The 2025–26 Cairns Taipans season was the 27th season of the franchise in the National Basketball League (NBL), and the fifth season under the leadership of their head coach Adam Forde. After initially parting ways with the Taipans following the 2024–25 season, Forde re-signed as head coach on 13 June 2025.
Roster
Depth chart
Standings
Ladder
The NBL tie-breaker system as outlined in the NBL Rules and Regulations states that in the case of an identical win–loss record, the overall points percentage will determine order of seeding.
Ladder progression
Game log
Pre-season
The 2025 NBL Blitz will run from 27 to 31 August 2025 with games being played at the AIS Arena, Canberra.
|-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 1 | 28 August | Tasmania | L 95–97 (OT) | Admiral Schofield (24) | Marcus Lee (11) | Kody Stattmann (6) | AIS Arenan/a | 0–1 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 2 | 31 August | @ New Zealand | L 94–75 | Kody Stattmann (15) | Alex Higgins-Titsha (10) | Adnam, Waardenburg (4) | AIS Arenan/a | 0–2
Regular season
The regular season will begin on 18 September 2025. It will consist of 165 games (33 games each) spread across 22 rounds, with the final game being played on 20 February 2026.
|-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 1 | 20 September | @ S.E. Melbourne | L 114–77 | Reyne Smith (19) | Marcus Lee (12) | Kody Stattman (5) | John Cain Arena5,371 | 0–1 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 2 | 26 September | Brisbane | W 83–82 | McVeigh, Schofield (19) | Jack McVeigh (9) | Jack McVeigh (9) | Cairns Convention Centre4,052 | 1–1 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 3 | 28 September | @ Sydney | W 74–77 | Jack McVeigh (24) | Jack McVeigh (9) | Andrew Andrews (7) | Sydney SuperDome8,536 | 2–1
|-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 4 | 2 October | Adelaide | L 79–110 | Admiral Schofield (19) | Jack McVeigh (8) | Andrew Andrews (7) | Cairns Convention Centre4,213 | 2–2 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 5 | 10 October | Perth | L 77–80 | Andrew Andrews (21) | Marcus Lee (12) | Jack McVeigh (6) | Cairns Convention Centre3,985 | 2–3 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 6 | 12 October | @ Melbourne | L 95–60 | Alex Higgins-Titsha (16) | Marcus Lee (7) | Andrew Andrews (6) | John Cain Arena9,233 | 2–4 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 7 | 18 October | Adelaide | L 86–91 | Andrew Andrews (23) | Galloway, Schofield (9) | Andrew Andrews (7) | Cairns Convention Centre4,004 | 2–5 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 8 | 22 October | Perth | L 78–110 | Admiral Schofield (16) | Kyrin Galloway (8) | Reyne Smith (5) | Cairns Convention Centre3,317 | 2–6 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 9 | 24 October | Melbourne | L 67–94 | Andrews, Smith (13) | Lee, Mag (10) | Andrew Andrews (5) | Cairns Convention Centre3,505 | 2–7 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 10 | 30 October | @ Brisbane | L 113–85 | Jack McVeigh (23) | Marcus Lee (8) | Andrew Andrews (10) | Brisbane Entertainment Centre3,684 | 2–8
|-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 11 | 1 November | @ Tasmania | W 69–75 | Andrew Andrews (27) | four players (6) | Andrew Andrews (3) | Silverdome3,255 | 3–8 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 12 | 7 November | Illawarra | L 90–107 | Mojave King (32) | Jack McVeigh (8) | Andrews, McVeigh (8) | Cairns Convention Centre4,025 | 3–9 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 13 | 14 November | S.E. Melbourne | L 90–101 | Jack McVeigh (22) | Admiral Schofield (8) | Andrew Andrews (10) | Cairns Convention Centre3,567 | 3–10 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 14 | 16 November | @ Adelaide | L 105–101 (OT) | Jack McVeigh (39) | Marcus Lee (9) | Andrew Andrews (8) | Adelaide Entertainment Centre9,878 | 3–11 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 15 | 22 November | New Zealand | L 96–102 | Jack McVeigh (35) | Jack McVeigh (7) | Andrew Andrews (9) | Cairns Convention Centre3,989 | 3–12
