When Ian Wright first started playing for Shepparton Gators they were hardly the talk of the town.
Growing up he remembers the city rocking with support for the local ballers.
He used to sit in the stands as a kid and watch the players lap up the support from the home crowd, hoping one day to be in their shoes.
When he finally grew into them, as a Year 12 student at Shepparton High School, donning the Gators’ uniform wasn’t quite everything he expected it to be.
“We had a very successful team in the early 2000s,” Wright said on reflection.
“Back then we were in the Championship and we had a few of those core players move on and, to be honest, we were a bit lost for a few years and the quality of our players probably wasn’t great.”
Standing in the Visy Community Centre now (where the Gators played when he began his basketball career), he recalls his debut season in 2006 when he was lucky to play in front of a double-digit crowd.
Looking back it’s almost amusing given the roar Wright recently instigated from a capacity crowd at Shepparton Sports Stadium.
The towering forward dazzled with a sublime cameo in his last regular season game that blew the lid off the stadium.
The Gators’ imminent return to the Swamp holds high expectations for another packed house.
It’s been a last dance for the ages, with a top-of-the-ladder finish and home court for finals secured.
The Gators have put themselves in prime position to send the club legend off with a trophy.
Since his debut 17 years ago Wright has been in and out of the squad, playing with club captain and fellow mainstay Matt Bartlett at Bendigo Braves before returning to Shepparton to round out his career.
Through that time he’s seen fluctuating support for the Gators, alongside fluctuating performances and results from the team.
But in his final season it’s safe to say swamp fever is at an all-time high.
“It’s been amazing to see the support, it’s massive for us,” Wright said.
“Basketball is just growing, you can see it in the young kids who come along to the games and even the Aussie talent in the NBA now have massive followings and there’s a lot more of them.”
The game hasn’t just grown, it’s changed.
Wright said the three-point shot and the holistic improvement at the skill had changed everything.
“Pretty much now everybody on the team needs to be able to shoot the three, which we have on our team,” he said.
“We’ve got an all-around good team, everybody knows their roles.
“Having a core of local players like we do is huge for a country town like this.”
Wright said he had seen the club struggle to compete with Melbourne to be a destination for imported talent and emphasised that it wasn’t just about getting any imports, but the right ones.
“We were very unlucky last season to lose in the grand final, but we kept that core and added Derek (Murphy) and Josh (Kooiman),” he said.
“They’ve fit in really well, Derek is only 24 and I think Josh is just 20, so hopefully they can stick around and continue to build the culture here.”
Wright said the team this season was definitely up there with the best group he’s ever played with.
“In recent years there have been people who have put in a power of work to continue growing the support,” he said.
“The new board, the coaches and the players have all been enormous.
“Josh Waight (Gators coach) has been fantastic, he’s helped us push the ball and really sped the game up.”
Reflecting on his playing career, Wright said the greatest gifts the sport gave him were the relationships he created off the court.
“You just meet so many beautiful people,” he said.
“And after the games, seeing the parents and the kids with a smile on their faces, taking pictures and signing autographs, it’s a special feeling.”
Wright cherishes the many milestones he achieved during his time with the club – getting married, starting a family, and pursuing a fulfilling career as a full-time teacher, all while proudly representing Shepparton.
He expressed heartfelt gratitude to his wife for supporting him throughout the journey, tolerating the twice weekly training sessions and being there on the sidelines for all of his games.
“Father time has caught up to me, I’m not as quick as I used to be and I can’t quite keep up with the young boys coming through any more,” Wright said with a laugh.
“Time goes so fast, it feels like I just started playing basketball yesterday.
“But to be honest, I’m looking forward to watching the boys play from the bar section instead of being on the court.”
Wright said he’d be interested in trying out a role as an assistant coach, maybe even under captain Bartlett once more, who he’s played 11 seasons with.
But before he can think about the future he’s got to conquer the two games that stand in the way of his perfect send-off.
Despite the daunting task ahead, Wright is confident it can end on a high.
“I think the club deserves it,” he said.
“After last year’s disappointment we were all hungry at the start of the year and we’ve all bought in.
“It’s our year, I really believe that.”
The Gators play RMIT on Saturday, August 5, at 7pm at the Swamp.
A victory in that game will propel them directly into the grand final, securing the coveted home court advantage for this momentous occasion – an opportunity to bring Shepparton back to the pinnacle of Big V basketball, the Championship.
This league holds a special place in Wright’s heart, as he fondly recalls watching Shepparton dominate it during his childhood at the turn of the century.
“When I was a kid, I just wanted to play for the Gators,” Wright said.
“That was my dream and I was lucky enough to do that.
“A grand final win would be the icing on top.”