Kyle Armour has spent his decorated career as a standout point guard in the SBL and NBL1 West battling against the Cockburn Cougars, but he now couldn’t be more excited to be part of the Cougar Family in 2024.
Armour has been one of the best players, and point guards, of the competition over the course of a career that began as a teenager at the Willetton Tigers back in 2006.
Along the way he has put together quite the decorated career including being the starting point guard in the 2014 championship team at East Perth which would end up being his lone season at the Eagles.
His SBL career started back in 2006 at the Willetton Tigers before he went away to college. He returned to the league in 2011 to join the Lakeside Lightning and it’s with Willetton and Lakeside he’s spent the majority of his now 292-game career since.
That’s aside from that championship season at East Perth in 2014 and then 2022 with the Mandurah Magic before returning to Lakeside in 2023, and now joining Cockburn for the first time in 2024.
Armour’s career has included plenty more than what he’s done in the SBL/NBL1 West as well having attended the Australian Institute of Sport, and then starting his college journey at Missouri State before moving to Augusta University.
Following that he spent time in the NBL at both the Perth Wildcats and Sydney Kings, played in the Waratah League, now the NBL1 East, and that has all added up to an enormous array of experiences he’s amassed over a career that’s showing no signs of slowing down.
Looking back to his 2023 season in the NBL1 West at Lakeside and the 34-year-old was still producing 13.0 points and 5.2 assists a game.
He showed what a standout playmaking point guard he can still be helping to facilitate for the likes of Hayden Brown and Rowan Mackenzie.
However, when it was his chance to take over and score, he showed he’s still more than able to light it up including 63 points across back-to-back games against the Giants and Slammers.
Armour is now the latest signing confirmed for the Cougars for 2024 with the new additions including NBL forward Rhys Vague, former NBL guard Hunter Clarke and new import big Demetris Morant.
With Gavin Field, Seva Chan and Josh Hunt among those committed to return as well, and it’s an impressive looking Cougars team building for 2024 and new coach Mark Clayden is delighted to add someone with the experience and quality of Armour.
“With nearly 300 games experience and an eagerness to come and contribute to our whole program, adding Kyle was a simple decision,” Clayden said.
“In the six weeks he has been here we have seen his leadership, his passion for the game and a willingness to mentor our young guards.”
Armour might have spent most of his career so far playing for one of Cockburn’s nearby rivals, Lakeside or Willetton, but he’s always had great respect for the Cougars and when Clayden was appointed coach it was a move that became too hard to say no to.
“I’ve known Claydo for 20 years from junior State teams and at Willetton when he was involved so I know he’s got great character, he’s a good communicator and i just like what he’s about,” Armour said.
“The style of play also aligns with how I would like to play and the culture is one I’d like to be part of. I’m feeling optimistic about the season ahead. I think between the style of play and the personnel we have, we are going to be competitive and have a lot of fun.”
While Armour hasn’t played with Cockburn before, he knows plenty of people that have, it’s never been too far away from where he has played, and he’s only ever heard good things about the organisation – even if trying to beat them.
Having gone head to head with Seva Chan as point guards has been a great rivalry over a decade too so he’s now glad to be teammates with him along with Clarke who has also signed up from Willetton for 2024.
“Cockburn has always been a place with a strong backbone around community. Battling against Seva and Gav for soo many years it’s super exciting to join them this year,” Armour said.
“I’ve also known Hunter since he was four or five years old as Marty (his dad) was my coach at the AIS and knowing Rhys as a Cockburn junior and friend it will be good to connect on court.”
Armour might have played against Field his entire SBL/NBL1 West career, but the pair have great history together and it’s only fitting now that they will get to spend the 2024 season playing together.
Having Armour running the offence and finding Field to knock down his shots in what he has announced as his final season is going to be a treat to watch, and Armour can’t wait for it.
“Gav is a Cockburn legend! He’s been a superstar of the SBL/NBL1 and will go down as one of the best shooters in this league so anytime he touches the ball is probably going to be a good thing for us,” he said.
“We go back to our juniors playing against each other and play socially on the same team in the offseason so it’s going to be pretty cool to share the court with him in his last year (although I will be doing everything possible to persuade him for one more!).”
Now that Armour is more than a month into hitting the floor practicing at Wally Hagan Stadium and his debut with the Cougars is fast approaching, he finds himself excited for what lies ahead with his 300-game milestone on the horizon early in the season.
“I’ve been impressed with how much talent we have coming through at Cockburn, the future looks bright,” Armour said.
“I think the fact that Claydo is there at the helm with an awesome crew of assistant coaches, mentor coaches and past players coaching who have done what we’re trying to achieve, it’s an encouraging place to play. I’m excited for the season to start.”
