NBL24 season review - Tai Webster

After an injury-interrupted start to the season, Webster became a regular starter and was a huge factor in the Wildcats’ stunning turnaround.

From a 2-5 start, Perth won 13 of their next 15 games with the New Zealander at the forefront.

In one particular three-game stretch in January, Webster averaged 18.7 points, five assists and 1.7 steals, while shooting at 68.6 per cent from the field and 41.7 per cent from the three-point arc. 

He formed an exciting back-court combination with superstar Bryce Cotton, who unlocked his damaging best form to win a fourth Andrew Gaze Trophy.

“He’s been fantastic when we’ve been on this stretch over the last couple of months,” Wildcats head coach John Rillie said amid Webster’s purple patch.

“He was probably the guy who was trying to figure out where he fit in with this group.

“Playing with a dynamic player like ‘BC’ (Bryce Cotton) in the back-court, and he’s a dynamic player himself, so (it was about) just seeing where he fits in and his teammates understanding to utilise his skillset in the right moment as well.

“I never went away from believing in what Tai could do for this team, we had to bring that out of him and it just took a little bit of time.

“You can see, probably over the last two or three weeks he’s been playing at a very high level.” 

In his first full season at the Wildcats after joining late in NBL23, the former New Zealand Breaker averaged 8.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 0.9 steals per game, while shooting at 46 per cent from the field.

He finished fourth in the Wildcats’ Gordon Ellis Medal MVP voting behind Cotton, Keanu Pinder and Kristian Doolittle.

NBL 24 stats – Tai Webster 

Points: 8.9 per game

Rebounds: 2.8

Assists: 2.7

Steals: 0.9