McVeigh ready to be Cairns’ go-to guy

Throughout his basketball career, despite all his recent success, Jack McVeigh has never been the go-to guy on his team.

But, that is all going to change during the Hungry’s Jacks NBL26 season, with the former Houston Rocket and 2024 Paris Olympian the Cairns Taipans’ marquee man.

“Now, I’m not saying this year’s my team, but, for the first time ever in my career, I was having plays run for me at the start of an offence... at the start of a set,” McVeigh said to ESPN’s Olgun Uluc, in reference to his first hit-out with the Taipans at the CODE Sports NBL Blitz.

“You become the decision-maker rather than the shooter at the end. 

“I definitely made some horrible decisions at the first game in the Blitz, so that’s something I’m looking forward to learning... when to pick your poison to attack. 

“For most of my career, it’s been: I get the ball with six seconds left on the shot clock... make a play, make a play, make a play. 

“Getting plays called for me is something I’m looking forward to - it’s also something I’ve been working on for a long time.”

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To prepare himself for this challenge, the 29-year-old has been watching and learning from Boomers teammate and two-time NBL champion with the Sydney Kings, Xavier Cooks.

“A basketball player I look up to and admire is Xavier Cooks,” said McVeigh, who won the NBL24 Championship Series MVP after guiding Tasmania to their maiden title.

“What makes him such a great player? It’s not his ability to score over the top; it’s the ability to get two feet in the paint and find guys. 

“It makes him harder to guard, it makes his team better, and that is something I wanna be.”

McVeigh will make his official Taipans debut on Saturday, when Cairns travels to John Cain Arena to take on South East Melbourne.

The opening round fixture tips off at 5.30pm AEST via ESPN.

Read the full story here >> McVeigh’s road back: an NBL homecoming in far north Queensland