Jacob Wiley's professional basketball career has been a journey marked by significant personal challenges and unexpected turns. The former Adelaide 36ers import recently shared his experiences on NBL: Alumni, detailing how a difficult NCAA tournament loss, a period away from the sport, and a deeply personal letter from his late father profoundly shaped his path.

Now 31 and currently playing in Puerto Rico's BSN league for Santeros de Aguada, Wiley reflected on the highs and lows that have defined his career. His two stints with the Adelaide 36ers, during the 2018-19 and 2023-24 NBL seasons, are just a part of a much larger story that almost saw him walk away from basketball entirely.

Stepping Away from the Game

After a challenging freshman year with the Montana Grizzlies, culminating in a significant NCAA Tournament loss, Wiley decided to quit basketball. He was the team's leading scorer in that game with just five points and opted to pursue track and field and American football, sports with a strong family history.

He admitted that the demanding nature of events like the 400-meter dash, a race his father and grandfather excelled at, appealed to his personality. This period away from basketball also exposed him to 'real life' experiences, including working odd jobs and taking out loans to support himself as a student.

Wiley felt he was exploring his options as an athlete at 17, a young age with limited guidance after the passing of his father a couple of years prior. He views this time as a period of freedom that eventually allowed him to return to basketball with renewed focus.

Reigniting His Career

Wiley eventually found his way back to basketball at Lewis Clark State College, playing from 2014 to 2016. This decision proved pivotal, as he achieved significant success, averaging 14.8 points and 7.5 rebounds over 62 games. His performance earned him All Conference honours and First Team All American recognition, while also helping his team secure its first-ever National Championship.

The foundation for his eventual success was laid by his father's handwritten letter, found after his father's passing due to alcoholism. This treasured note contained a prediction that Wiley would become a "20 and 10 guy."

"He told me ‘you're gonna be a 20 and 10 guy’. I actually just sent this to my mum the other day. It's the last thing he ever wrote to me."

"I think that's very important because he planted that seed in my mind that was somebody I could be. And I wanted to almost fulfil that prophecy for him. And I think it was subconscious in a way. I would say that's where it started."

Fulfilling a Father's Vision

Wiley's father's prediction came to fruition during his 2016-17 season at Eastern Washington. He averaged an impressive 20.4 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, shooting 64.3% from the field. This stellar performance led to him being named Big Sky Conference Player of the Year and put him on the NBA's radar.

"It started with just the belief from the one person who knew me the most. You can't play like that or have a season like that if you don't absolutely wholeheartedly believe you can be that player first and foremost, like you have to, you don't just accidentally become that, and so it started there."

"By the time I got to Eastern Washington, my last season, it was the combination of really like two years of intense hard work, like believing I could be this person that my Dad always wanted me to be, believe that I could be. I felt like I kind of let everyone down when I walked away from basketball. I said, I got one year, one shot, one opportunity at this."

Wiley's time in Australia began with an Eastern Washington tour in August 2016, where his team played against NBL clubs such as the Sydney Kings and Cairns Taipans, catching the attention of scouts.