Elijah Pepper getting buckets as Wellington Saints thrive on another Aussie NBL connection
Saturday, 6 June 2026
The Wellington Saints sure know how to pick an Aussie difference-maker, and free-scoring shotmaker Elijah Pepper is well on the way to joining some hallowed company for the New Zealand NBL’s serial title-winners.
The 25-year-old dual national Aussie-American (he was born in Australia, but spent most of his formative years in the US) has been a standout recruit for the 13-time champion Saints, leading the league in scoring and steals as he’s paced the Wellington outfit to a 7-3 mark heading into Sunday’s (3pm tip) home clash against the Otago Nuggets at TSB Arena.
The Saints are right where they need to be at the halfway point of the season and Pepper is a big part of that as he’s owned the league’s two best scoring efforts – 43 points in a 104-90 loss at the Southland Sharks on May 21 and a sizzling 45 in their last-up 105-84 win at the Manawatū Jets – amid some eyebrow-raising numbers.
The 1.93-metre shooting guard is averaging 30.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 3.2 steals while shooting 52% from the floor and 37% from deep for a Saints outfit locked in a tight tussle with the 9-2 Sharks and Tuatara and 8-3 Rams at the top of the table.
Saints boss Jordan Mills figured he had something special incoming when he snaffled the Perth Wildcats backcourter via his links with head coach Aaron Young who is an assistant with the West Australian club. After sweating out some European interest that did not quite pan out, the solidly built guard has made every post a winner since crossing the Tasman.
He is, of course, following established footsteps. In recent years the Saints have recruited an array of talented Aussies to fill import slots, including Ben Kay, Xavier Cooks, Nick Marshall, Shaun Bruce, Kyle Adnam and Ben Ayre, with Kay, Marshall and Bruce all cutting down the nets at season end.
Pepper told the The Post he was well aware of the trans-Tasman connection, and how many had used their Kiwi experience to springboard into more significant feats in the Australian NBL. “It’s obviously gone well for those guys and I’d like to keep the trend going,” he said.
So far, so good. Pepper is on quite a roll, having recently signed a two-year contract extension with the Wildcats and been named in the Boomers national squad for the upcoming Fiba international window. And he believes his play in the Kiwi league, which he rates a higher standard than Australia’s regional NBL1, has him well placed for a performance jump.
“My mid-range and scoring off the dribble have improved a lot,” he noted. “In NBL1 last year I was taking close to 12 threes a game, and shot it well. This season I’ve been a little less on point from deep, so being able to score from mid-range and get to the rim and draw fouls has balanced that out.
“Then when I have a game like last one where I was able to make seven threes and also get the mid-range and layups, those 45 point games are when you see it come together.”
Pepper is no stranger to scoring (he has a high mark of 59 in NBL1), but hopes his Saints experience will see him return to the Wildcats a more balanced player. “In the Aussie NBL I’m known primarily as 3-point shooter, and I’d like to change that,” he adds.
The accent betrays a hoops-guided background. His father was an American pro in Victoria, met his mum at the gym they played at, and they had two of their four children, including Elijah, in Australia, before moving to the US. Pepper grew up in Washington state and attended college at California-Davis, before returning to Australia to link up with the Wildcats.
And, for the record, he likes this Saints squad he’s dropped into, which is only going to be boosted by the imminent addition of Hyrum Harris from Japan to join Kiwis Carlin Davison, Izayah Le’afa and Jordan Hunt, fellow Aussie Akech Aliir and US import Donte Ingram.
“We have four Australian NBL guys, and five if you count Hyrum. I think our squad is the best in the league. It’s tough with a new group, coming together early and figuring out some stuff … but we’ll work that out pretty quickly going into this back half of the year.”
In terms of his own ambitions, Pepper, like so many, thirsts to play in the NBA, or even the big leagues of Europe. He’s hoping to pick up a gig in the latter at the end of next season’s Aussie NBL
In the meantime he has his eye very much on a Sunday matchup against the Nugs in which he would like to see the Saints improve one key aspect. “We’re No1 in offence, and that’s never really an issue for this group. But we need to grow on defence and make things tough for teams. That puts you in a better position, especially to get out and play in transition, which is where we thrive.”
What chance a 50-piece before season end?
“We’ll see,” the gunner grins. “I’d rather get 20 and win well, rather than 50 and we struggle or lose. As long as we win, I’m happy.”