Been there, done that: How Bairstow’s experience helps Hawks excel

Cameron Bairstow was a key signing for the Hawks, but he may be as valuable to the team in the locker room as he is on the court.

When Cameron Bairstow was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the 49th pick in the 2014 NBA draft, he became just the 15th Australian to be drafted into the league. He was 24 when drafted, having spent four years at the University of New Mexico, and was described as a ‘late bloomer’ entering the league. While he is now only 30, there would be few players in the NBL that possess as much professional experience as he does. And he knows it.

“As one of the older guys it’s a bit weird, but it's definitely something where you try to lead through your actions and show the guys how it's done," Bairstow said.

Bairstow was a marquee signing for the Hawks, having played in the NBA, G-League, Eurocup, and for the Boomers on a number of occasions, including at the 2016 Rio Olympics. He also played for the NBL’s Brisbane Bullets for three seasons. However, considering the multitude of basketball environments he has been a part of, Bairstow rates the Hawks above all.

“The quality of people that we have got, this is probably the best I've seen in terms of everyone staying positive, working hard every day and continuing to put in the effort,” Bairstow said.

“You know, whether we’re up 20, down 20, I think that to me has been the most impressive thing, the mindset of not just the group but all the individuals, that makes it a very positive environment to be around," Bairstow said.

There is no doubt Bairstow’s leadership has been a driving force in this team camaraderie, with a group of young players all eager to make their mark on the game. This includes players like Justinian Jessup, the Hawks 'Next Star' and the 54th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft for the Golden State Warriors. Despite the youthful nature of the team, Bairstow believes that their composure is beyond their years.

“I think we've got a lot of young guys that can shoot and scrap and fight hard. Obviously we’ve got a pretty young group, but we've also got a pretty mature group considering our age and abilities," Bairstow said.

“It’s a credit to them, they are able to do it all by themselves already, we've got a very mature group considering how old we are."

Hawks assistant coach Jacob Jackomas is also conscious of Bairstow’s impact on the locker room, most notably not just on the players, but within the coaching staff as well.

“He brings experience, we have a lot of young guys so he has a little bit of international experience where sometimes he's got a different mindset for the game and sometimes he helps the coaches out with certain things he's seen over his time,” Jackomas said.

“For the younger guys, some of them want to end up playing an Olympics, playing in the NBA, playing in Europe and making money out of this game for a long period of time, so a lot of that playing experience [is great] for some of our young guys, just hearing all the stories about what's up and coming for them," Jackomas said.

The 2020-21 season hasn’t gone exactly to plan for Bairstow so far, having suffered an ankle injury in early January that saw him sidelined for the majority of the first three rounds of competition.

However, this is not new territory for the Hawks big man, having previously suffered injuries to his shoulder and knee while playing with Brisbane. While not ideal, suffering these injuries in the past has helped Bairstow develop a strong mentality when dealing with further rehab.

“It's part of being a professional athlete, you have injuries and you have bad games, all that kind of stuff and so it's all part of it, you take the good and the bad and continue to work and do what you can moving forward,” Bairstow said.

“Coming back from injury, you realise there's things you can't control and you just focus on what you can control. You go through stages where you can't do what you want to do and do what you love doing, so focus on what you can do, whether it's the rehab or the strength side, continue to work to get back to be your best," Bairstow said.

I'm still getting a bit of fitness back but definitely feel good about it all, I'm on the right track so just have to continue that and continue to work hard, and get back and continue to improve as the games progress,” Bairstow said.

It is clear that this latest injury has not held Bairstow back, averaging 11.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists since his return. This included his first double double for the club against Sydney, dropping 13 points and 10 rebounds to take down up-state rivals Sydney Kings last Sunday.

While it is still early in the season, the Illawarra Hawks are looking more exciting than they have in a long time, and Cameron Bairstow's unique infusion of experience and talent have and will continue to be a driving force behind the team.

And he’s just getting started.

“It's about becoming more comfortable out there with your team, teammates, and getting a feel for the game, obviously the games are different from practice, so just getting more comfortable out there is a big thing, and I think that opportunity will come as I play more and more minutes and more and more games," Bairstow said.

Written by Jed Wells for Hawks Media