Kenyon's Journey to Becoming the Perfect JackJumper

Hard work. Graft. Grit. Never say die. Back from the brink. These are all ways you could describe the Tasmania JackJumpers. In fact, they’ve built their culture off mentality like this. They’ve been the perennial underdog since their entry into the competition – and they love it. They’re also, however, words and terms you could use to describe JackJumpers guard Matt Kenyon.

After beginning his career at the AIS and earning a two-year deal with Brisbane at 18 years of age, Kenyon looked to have the Australian basketball world at his feet. But injuries and a lack of momentum at the Bullets hampered his progress.

At the end of that two-year deal he found himself out of the NBL after playing just five games in his second season, nursing a serious knee injury and no clear path forward in his career.

“I struggled a bit with constant niggles and I couldn’t really find my feet at training or in games, so I didn’t really show them a whole lot to give them a reason to re-sign me,” Kenyon told NBL Media of his departure from the Bullets.

“I knew I was still really young and I was hoping they’d give me a chance but I didn’t hear anything. I had my exit interview and they were kind of like ‘you’re a free agent, we’ll see what happens’, and I kind of knew then and there.

“At the back end of those two years we had a session pretty late in the year, and it was kind of a meaningless session really. I got my foot stuck on the ground the wrong way and took a bump. My leg stayed the same way but my kneecap dislocated nearly around to my hamstring which was pretty grim.

“I started my long journey back and it was probably damn near a year and a half until I was fully healthy again. I went home (Central Coast) for a little bit, was rehabbing there, and had osteitis pubis as well which was a journey in itself.”

It’s a path that’s been walked by thousands of athletes worldwide over the years. A high-potential young player beset by injuries and career roadblocks early doors. Some never make it back to the top level, and some never even play again, and some grind as much out of themselves as physically and mentally possible. For Kenyon, the chance for him to continue his career came on the other side of the world, and it came in a city in which so many young basketballers dream of making a career.

“I ended up getting an opportunity to fly out to Los Angeles for an invite only trial with the G-League - there wasn’t anything promised really and it’s not that glamourous. I ended up going over there because I felt like I had nothing to lose,” he said.

“I knew someone who was in NBA circles a little bit. He was doing some scouting stuff and he put the word out and it kind of went from there, there wasn’t much more to it, it was a real word of mouth opportunity.

“They weren’t paying for anything and it’s not like they were doing anything for me apart from the invite. I paid my way there with the help of my mum. While I was over there I did a few workouts and felt I did really well.

“I ended up getting picked up in the G-League draft by Washington which was a bit of a surprise. That didn’t work out so I ended up back in LA because my girlfriend was there at the time and got signed by LA. Then Covid happened so I had to cut that short and come home.”

Kenyon was selected by the Capital City Go-Go with the 19th pick in the 2019 NBA G-League Draft. He would also go on to represent the South Bay Lakers in the G-League.

After contesting with an overwhelmingly serious knee injury, a remarkably cloudy future, and a self-driven opportunity on the other side of the world, Kenyon arrived back on Australian shores in the midst of a global pandemic. Once sport restarted again he featured in the Australian semi-professional leagues. A stint with his hometown Central Coast Crusaders was succeeded by a stretch at the Ballarat Miners, and with NBL players unavailable, his name was back in lights when leading an Australian Boomers team in Cairns in February 2021.

It was then the JackJumpers came calling with their final roster spot.

“I’m not the only one who’s had an interesting journey to where I am now. I think our whole group is based around guys like that,” Kenyon said of his teammates.

“I think Scott (Roth) sought that out and felt that was the best way to be successful in the NBL. What I’ve been through definitely helps now, for sure, but I’ve been playing like this my whole life. It’s nothing new to me and I really enjoy it.

“It’s nice to be surrounded by other guys like that who just want to get their hands dirty and want to put their best foot forward.”

That archetypal grit seemed to be lacking in Tasmania’s first few games this season. They started 0-3 and were uncharacteristically easy to score against – especially considering the bulk of the group that made the NBL grand final was still on the books.

New imports Rashard Kelly and Milton Doyle are now properly bedded into the side and have both played starring roles in recent games, while spiritual leader Josh Magette looks to have re-found his best basketball.

As a result the JackJumpers are currently on an equal league-best three game win streak. In their way this weekend is the ever-dangerous Perth Wildcats – led of course by three-time MVP and bona fide superstar Bryce Cotton.

“The feeling is obviously really good coming off three wins in a row, but we can’t get complacent because it’s still early days – and we’re still 3-3 right now,” Kenyon said.

“We’re feeling really good but there’s a long way to go. It’s nice though because we’ve found our feet a little bit now and we’ve regained that identity. We’re putting teams on the back foot. We’re being pests defensively. We’ve just been getting back to that, being aggressors and making people uncomfortable.

“This is such a talented league that if people can just run around wherever they want and throw the ball wherever they want they’re great, but as soon as you put a bit of pressure on them and speed them up a little bit it makes it a lot harder for them. For us it’s all about that – just making them uncomfortable. As soon as the ball goes in for us, or if we miss, it’s straight onto the next job. That’s a big thing for us.”