Adelaide 36ers embraces NAIDOC Week

Adelaide 36ers are proud to celebrate the theme of Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! for this year’s NAIDOC Week.

The 36ers will always stand by the importance of embracing with First Nations people and continues to encourage more conversations for generations to come.

Former NBL player and Basketball Australia Indigenous Lead Paul Vandenbergh says NAIDOC Week and the NBL Indigenous Round jerseys are a great conversation starter.

“That’s why I love this theme of Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! And it’s about amplifying our voices for struggles that we are having,” Vandenbergh said.

“Our fight is for equality or equity or a shift in attitudes or a shift in policy or some sort of recognition.

“It’s always about our fight and being recognised and how we as a country come together.”

Adelaide 36ers CEO Nic Barbato said showing continued support to help further engage the message NAIDOC Week delivers is pivotal within society.

“Basketball and sport play a huge role in raising the awareness of issues and we can use our platform to make a difference,” Barbato said.

“NAIDOC Week and the NBL Indigenous Round helps us embrace and support being inclusive and help the community moving forward.” 

Vandenbergh says the NBL Indigenous Round and the Adelaide 36ers jersey, designed by Shane Kooka for NBL22, is a great way to have conversations with our tradition owners.

“The 36ers are starting to form great relationships with the Kaurna people,” he said.

“When we see non-Aboriginal clubs or sporting codes stepping foot into this space it gives us a real sense of satisfaction and encouragement, that is the beautiful part of it.

“I love the 36ers design, the Kaurna on the front is special.

“I love the cool designs, I love the different artists, they are getting better and better.”

Kooka’s goal with his design was to recreate a contemporary style of mark making, it was to give the players a sense of what it feels like to be painted up before a big dance, celebration, ceremony or going into battle.

Vandenbergh said he can see the shift towards the next generation having the education around Indigenous issues.

“Our kids that go to school are getting a lot more experiences,” he said.

“That’s what I’m excited about, our kids are coming home with some cool stuff and new learnings.

“Those jerseys, the kids are wearing them and are proud to wear them, I don’t think we would have seen that 20 years ago.”

Adelaide 36ers will continue to encourage people to Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!