Elijah Pepper
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Pepper with the Perth Wildcats in 2026 | |
| No. 40 – Wellington Saints | |
|---|---|
| Position | Shooting guard |
| League | NZNBL |
| Personal information | |
| Born | May 8, 2001 Shepparton, Victoria, Australia |
| Nationality | American / Australian |
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Selah (Selah, Washington) |
| College | UC Davis (2019–2024) |
| NBA draft | 2024: undrafted |
| Playing career | 2024–present |
| Career history | |
| 2024–present | Perth Wildcats |
| 2025 | Warwick Senators |
| 2026–present | Wellington Saints |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Elijah Ron Pepper (born May 8, 2001) is an Australian-American professional basketball player for the Wellington Saints of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL). He is also contracted with the Perth Wildcats of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the UC Davis Aggies and won the Big West Player of the Year in 2024. He made his professional debut later that year for the Wildcats and in 2025 debuted for the Australia men's national basketball team.
Elijah Ron Pepper was born on May 8, 2001,[1] in Australia, in the Victorian city of Shepparton,[2] before relocating to the United States as a young child.[3] He attended Selah High School in Selah, Washington. As a freshman, he averaged 21.3 points per game. Pepper increased his scoring to 29 points per game as a sophomore, leading the team to a 2A state title appearance. As a junior, he averaged 24.2 points per game and earned league MVP honors. Pepper was hampered by a knee injury as a senior but averaged 24.1 points per game and a 2A title game appearance. He committed to play college basketball at UC Davis.[4]
College career
Pepper became a starter for UC Davis as a freshman and averaged 8.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.[4] As a sophomore, he averaged 14.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. Pepper averaged 15.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game as a junior.[5] As a senior, he averaged 22.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, earning First Team All-Big West honors.[6] Pepper entered the 2023 NBA draft before returning for his fifth season of eligibility.[7] On December 21, 2023, he scored 21 points in a win against UC Merced to surpass Audwin Thomas's mark as UC Davis all-time leading scorer.[8] Pepper was named Big West Player of the Year in 2024.[9]
Professional career
On April 19, 2024, Pepper signed with the Perth Wildcats of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) for the 2024–25 season.[10] Injuries to fellow guards Bryce Cotton and Tai Webster opened the door for increased minutes, starting in seven of his 31 appearances.[11] He scored a season-high 18 points against the Sydney Kings in just his second NBL appearance on September 27.[11][12] He finished the season with averages of 7.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.[12]
Pepper joined the Warwick Senators of the NBL1 West for the 2025 season.[13][14] On April 5, 2025, he scored 50 points with nine 3-pointers in the Senators' 117–79 season-opening win over the Lakeside Lightning.[15][16] On April 12, he scored 51 points with nine 3-pointers in a 134–109 win over the Rockingham Flames.[17][18][19][20] On April 17, he scored 48 points with 10 3-pointers in a 102–98 win over the Joondalup Wolves.[21][22][23] On April 26, he scored 50 points in a 119–83 win over the Perth Redbacks.[24][25][26] On May 3, he recorded a triple-double with 35 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists in a 104–87 win over the Mandurah Magic.[27][28] On July 18, he scored 37 of his 44 points in the first half of the Senators' 125–96 win over the Perry Lakes Hawks.[29][30] The next day, he scored 59 points in a 130–79 win over the South West Slammers, setting a new NBL1 scoring record.[31][32][33][34][35] He earned All-NBL1 West First Team honours[36] and was the league's leading scorer.[37] He led the Senators to the NBL1 West Grand Final with a team-high 33 points in a 99–97 win over the Flames in the preliminary final.[38][39] In the grand final, Pepper scored a game-high 33 points in an 81–78 loss to the Geraldton Buccaneers.[40] In 23 games, he averaged 35.96 points, 6.74 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 2.22 steals per game.[41]
On March 31, 2025, the Wildcats picked up the second-year team option on Pepper's contract for the 2025–26 NBL season.[12] On October 29, 2025, he scored an NBL career-best 19 points in a 95–84 win over the Tasmania JackJumpers.[42] On January 22, 2026, he scored 20 of his career-high 25 points in the third quarter of the Wildcats' 106–69 win over the Cairns Taipans. He also finished with seven 3-pointers.[43] On the season, he averaged 10.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game, while shooting 40% from the field.[44]
Pepper joined the Wellington Saints of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL) for the 2026 season.[45] On April 30, he scored 36 points in a 111–89 win over the Taranaki Airs.[46]
On April 28, 2026, Pepper re-signed with the Wildcats on a two-year deal.[44]
National team career
In February 2025, Pepper was named in the Australian Boomers squad for two FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers.[47] In April 2025, he was named in the Boomers squad for a trans-Tasman series against New Zealand in May.[48]
In October 2025, Pepper was named in the Boomers squad for the first window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.[49] In February 2026, he was named in the squad for two more Asian qualifiers.[50]
