From Navuso to the World Cup

Do not let anyone tell you, you cannot achieve your dreams. 

This is the advice of national basketball rep Isaac Jovili Sewabu who is playing for the Fiji Under-23 at the FIBA 3x3 World Cup which underway in China. 

Growing up in New Zealand, young Sewabu returned to Fiji with his family and lived in their village Navuso, outside of Nausori town. 

Adapting to the village was quite a challenge for the former Marist Brothers High School student, however he worked towards his dream. 

“Coming back to Fiji and to live in the village was humbling. It was a difficult transition as I have never lived in Fiji,” the 19-year-old said. 

“Within months, I could speak my Navuso dialect fluently and I don’t see the fancy shoes and nice clothes as a need anymore.” 

Sewabu amd his older brother started their tavioka (cassava) farm and sold it to have some spending money on weekends. 

“Being with my family, experiencing and acknowledging the place where my dad grew up and to honor the upbringing is truly humbling. It helped me and my siblings to remain grounded, appreciate the little things in life and not to despise those humble beginnings,” he added.

He first started playing basketball in 2016 when he was 12-year-old attending Hokowhitu Primary School, in Palmerston North where they won the Year 5 tournament. 

He left basketball to pursue rugby when they moved to Fiji in 2017 however his love was basketball was ignited when he accompanied one of his cousins to play at My Suva Park. The same cousin introduced him to the Zodiacs club where played in Suva. 

He was attending MBHS at the same and was part of the U17 team which won the secondary school championship in 2020 where they defeated Yat Sen Secondary School.

Fiji's Isaac Jovili Sewabu attempts a shot against U.S.A during their FIBA 3x3 Under 23 World Cup match in Xiong An , China on September 18, 2025.

Photo: FIBA 3x3 Under 23 World Cup. 

“Seeing how I started with the Zodiacs in 2021 and I couldn’t even dribble with my left hand, playing on the 3rd team eagerly waiting for my call up, to now in 2025, being hand picked to represent the country I was born in and to compete against big names around the world.”

He started playing for leisure every afternoon at My Suva Park against random boys who showed up at the courts; he played for Zodiacs every school holidays before they moved to Australia where he was scouted by a regional coach. 

“It was all a pathway that was paved by God, my family and I. 

“Showing up when I needed to and doing the hard work when no one was watching. This goes to show that you don’t need to have much to be great, you just need to just place yourself in the right environment at the right time and the opportunity will present itself, I’m a living testimony to that.”

After being placed with the second Zodiacs team in 2021 the Sewabu’s moved to Sydney, Australia where his father Koli Sewabu was the International Partnership officer with Oceania Rugby and worked closely with Rugby Australia. 

In Sydney, Sewabu played for Lucas Heights Community School.

“In my third game, the Sydney East coach presented me with an opportunity to represent Eastern Sydney in the New South Wales Regional Cup. 

“Opportunities from there stemmed into joining Inner West Bulls Club winning the U18 Division 1 Central Coast tournament.” 

He got selected for the AUSA American tour in 2023 where they played in Chicago and Dallas AAU circuits. From there he received a scholarship to Mont Sports Academy in the U.S in 2024. 

“I moved away from my family for five months in learning the difficulty and physicality that American basketball presents. 

“I then moved back to Australia where I trained alongside NBL and NBA talent in Bankstown Bruins winning the NSW Youth League 1 Championship.” 

Throughout his career playing overseas Sewabu remained in contact with his coaches in Fiji who followed his games closely which earned him a spot in the national side to Palau in June and at the Pacific Nations last month. 

Fiji's Keenan Latrelle Hughes attempts a shot against U.S.A during their FIBA 3x3 Under 23 World Cup match in Xiong An , China on September 18, 2025.

Photo: FIBA 3x3 Under 23 World Cup. 

“Basketball, which was once grown in America, is now a global sport. For me as a Fijian, I saw the differences in various countries’ approach to the sport; America showing the grit and heart with the culture of non-stop work ethic. Australia with the structure and IQ focused base starting from young ages to then assisting in most Aussie reps playing in the NBA, and Fiji combining both, as a growing sport in the nation, Fiji basketball has shown great development but the best thing about it is that we bring the heart and determination every day,” he said. 

Asked for any words of advice, he said: “God placed the vision in your mind and your heart, so as long as you commit to the dream every day, especially when no one is watching, then He will help you achieve greatness. Believe in who you want to become and who you can become.” 

While his father was a former national rugby rep, Sewabu said he has not ruled that out yet.

“Rugby never left my soul, it still remains in my genes, I still consider rejoining and playing in Australia, but instead I use the physicality and intensity from that sport towards basketball and that’s made me the player I am today.”

Meanwhile, his father said he was proud to have one of his children don the national jumper for another sport. 

“My dream for my kids was not to follow my path, but to build their own with the same tools and add more as they progress in life. While I initially supported his rugby early years, I tried to instill in him what rugby has taught me- discipline, resilience, commitment, teamwork. These are frames or a toolkit for life, not just sport. 

“I supported him through values, rides to practice, training programmes, nutrition and the discipline it takes to become an elite athlete. 

“My role as a father is to water the plant, not dictate the kind of flower it should be. 

“His success is his own. His setbacks are his own to learn from. But my constant presence is to show that I support him, no matter where it led. 

“It’s about giving him the confidence to be his own, armed with a strong moral compass and a work ethic that will serve him no matter what he chooses to do in life,” the Fiji Rugby Union acting chief executive officer added.