{"id":621001,"date":"2026-04-21T08:29:14","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T08:29:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/621001\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T08:29:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T08:29:14","slug":"wagstaff-returns-for-record-18th-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/621001\/","title":{"rendered":"Wagstaff Returns for Record 18th Season"},"content":{"rendered":"

Six-time NBL champion Jesse Wagstaff has re-signed with the Perth Wildcats for NBL27, set to return for a record 18th season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Perth Wildcats club legend continues to build on one of the most storied careers in club history, with 540 games to his name and counting, while remaining a key figure within the group.<\/p>\n

\"Getty<\/p>\n

Wagstaff again showed his value throughout the NBL26 campaign, providing reliable minutes and stepping up in key moments across the season and into the Playoffs.<\/p>\n

As Wagstaff heads into his seventh season as captain, he said the decision to return was ultimately shaped by both family and a continued belief in his ability to contribute.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a family decision first,\u201d Wagstaff said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got to sit down and work through it, because life\u2019s bigger than basketball. But it wasn\u2019t a difficult decision in the end.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still feel good physically and mentally, and as long as I feel like I can contribute, I\u2019m happy to keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Getty<\/p>\n

Wagstaff said his ability to maintain consistency across such a long career has come down to understanding his body and adapting over time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I\u2019ve learnt what works for me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never been someone who relies on athleticism, and I\u2019ve probably managed my body a bit differently over the years.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t play a lot of basketball in the off-season anymore, I mix it up and keep my body fresh. That\u2019s helped me stay at a level where I still feel I can contribute.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wagstaff said the longevity is something he doesn\u2019t take for granted.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s pretty humbling when you look at it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t really think I\u2019d have a professional career, let alone play this long.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s something I\u2019m proud of, but at the same time, I still want to perform and earn my spot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Getty<\/p>\n

Wildcats Head Coach John Rillie said Wagstaff\u2019s impact remains vital heading into NBL27.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s great to have Jesse back for his 18th season with the Wildcats,\u201d Rillie said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis on-court production, along with his locker room presence, is something we\u2019ll lean on again in NBL27.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Getty<\/p>\n

Wildcats General Manager of Basketball Operations Danny Mills said Wagstaff\u2019s influence continues to be highly valued within the group.<\/p>\n

\u201cJesse continues to play an important role in our group, and we\u2019re pleased to have him back for NBL27,\u201d Mills said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis ability to impact games in key moments, combined with what he brings around the group, is something we value highly.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a steady presence for us and someone the group naturally gravitates towards.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wagstaff made his NBL debut in the 2009\/10 season and has become one of the most respected figures in the league, recognised for his durability and impact across close to two decades at the top level.<\/p>\n

A six-time champion, he was named Rookie of the Year in 2010 and the NBL\u2019s Best Sixth Man in 2012.<\/p>\n

\"Getty<\/p>\n

Now entering a record 18th season with 540 games to his name, Wagstaff has been part of more wins than any player at a single NBL club with 338 victories. He also ranks fourth all-time for Finals games played in league history, including a club-record 69 playoff appearances.<\/p>\n

After all the accolades one thing is certain, the Red Army loves Wags, and he continues to be a central figure in driving the standards and culture that define the Perth Wildcats.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Six-time NBL champion Jesse Wagstaff has re-signed with the Perth Wildcats for NBL27, set to return for a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":621002,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[574],"tags":[64,63,726,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-621001","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-basketball","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-basketball","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/621001","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=621001"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/621001\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/621002"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=621001"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=621001"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=621001"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}