NBL25 season review - Jesse Wagstaff

The long-time Perth Wildcats skipper enjoyed a couple of personal milestones amid a productive campaign.

The 38-year-old broke Ricky Grace’s games record of 482 before becoming the first Wildcats player to reach the 500-game milestone, finishing the season with a remarkable 505 appearances.

Wagstaff had an excellent year coming off the bench, averaging 4.2 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.

He stepped up in the playoff series against Melbourne United, averaging 14 minutes per game including 21 in the decider when he scored a lead-changing triple in the final seconds of the heartbreaking one-point loss at John Cain Arena.

He also averaged 6.3 points a game during finals. 

His form earned a contract extension for a 17th season in red.

“A lot has been said about Jesse’s leadership and experience and that all speaks for itself, but his performances alone have warranted another season,” Wildcats Head Coach John Rillie said about Wagstaff’s NBL25 campaign.

“Jesse showed during the post-season how much of an impact he can have when he’s on the floor and he played at a high level throughout our NBL25 campaign.

“His remarkable longevity and consistency are a testament to the work he puts in on a day-to-day basis.”

Another memorable game in Wagstaff’s 16th season as a Wildcat came in his 500th appearance against Sydney Kings at Qudos Bank Arena just before finals.

With the Kings coming back late in the third quarter, Wagstaff drew a trademark charge at one end before hitting a three at the other to get the margin back out to 10 on the way to an important road victory.

All up, he played 31 games during NBL25, his most since the 2020-21 season.

He found ways to contribute in the majority of those, from drawing charges to setting screens and hitting clutch triples.