots for some of the Port Adelaide Power boys.’ 

“So I linked up with him – Shane Cook’s his name – and he told me his story about how he spent a lot of time as a kid in hospital as a burns victim. So we spoke about him painting the shoes and then us fundraising to give to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation. 

“We both thought it would be important to give to their Arts in Health program and they’ll use it to purchase art supplies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients to help their wellbeing while they’re recovering in hospital. So, it was important to him and we thought that would be a great cause to put the money towards as well.”

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">To celebrate the <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBL</a>&#39;s Indigenous Round, Teysy will be raffling his game day shoes, created by Indigenous artist Shane Mankitya Cook.<br><br>? - <a href="https://t.co/xSkVZpbDLq">https://t.co/xSkVZpbDLq</a> <a href="https://t.co/4jV3RObQN3">pic.twitter.com/4jV3RObQN3</a></p>&mdash; Adelaide 36ers (@Adelaide36ers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Adelaide36ers/status/1396289640768819201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

It’s special for Teys to play in those shoes, just as it was for him to put that Cook-designed uniform on last Sunday. He loves the Indigenous Round uniforms, especially the Sixers’ ones, but does he have a favourite from the nine amazing designs being worn in NBL21?

“Man, that’s hard to say,” admitted Teys. 

“First and foremost, yeah I absolutely love the uniforms. Especially when you get a chance to wear something different from the normal home and away uniforms every now and then throughout the season, it’s always an exciting time to see the design. So, yeah I’m in love with ours but I’d like to see everyone else’s on the court rather than just on social media before I make a decision. 

“I think ours rank up there in terms of [the others] throughout the league. I like the design of Cairns’ and I like the bold colours of Sydney’s and how they’ve paired it with black. I like those ones.”

Having these special moments has meant a little extra for Teys this year as the season has certainly not gone as he’d hoped.

The 36ers have struggled with form and consistency, as well as injuries. They will not be playing in the Finals this year, but on top of that, Teys has struggled to play the kind of role he’d expected to play; the kind of role he knows he can play.

Last Friday, the 36ers hosted the Illawarra Hawks and Teys spent the entire first half on the bench, watching his team fall behind. It wasn’t unexpected for him to sit. In the previous ten games, he’d played a grand total of eight and half minutes. 

But with the Sixers falling behind by over 20 points by halftime and not getting any closer in the third quarter, Coach Conner Henry decided to inject a different line-up to see if his team could turn the game around.

Enter Teys. With 6:11 to play in the third quarter and the Hawks leading 56-33, Teys was subbed in and the crowd roared as he entered the game. He set about trying to bring some energy on both ends of the floor and make an impact, and that’s exactly what he did.

Just a minute later, he scored on a mid-range jumper off his own miss. It was the first time Teys had scored since Round 12. And the crowd roared again.

He played the remainder of the game and finished with 10 points (5-7 FG), 3 rebounds and 1 assist as the Sixers got back to within 8 points from 23 down. 

After the game, Teys was given the post-game interview on the court for the fans and they lapped it up. They showed their love for him and what he’s given to the club for the past eight seasons.

On the weekend, Teys took to Instagram to show his love back to the 36ers fans for the reception they gave him. ‘I hear you 36ers fans and I appreciate the love,’ he wrote. 

 

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That reception meant a lot to Teys and he wanted to acknowledge it.

“It’s been a tough season for me personally,” he admitted. 

“Obviously, the team hasn’t done well and I haven’t been playing too much. I know that I can go out there and help us win more games, so it’s been tough for me sitting there. 

“Over the last ten games or so, I’ve only played a handful of minutes, so when Coach [Henry] subbed me in in the middle of the third quarter of that game, the reception I got from crowd was just amazing and sent shivers down my spine. 

“Just to receive a warm round of applause like that literally melted my heart and I actually got in the car after game and I broke down crying because I was like ‘Wow that was so special.’ 

“To think that I was not being used the way I’d like to be used, struggling all season trying to stay positive and sitting on the bench and supporting my teammates without playing much, and then to finally get some kind of opportunity and go out there and do well; every time I scored, every time I touched the ball I could just hear the fans going crazy. 

“That was something that I will take with me for the rest of my life; just the reception that I got from all the fans that night was amazing.”

Of course Teys’ performance in that game shouldn’t surprise anyone. He’s been a competitor in this league for a decade now and always found ways to make meaningful contributions to his teams, whether starting or coming off the bench, whether playing big minutes or in a supporting role.

He feels like he has more to give and as a result, this season has, by his own admission, been the most frustrating he’s had in his NBL career to date.

“Yeah. 100%,” said Teys. 

“There’ve been seasons where I’ve played a bit for stretches and then I haven’t played much for other stretches. A good example is that Grand Final season in 2018 where I was playing a bit and then towards the back end of the season, I was probably only playing five or ten minutes a game, but I completely accepted that role because I felt part of something special and we were winning games. 

“I understood that I was playing behind Nathan Sobey and Josh Childress and Mitch Creek and Ramone Moore That made sense and we were winning games and we’re going to game 5 of the Grand Final. 

“But this season, because we haven’t been performing well, I just feel like there was an opportunity for me to go in there and at least try to turn things around, but unfortunately that opportunity didn’t come. So, it’s just been frustrating having to sit there and I’m still there cheering on my teammates and I’m still supporting the system and the coaching staff, but it’s just frustrating when you know you can provide something to help us win and you’re not given the opportunity.”

Teys, who played his 250th career game in March, will be out of contract after this season. At 31 years old, he has plenty more to give and will need to make sure his next contract allows him to show that, as well as factoring in his family’s needs.

“I think I’m definitely going to have to decide what’s going to be a good fit for me and my family now,” Teys explained. 

“I haven’t had to make a decision based on my family for a while. I’ve still got plenty left in the tank to give and like I said, this last game where I came off the bench and I hadn’t been playing much and provided a great punch for us and we nearly came back and won that game, it just really fuelled the fire for me. 

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Dimes from Teys lead to Mud 3??&#39;s. <a href="https://t.co/2NWZLsYX8K">pic.twitter.com/2NWZLsYX8K</a></p>&mdash; Adelaide 36ers (@Adelaide36ers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Adelaide36ers/status/1395691914687512578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

“So, I’m still hungry to go out there and give more. But it’s going to have to be a good fit for me and my family now, because my wife comes off maternity leave, so she’s going to have to go somewhere where she can get a job and where she’s happy, and where the kids can grow up and still have access to their family. 

“So, those are going to be the main things, but like I said, I’m still hungry to give more and I know I can still go out there and help a team win a championship.”

For now, Teys is focused on helping the 36ers finish the season strong, as well as making the most of opportunities to have an impact both on and off the court.

Indigenous Round is one of those opportunities and he sees it as a great way to inspire that next generation of indigenous athletes.

“I think that’s it,” he acknowledged. 

“Keanu especially likes to think that if young Aboriginal kids are seeing somebody in the league do well and reach their goals then he can inspire the next generation of Aboriginal kids to come through and be like ‘Well hey, if he can do it, why can’t I do that?’ So that’s something special to me as well. 

“I think that if young kids are seeing their culture be portrayed in a positive light at the highest of levels, then they’re going to automatically be inspired to try to reach those dreams. If they feel like they’re accepted in this environment, then that’s going to inspire them to come out and work hard at their basketball and try to be the next Keanu Pinder, or be the next Patty Mills or Nate Jawai or whoever it may be. 

“So, I think it’s about inspiration; it’s about portraying the Aboriginal culture in a positive light. So, if anything comes from this round, I hope it educates people and inspires the next generation that comes through to do their thing.”