On the Weigh out
Foot injury forces longtime Snake to walk away
TAIPANS vice-captain Stephen Weigh has given his team a call to arms to win the remaining three games of the National Basketball League season after announcing he will retire this year. A debilitating foot injury has led to the decision after keeping him off the court for months.
AN emotional Stephen Weigh will step away from professional basketball at season’s end but the Cairns Taipans forward didn’t make the announcement until he’d run it past his biggest fans first.
The Rockhampton junior, who became an NBL champion with the Perth Wildcats in 2010, addressed his teammates yesterday morning at practice, urging them with a heartfelt plea to rally and win their final three games of the season. Despite his competitive impulses still luring him back to hardwood, the Snakes’ vice captain, who has battled a debilitating foot injury this season, said he knew it was time to step away after a recent heart-to-heart with his mum and dad.
“They played devil’s advocate – as most good parents should,” said Weigh, 30, of telling them of his decision to retire.
“They didn’t want me to just jump to a conclusion. But at the same time they’ve been extremely supportive.
“Mum, in particular, has been a glorified taxi driver for me (as a kid) but in the end they were very happy (with my decision).”
A nasty navicular injury has curtailed Weigh’s final season in orange with the much-loved Snake risking more than just his career by continuing to play.
“Due to the nature and position of the bone, at any time it could fracture,” Weigh said. “At that point, it didn’t matter to me because I knew this may be my last season.
“But when the doctor said if it fractures there’s a good chance you’ll never run again post-basketball, that was a bit of an eye-opener for me.”
Taipans mentor Aaron Fearne paid tribute to the sweet shooting big man, who first caught his eye as a teenager playing representative basketball for North Queensland.
“It’s a sad day when you’ve got a guy who’s been a part of the club for a long time (leaving),” Fearne said. “The culture that he’s brought and his professionalism is first-class. Those guys are the great ones to coach. He’s turned himself into a really good pro.”
Weigh said his final home game, tomorrow night against the Sydney Kings, would serve as a special chance to say thank you to the club’s fans.
“I’ll suit up this Saturday and I’m just going to really soak up this atmosphere, the crowd and being around this great bunch of guys,” he said. “When I first came in, it was all about me … but as my career has gone on I’ve become a much more selfless person.
“I need to thank the Taipans for that … and I think it’s going to hold me in good stead for life after basketball.”
Weigh will concentrate on a new business venture once the season ends but said he would take a moment to look back on his achievements at some stage soon.
“The way that I’d like to go out is with three wins and for the guys to carry themselves as pros and be proud of the jersey,” he said.
“But that’s not to say I won’t sit back and enjoy a glass or two, and reflect on the career.”
Snakes president Troy Stone said Weigh had epitomised the club’s core values during his time with the club.
“Stephen and the other senior leaders of the club have been a great source of pride ... and have not only bought into the team culture, but owned it,” he said.