Saibailgaw Torres Strait Islander star Nate Jawai has closed the curtain on a 21-year playing career with the final shot of his final game for one last win representing Indigenous Basketball Australia over Poitūkohu Māori o Aotearoa.

The 104-90 result in Melbourne this month came in an exhibition game where cultural pride took centre stage for Australia's and Aotearoa's Indigenous people.

Jawai would not wish to leave the leave the court any other way than standing tall for his own culture.

"People really don't understand how much it means to me, and all my brothers and sisters that were there to wear this uniform," Jawai told nbl.com.au in the exclusive interview.

"Thinking back, we didn't have players that you could form a team at a national level, and you didn't have an Indigenous national basketball state tournament like what Pat (Mills) holds. He's done an incredible job putting this platform for our mob to come here and showcase their talents.

"So, for me wearing this jersey, I'm glad I did it before I finished up and that it was also my last game."

Jawai had ended his week-to-week playing schedule for the Darwin Salties in the NB1 season of 2024 when the club has since gone into recess following their third professional year over travelling expenses.

The Salties foundation player had moved to the Larrakia Country after seven straight seasons in a second, longer NBL stint at the Cairns Taipans following an early-career run in the lead up of having his name called out amid the 2008 NBA Draft.

While the time playing for a second NBL1 club that initially tipped off in 2004 with the Cairns Marlins also marked Jawai's 15th club from Australia, USA, Serbia, Russia, Spain, Türkiye, Andorra and France.

They may say big boys don't cry, but playing one last game was a teary farewell for the behemoth.

"You'll have to ask me that again because it's really sinking in right now," Jawai said, wiping away the tears.

"While it's emotional and I have been out of the (NBL) for a couple of years now, but I feel complete that I got to do it with a couple of my brothers and sisters.

"It's a blessing in disguise that I left the Taipans without announcing anything and now I got this opportunity to make this my last game is something that I think fills my cup and makes me feel a lot more complete."

For most of his childhood and early teenage years, the only thing that mattered on the far Cape York Peninsula was rugby league - and two of Jawai's cousins made it to the NRL.

"It's been an incredible journey from my part, obviously being from Bamaga," Jawai said.

"The first challenge was leaving mum and dad to Cairns (for school). All the things then happened really quickly for me when I was 16-17 (years old).

"Leaving Bamaga was tough for me because a lot of people just don't experience what it is like growing up in a Community."

Jawai is a proud Torres Strait Islander. He has talked fondly about traditional customs, but especially his culture's initiation to go from a boy into a man. That included having uncles teach Jawai how to hunt for turtles and other tips on how to provide for a future family.

When Jawai first moved 1000 kilometres south to Cairns from the tip of Cape York he had to adapt in many ways.

"The start of my journey there was a whole new world for me," Jawai said.

"I was also new to basketball – I really didn't know how to play the game. When I went to Cairns and that was tough, you know, because English was my second language.

"I was walking to Bamaga school in bare feet."

After two years spent in Canberra at the Australian Institute of Sport to develop his game, he ventured to Texas for the opportunity play at Midland College.

But after a poor rehabilitation following a serious knee injury, Jawai credits Cairns Taipans coach Aaron Fearne in that 2007-08 NBL season for lifting his fortunes out of the doldrums.

"It was a good decision to come back home because I could find myself again where I could be a lot closer to home, with mum and dad moving and sacrificing their job to be around me there," he said.

"I think Cairns helped me through that transition, you know. It was a kind of a reset for me to go back (to the USA)."

Jawai's NBL rivals had been forced to grapple around his height and his 130-kilogram frame, and his improving reading of the game ensured teammates had first use of the ball off the boards.

"When I had a good rookie season at the Taipans, then everything changed for me there, but I really didn't know I was headed to the NBA, as I had no idea," Jawai said.

"I was still happy to be in Cairns, playing in front of my family, but I kind of got a lot of attention, and I am the kid who is kind of shy and didn't want that attention.

"That's when I started getting scouts coming out and I kind of believed it a little bit, but I didn't really believe until I got to the back end of the season.

"I didn't really believe I was going to be drafted, and I kind of shied away from it. I think with that is where I sit down now and I think that's where basketball really changed for me as a person and who I was."

But there Jawai was on draft night, sitting nervously in New York City. However, rather than be in Madison Square Garden rubbing shoulders with future NBA greats Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love, the shy North Queenslander was watching the draft telecast out of his modest motel room.

Jawai called that night a "rollercoaster of emotions".

"I was kind of speechless because I got drafted during an ad break," he recalled.

"I found out later when I was like that's my name when I didn't really know that I got drafted. It didn't really sink in with me until I got congratulated.

"I was all in awe as I have never been on TV like that before, especially out of the country. I didn't know what to think to be honest.

"Mum and dad wasn't over there, so I was straight on the phone with them. As soon as I hung up, I remember I had to go for a walk around New York."

The No.41 selection was picked up by the Indian Pacers, however his rights were immediately traded to Toronto Raptors in a deal that saw the Canadian club gain one more recruit for what was essentially four new Pacers.

The nickname of Outback Shaq soon stuck over comparisons with NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal.

After two US seasons including one at the Minnesota Timberwolves – aside from two NBA Development League short stints – he was gone from the American basketball scene for good in 2010.

Jawai was left frustrated after battling an injured flexor strain early on when he tore a muscle but he will always be remembered as the first Indigenous Australian to set foot on a NBA court.

"I was in shock in a different world. From about 800 people (from Saibai Island), I am proud of where I come from to New York on draft day," he said.

"As I said before, everything happened so quick that I didn't have the time to sit down back then and reflect. Even for my career, I didn't look back and think back I was our first.

"It really didn't matter for me because I am not really a guy who strives for the attention."

Jawai said he has embraced core Indigenous values to better understand his identity, his family, his mob and his Country with pride.

"I'm content where I am now and what I was doing back then made me happy," he said.

"I am happy how everything panned out."