Thursday, 21 September 2017: Streamlined Cairns Taipans centre Nate Jawai will return from shoulder surgery in a NBL pre-season clash with Perth.

Nate Jawai hopes to again strike fear into NBL opponents after stripping five kilograms from his hulking frame in the off-season.

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The Cairns centre will play his first minutes since shoulder surgery on Thursday at home, against former team Perth.

Still weighing in at a staggering 137kg, Jawai hopes to get closer to the 128kg he tipped the scales at when bursting on to the scene 10 years ago.

Quick to point out he is still only 30, the Taipans favourite is confident he can return to the form that saw him become the first indigenous Australian to play in the NBA.

"I'm fitter, stronger and 100 per cent in better shape," he told AAP.

"I feel lighter, my legs are stronger and I will be able to play for longer periods.

"My last two seasons (in the NBL with Perth then Cairns) haven't been my best, but I'm looking to have a big season and know I can get back to my best."

The Bamaga product combined his sheer size with fast feet and subtle hands to rise from obscurity as a Taipans rookie and then earn his NBA debut with Toronto in 2009.

The 2006-07 NBL rookie of the year carved out a seven-season career in the US and Europe before returning to win an NBL title with Perth in 2015-16.

Having grown up in the region, Jawai is now the face of community programs in Cairns and Cape York and says he is happy to be playing consecutive seasons for his home club.

"I'm comfortable here," he said.

"To be honest, back when I first played I didn't know how good I would be, or what I was capable of because everything happened so fast.

"Now I've been all over the place, I'm smarter and can teach the new guys in the team what's expected of them.

"(Coach Aaron) Fearne wants me to be consistent, so I need to keep dropping weight, playing more minutes and obviously go out and perform."

Cairns surprised pundits to finish last season in second place, before being bundled out in the semi-finals by eventual champions Perth.

The season proper tips off on October 5.