Elijah Pepper on NBL NOW

Elijah Pepper joined NBL NOW following the announcement of his new two-year deal with the Perth Wildcats, discussing free agency, the club’s championship ambitions and why Perth always felt like home.

Speaking with Peter Hooley, Pepper admitted the free agency process was a new experience for him, with multiple clubs reaching out after his strong NBL26 campaign.

Pepper revealed that while NBL teams expressed interested, it was the relationships he has built with the Perth Wildcats that played a major role in his decision to stay with the club.

“Perth is always going to win when it comes to relationships,” Pepper said.

“That’s been home for two years. Danny Mills (GM and COO), head coach JR, those guys were all reaching out and checking in.”

The sharpshooter also said feeling valued by the club made the decision much easier.

“I felt like Perth made me a priority and that makes it a lot easier when you know you’re trusted and you feel important to a club,” he said.

Pepper also reflected on the Wildcats’ belief that the current core group is capable of competing for championships over the coming seasons.

With Kristian Doolittle, Dylan Windler and Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. all back for NBL27, Pepper believes the Wildcats are “right there” after falling just short of the Championship Series in NBL26.

“The ultimate goal for us is always going to be a championship, especially when you’re playing at Perth,” he said.

“I think our group has the ability to do so and I think that’s what we should be expecting for the next two years.”

Looking back on last season, Pepper spoke about the adversity the Wildcats faced through injuries and roster disruptions, while praising the group’s resilience after recovering from a slow start to secure a top-four finish.

“At the beginning of the year it looked as though we were fighting to make the playoffs,’ and then we ended up right there,” he said.

Pepper also discussed the competitive environment within the Wildcats group, highlighting the intensity and winning mentality of teammates like Kristian Doolittle and Jo Lual-Acuil Jr.

“At the end of the day, it was all just about wanting to win,” he said.

“JLA’s a winner, Doolittle’s a winner. That’s all we’re here to do.”

The Wildcats guard also opened up on his relationship with Head Coach John Rillie, explaining how Rillie first recruited him out of high school before eventually bringing him to Perth.

“I think the trust has grown quite a bit,” Pepper said.

“We both trust each other fully and I think he believes I can keep pushing myself and get a lot better over the next couple of years.”

Currently spending the off-season playing in New Zealand, Pepper said he has enjoyed the challenge of continuing to develop his game in a competitive environment ahead of NBL27.

Pepper finished with a message for the Red Army following weeks of speculation around his future.

“I think the Red Army is probably the best fanbase in the entire league,” he said.

“I love the support we get and I can’t wait to be back and compete for championships.”