|-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 16 | 6 December | @ Illawarra | W 76–93 | Andrew Andrews (27) | Kyrin Galloway (14) | Andrew Andrews (6) | Wollongong Entertainment Centre3,946 | 4–12 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 17 | 13 December | Tasmania | L 68–81 | Jack McVeigh (24) | Jack McVeigh (8) | Andrew Andrews (8) | Cairns Convention Centre3,876 | 4–13 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 18 | 19 December | New Zealand | W 99–95 | Jack McVeigh (47) | Sam Waardenburg (10) | Andrew Andrews (9) | Cairns Convention Centre3,749 | 5–13 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 19 | 21 December | @ Sydney | L 119–77 | Andrews, Stattmann (14) | Marcus Lee (6) | Andrew Andrews (9) | Sydney SuperDome9,124 | 5–14 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 20 | 24 December | @ Adelaide | L 93–73 | Sam Waardenburg (19) | five players (5) | Andrew Andrews (6) | Adelaide Entertainment Centre10,006 | 5–15 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 21 | 31 December | S.E. Melbourne | L 96–111 | Jack McVeigh (26) | Andrew Andrews (7) | Andrew Andrews (9) | Cairns Convention Centre4,870 | 5–16
|-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 22 | 3 January | @ Illawarra | L 96–78 | Sam Waardenburg (17) | Kyrin Galloway (9) | Andrew Andrews (6) | Wollongong Entertainment Centre4,921 | 5–17 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 23 | 7 January | @ Melbourne | W 92–93 | McVeigh, Waardenburg (20) | McVeigh, Waardenburg (9) | Andrew Andrews (13) | Bendigo Stadium4,003 | 6–17 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 24 | 12 January | Brisbane | W 88–83 | Jack McVeigh (25) | Jack McVeigh (6) | Andrew Andrews (13) | Cairns Convention Centre3,872 | 7–17 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 25 | 17 January | New Zealand | L 86–104 | King, Schofield (19) | Jack McVeigh (8) | Jack McVeigh (8) | Perth Arena7,034 | 7–18 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 26 | 22 January | @ Perth | L 106–69 | Jack McVeigh (34) | three players (4) | Andrew Andrews (8) | Perth Arena11,377 | 7–19 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 27 | 24 January | @ S.E. Melbourne | L 118–91 | Jack McVeigh (21) | Mojave King (8) | Andrew Andrews (11) | State Basketball Centre3,422 | 7–20 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 28 | 30 January | Tasmania | W 96–93 (OT) | Jack McVeigh (40) | Marcus Lee (10) | Kyle Adnam (4) | Cairns Convention Centre3,862 | 8–20
|-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 29 | 1 February | Sydney | L 92–106 | Lachlan Barker (18) | Mojave King (9) | Andrew Andrews (10) | Cairns Convention Centre4,002 | 8–21 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 30 | 6 February | @ Perth | L 98–84 | Andrew Andrews (25) | Mojave King (8) | Andrew Andrews (7) | Perth Arena11,161 | 8–22 |-style="background:#BBF3BB;" | 31 | 8 February | @ Brisbane | W 72–81 | Jack McVeigh (22) | Mojave King (11) | Andrew Andrews (10) | Brisbane Entertainment Centre5,443 | 9–22 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 32 | 12 February | Melbourne | L 85–89 | Jack McVeigh (25) | Andrew Andrews (9) | Andrew Andrews (7) | Cairns Convention Centre3,650 | 9–23 |-style="background:#FFBBBB;" | 33 | 19 February | @ New Zealand | L 115–84 | Andrew Andrews (24) | Jack McVeigh (7) | Andrew Andrews (7) | Eventfinda Stadium1,791 | 9–24
NBL Ignite Cup
The NBL introduced the new NBL Ignite Cup tournament for the 2025–26 season, with all games except the championship final counting towards the regular-season standings.
Transactions Free agency began on 4 April 2025. Re-signed Player Date Signed Contract Ref. Alex Higgins-Titsha 25 March 2025 1-year deal Kyrin Galloway 27 March 2025 1-year deal Sam Waardenburg 29 March 2025 1-year deal Kyle Adnam 31 March 2025 1-year deal
Additions Player Date Signed Contract Former team Ref. Jack McVeigh 5 August 2025 2-year deal (mutual option) Houston Rockets Admiral Schofield 13 August 2025 1-year deal LDLC ASVEL Ashton Hagans 13 August 2025 1-year deal Xinjiang Flying Tigers Reyne Smith 13 August 2025 2-year deal (club option) Louisville Marcus Lee 13 August 2025 1-year deal Melbourne United Mawot Mag 13 August 2025 2-year deal (club option) BYU Andrew Andrews 15 September 2025 1-year deal BC Wolves Mojave King 29 October 2025 1-year deal (IRP) New Zealand Breakers
Subtractions Player Reason left Date Left New Team Ref. Ashton Hagans Mutual release 15 September 2025 TBC
Awards Club awards Club MVP: Jack McVeigh Defensive Player: Kyrin Galloway Players’ Player: Andrew Andrews Members’ Choice MVP: Jack McVeigh Coaches Award: Lachlan Barker Commitment to Community: Jed Richardson Club Person of the Year: John Richardson
See also 2025–26 NBL season
References
External links Official Website