Different culture, different pressures, different priorities.

I believe that Cairns has been the best place for him in terms of allowing him to develop with less pressure.

Not really a fair take. Adelaide took him, and he was horrible. He has found a decent spot in Cairns. He's got lucky with his talents meshing well with what Cairns need of him. But in Adelaide, he was a dud. So no guarantee he would’ve been much chop in Perth.

He didn't get the opp to be more.. It was obvious the coach didn't know how to utilize him or his talents

Look how long his career lasted

Pinder wit sixers now would be a beast..

He is the one who turned Perth's offer down. There is a lot of bad blood between his father and the cats still. Same reason why CJ Bruton never returned specially during the Alan Black reign

Like many, he put I. The work and got better, before he was end of the bench and now a lock at asia level for the boomers.

He wasn't horrible at Adelaide, he improved by the end to the point it was disappointing he wasn’t resigned.

Also disappointing that they let McVeigh go

Best thing for him to get away from WA.

He made the right choice. Perth have done ok.

Keanu Pinder looked really good last night, he was given the low post to attack from and he meshes well with the mix of players at Cairns.

In Adelaide he was never given the low post to attack from, and it was a really bad mix of players. He and Ice was an especially poor combination.

i thought he was better than X last night. Really impressive.

My thoughts too KET

As much as we, the final people of Hoops, at the time tore shreds off of Pinder in frustration at his game during a poor rookie season, mainly leveled at choice of hairstyle, let's face it looking back now and with the benefit of hindsight the truth is the poor kid was being coached by Conner Henry.

the fine people of Hoops*

Wildcats f'd up 35 seasons ago signing K Pinder Senior. Where was their due diligence when recruiting in Oct 1986? No internet at the time but there were certainly phones and fax machines so it was possible to seek background info on athletes even back then. Hmmm.

Pinder didn't turn down perths offer.. They only. Made a pitch after other teams already showed a interest

He was trainin with the team. And nothing was guranteed.. He went wherethey were serious, Adelaide wasn't the move but its obvious that cairns coach saw enough during those sessions to know what he was capable of

Best thing for Keanu to do was to play for another NBL team than the Wildcats. His fathers actions have absolutely nothing to do with him and he would've never been treated as such in WA.

JT his fathers actions have absolutely nothing to do with him

Correct. They definitely have nothing to do with him. But if your father was K Pinder Senior, and you were entering the league that he played in, and your name was K Pinder-Smith, wouldn't it would be best for everyone to have Smith on your jersey rather than Pinder? Wouldn’t you be in the public eye with your mother’s family name/your indigenous family that you say you’re so proud of, rather than proudly showing your relationship to your father who did not raise you and who has an extensive list of crimes against women and minors. I think it is really insensitive to all his dad’s victims and families who never ever wanted to see Pinder on a player’s top in the NBL again. Surely Keanu considered how victims and families would feel seeing and hearing that name. He chose Pinder when he could’ve chosen Smith. Of course having Pinder on your top in the NBL invites conversation about your father because a lot of people have very long memories. His choice.

Brielle.. that kind of judgement is exactly what I am talking about. So now he has to change the name on his jersey to keep you happy. Unbelievable! What his relationship with his father is like, whether he was around him as a kid, etc.. I think is best left to Keanu and his father don't you think?

FFS!

JT How dare you say it's to keep me happy. Just shows you don’t understand trauma. Can’t be bothered with you. I’m out.

You are the one having the whinge you muppet!

What we should be doing is commenting on how well Keanu is playing, the fact he made the Australian team recently and what a positive role model he is in spite of things he has had to overcome.
I do not understand how commentary about Keanu could be anything but positive.. he has done no wrong, irrespective of which ever name he may wear on his jersey.