Former NBL player Jason Joynes dies aged 54 after battling rare cancer

The Australian basketball community is mourning the death of former NBL player Jason Joynes aged 54.

Joynes died on Wednesday, surrounded by his entire family, after battling a rare form of neuroendocrine tumours cancer.

His diagnosis was made public just two weeks ago as the NBL and his former clubs rallied around the Joynes family with a fundraiser.

“The NBL family extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of former player Jason Joynes, who passed away this week after battling cancer,” the NBL said after Joynes’s death.

The Australian Basketball Players’ Association said it was “saddened” by the news.

“Jason played a total of 104 games over seven seasons in the NBL and was a loving husband and father to his wife and three kids,” the ABPA said.

“Jason’s impact on basketball in Adelaide and the wider basketball community was significant and won’t be forgotten.

“We extend our condolences to the Joynes family and everyone impacted by Jason’s passing.”

Joynes is survived by wife Michelle and their children Eliza, Isaac and Scarlett.

Eliza followed in her father’s footsteps by venturing over to the United States for a stint as a college basketball player.

The fundraiser to support the family has so far raised nearly $17,000.

Joynes made his debut with the Westside Melbourne Saints in 1989 when he was just 19 and spent one more year with the team before making a move to the Newcastle Falcons.

After three years there he returned to Victoria and played two years with the Geelong Supercars.

Having first debuted for the SEABL’s Mount Gambier Pioneers before his NBL career took off, he returned to the SA club at the end of his professional career and became a club legend over the next decade.

He was one of the Pioneers’ first life members in 2003 and repeated the feat as a Hall of Fame inductee in 2015.

“Joynes retired from basketball (in 2003), playing a total of 267 ABA and SEABL (now NBL1) games and held the club record for games until 2022,” the Pioneers said.

“It is undeniable that Joynes has been one of the most dominant players to play at the level of competition. To this day, Jason Joynes holds the club record for rebounding (2829 rebounds) and is third in blocked shots.

“Joynes made an unbelievable impact on the community and local basketball and has remained connected to the club since the conclusion of his playing career.”

South Australia’s Woodville Warriors club president Steven Walker paid tribute.

“Jason’s impact on WDBC and the wider basketball community will never be forgotten,” he said.

“A beautiful husband, father, and friend. We will forever love you and those big hugs you would give, miss you big fella xx.”

Joynes’s death comes after the Australian basketball community mourned the loss of NBL MVP Corey ‘Homicide’ Williams in May and South Australian great Greg Olbrich two months earlier.