Role player to MVP: A life-changing call to NBL legend

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Former NBL1 North MVP Jason Cadee has revealed how a phone call to an NBL legend during the offseason turned around the career of NBL1 Nationals Grand Final MVP Ash McGrath.

In his first season with the Gold Coast Rollers in the NBL1 North, McGrath averaged just 13 minutes per game but played a valuable role as the team went all the way to the club's second championship, beating the Ipswich Force in the Grand Final Series.

But the 19-year-old put on a show when the Rollers needed it most at the NBL1 National Finals, playing more than 30 minutes in all three games at the tournament in Adelaide, where the Rollers were missing three NBL talents. But it didn't matter, as the team coached by former NBL big man and Australian Boomer Anthony Petrie, overcame adversity and beat the hometown Forestville Eagles to win the national title.

McGrath was named Grand Final MVP after scoring 21 points, grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out five assists. More importantly, the former Logan Thunder talent hit clutch shot after clutch shot, including a fadeaway jumpshot which ended up being the sealer in overtime of the final.

Speaking on the latest edition of Cut to the Jase in the Triple Threat Tournaments Rising Stars segment, Cadee said McGrath made a call to Petrie in the offseason to join the Rollers, which turned out to be a career-altering move for the youngster.

"I've watched him for a few years now, he played for Peach at (The Southport School), a Logan junior, rings Peach in the offseason and says 'm,ate, I think I want to come play for the Gold Coast, does that work'," Cadee recalled on the basketball.com.au podcast.

"(Peach said) 'mate if you want to do it, come on down, spot for you, you have to work your butt off though, you know how it goes with me'.

"And to (McGrath's) credit, as the year went on, he got better.

"He played more of a role, it was his first real chance in NBL1 playing a role and Ash gets finals MVP and they've got seven players."

McGrath averaged 6.7 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists during the NBL1 North season but increased that dramatically in the national tournament, finishing the event with an average of 17 points, five rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.

Cadee said it showed the impact Petrie had as a coach and also showcased the impact McGrath could possibly have for teams at the collegiate level.

"Everyone already knows what I think about Peach as a coach, but for Ash, as the kid he is coming through, I just think he's got a bright future," he said.

"I think a college program needs to look at that weekend and say, there's an Aussie kid that could come over right now and help our program."

The Rollers' 2026 NBL1 North title was the club's second under Petrie after winning the 2022 championship, where Cadee was the star for Gold Coast.

Triple Threat Tournament are a partner of basketball.com.au and the Cut to the Jase podcast. Visit tttournaments.com.au or @triplethreattournaments