Image credit: Madeleine Clark | @madeleineclarkmedia

Now that Michael Vigor is a new dad, he's pretty much ticked off every basketball goal he had but the veteran big man remains as motivated as ever to help Willetton Tigers to that elusive NBL1 West championship.

When Vigor finished high school at Wesley College, he set himself a whole host of goals in basketball. Over the past 17 years he rightfully is proud to say he's now ticked them all off as of the recent arrival of his and wife Jadie's first child, Vivian.

The first goal was to play in the then SBL competition and Vigor started doing that at the Perth Redbacks where he remained to play the first 203 games of his career. That included being a key member of the 2017 championship before time at the Lakeside Lightning, and now settling with Willetton.

Then Vigor also had the goal to play professionally and he had the first taste of that in the NBL at his hometown Perth Wildcats. He subsequently went on to play almost 150 games in the United Kingdom at Plymouth and Bristol, and had a season in Italy.

Vigor also had the chance to tick off another goal when he represented Scotland at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in another career highlight, and that left one more goal to tick off which he has been able to do this season.

Vigor and wife Jadie welcomed daughter Vivian into the world back in April and she has been able to get along to a game or two so far this season. She will be on hand on Sunday afternoon when the Tigers host either the Geraldton Buccaneers or Goldfields Giants in a preliminary final.

"I am super proud of what I've done to be honest and I did set myself a few goals," Vigor told The Hoop Hour on 91.3 SportFM.

"One of them was to play state league level basketball and then to play national level basketball, and to play international basketball.

"The last was then to have a child while I was playing and that's the last goal kind of ticked off and they are all things that I'm super proud of to do with my career.

"It is a bit bittersweet and I'd be lying if I said it doesn’t play on your mind coming near the end of your career and thinking about what's next, but looking back I'm super proud of myself and what I've achieved and long may it continue with basketball in the Vigor household."

Looking for shot at redemption

A big reason why Vigor joined Willetton back in 2021 was to play with some of his closest mates including Damien Scott with the pair both development players at the Wildcats going back at the start of their careers.

Now Vigor is one of four 300-plus game veterans on this Tigers team along with Andrew Black and Kyle Armour with the old heads desperate for that success along with gun import Taeshon Cherry, young gun Tana Kopa, and emerging pair Tom Gerovich and Roosevelt Williams Jr.

Willetton got so close to a first men's title since 2010 last year with stunning finals wins over Rockingham and Geraldton to win into the grand final, where they were on top a lot of the night before a heartbreaking loss at RAC Arena to the Mandurah Magic.

Willetton have been banging on the door for another championship most years since that Cam Tovey, Daniel Johnson-led triumph in 2010. Vigor hopes this can be their if they can get past either the Buccs or Giants on Sunday, and make it back to RAC Arena.

"Ever since I came across to the Tigers which was five years ago, we've been in that top four sort of range most years," Vigor said.

"We've always given ourselves a chance to make it to the big dance and now after last year's heartbreak, you always want to get a shot at redemption.

"I think that this core group sticking together and getting back to this point is something that means we've got some relative experience with it.

"We're looking forward to the game on Sunday and we're not looking any further than that obviously, but to try and get back there for a shot at redemption would be a great success story."

Finals win over Rockingham

Willetton finished the 2025 regular season in fourth spot at 16-6 but then started the finals in stunning fashion last Saturday night putting 121 points on the board against the regular season champion Flames in Rockingham.

There was so much to like in that performance with Vigor contributing strongly with 18 points, five assists and four rebounds while Cherry had 27 points and six rebounds, Gerovich 23 points and 13 boards, Kopa 23 points with five triples, and Williams Jr 22 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.

It was a night where Willetton showed their championship credentials and Vigor couldn’t be happier with how the team is clicking at the right time of the season.

"I missed our two games against Rockingham during the season so I was excited to get out there to help the team, and it was one of those games where everything clicked for us offensively and defensively," Vigor said.

"It was awesome to see a couple of young superstars in Ro, Gero and Tana have breakout years and continue that into the finals. To add an import like Cherry to that and with a few of us old dogs still contributing, we've got a good little mix and balance going with our team this year at the Tigers."

Perfect mix on this Tigers team

It's hard to imagine a better balanced team than this Willetton one for 2025. It all starts with previous Coach of the Year winner Adam Nener, and with the veterans Vigor, Scott, Black and Armour showing the way.

Gerovich and Williams Jr are then having the best seasons of their career while the additions of Kopa and Cherry have been the icing on a very talented, and well balanced cake which Vigor is delighted to be part of.

"It's nice to see guys like Gero and Ro who have been around from even when I first came to the Tigers five years ago progressing now with their careers, and starting in the league," Vigor said.

"Then you've got another Willetton junior Tana Kopa coming back and trying to make his case, and he's got high goals and aspirations for his basketball career of wanting to play professionally.

"Then adding an import like Cherry gives us a bit more of an inside scorer as a big that we missed at times last year so he gives us that bit more scoring punch from a big department.

"Then obviously myself, Blacky, Kyle and Scotty, we're all great mates and it makes going to practice easy because you have some of your best mates there, and we all have the same sort of mindset of helping these young guys see the next stages of their career, and adding some leadership and culture to the group. It's been a fun year so far."

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Still enjoying playing the game

Even though Vigor has now been playing in the SBL or NBL1 West since 2008 and has crammed an enormous amount into his career at the Redbacks, Lightning, Tigers, and then at the Bendigo Braves, and in the UK and Italy, he remains playing at a high level.

He has turned himself into quite the versatile and high-skilled big man the longer his career has gone and he remains enjoying his basketball as much as ever, but leaving his daughter behind at home isn’t as much fun as he thought.

"The biggest distraction to myself mentally for wanting to continue and to my game has been my daughter. The road trips don't quite feel the same when I'm leaving her at home," Vigor said.

"Whereas for most of the last 15 years it was some of my favourite weekends of the year to get away with the boys on those road trips, and try to get a win on the road and get to celebrate afterwards.

"So that's definitely playing on my mind and even at the start of this season I had a soft tissue injury when I did a hamstring, but I've been able to get back to playing some good basketball and trying to add value where I can.

"That's whether I'm passing the ball, playing defence, knocking down some threes or whatever it is, it's just the little things you try to add night in, night out that can make a difference to a team like this."

Working full-time in basketball

Another dream of Vigor's was to be able to find a career still within basketball too. He's now found that as a full-time coach with Redhage Basketball where he gets to continue his bond as a former teammate at the Wildcats and Redbacks with Shawn Redhage.

"I'm fortunate enough to do what I love as a career and that's give back to the development of junior basketball in WA and doing that through Redhage Basketball," Vigor said.

"Doing that with Shawn has been a bunch of fun and something that I will look to continue to do for as long as I can.

"Shawn has done such a good job of setting up a development program for these kids of all skill levels to enjoy the game of basketball. It's great to see with basketball booming in WA as well as all over Australia."

Life as a dad

As for life as a new dad, Vigor is loving it more than he even thought he would be even if it might have been a bigger life changer as well than he thought it would be to have a newborn in the household.

"I'm absolutely loving it. I sort of had a few big goals with basketball and had ticked them all off, and the last one was to hold my child after a basketball game and get a photo," Vigor said.

"I've been able to do that with my daughter now this year which has been awesome and it's definitely changed my life for the better.

"Now it's even worked out well where we get a home prelim on Sunday and because it's a day game, she should be able to come along and that will make it even more special having her there with her mum."

Chris Pike

Tigers big man keeps ticking off goals