The Bahamian-born 67-year-old has spent close to the three years in custody in NSW.
Part of Pinder's time behind bars was spent serving a 15-month prison term over a previous conviction for stalking a woman as she walked home from a train station in the Sydney suburb of Rockdale.
He pleaded guilty to the latest charges in April.
In February, Pinder's Australian visa was cancelled by Immigration Minister Andrew Giles, the basketballer's lawyer told a sentence hearing in Downing Centre District Court on Thursday.
A former member of the Harlem Globetrotters, Pinder's Australian career began with NBL team Sydney Supersonics in the 1985-86 season.He joined the Perth Wildcats in 1987, helping the team win back-to-back championships in 1990 and 1991, and returned to the NBL for one season with the Wollongong Hawks in 1995-96.
He was previously convicted for sexually assaulting three women aged 16 to 20 between 1988 and 1990, and jailed for five years in NSW for the sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl.
Judge Andrew Scotting told the hearing Pinder's history of sexual assault raised concerns for the ongoing safety of the community if he was to be released.
"He's had a number of convictions for similar matters and that needs to be taken into account," he said.
The rape charge stemmed from Pinder starting intercourse with a woman while she was sleeping in a bed next to him.
The latest aggravated sexual assault charge relates to Pinder having on a separate occasion vaginally penetrated the same woman with his fist, leaving her with "serious and life threatening" injuries.
Pinder's lawyer Anita Betts argued the circumstances of his offending, including that the woman consented to prior sexual acts, placed it at the lower end of the scale.
But crown prosecutor Daniel Waldmann argued the woman's previous consent should in no way reduce the seriousness of Pinder's crimes.
He described Pinder's expressions of remorse as "hollow, superficial and disingenuous".
"The victim articulated her lack of consent in very clear and unambiguous terms," he said.
The woman also pushed Pinder's hand away and crawled away from him off the bed, the court heard.
In response, Pinder grabbed the woman by the ankle and dragged her back onto the bed before "forcefully" sexually assaulting her with his fist.
Pinder previously told the court he was sorry and took responsibility for his actions.
"I didn't mean to hurt her," he said.
"I stupidly asked if I could put my hand in her vagina. I was enjoying it.
"She asked me to stop. To my enormous regret and shame I continued."
Ms Betts argued Pinder could benefit from participating in a tailored sexual offender program.
"There are avenues for Mr Pinder to learn better behaviour, especially now he knows what the issue is," she said.
"He seems to have insight now."
Pinder is due to be sentenced later on Thursday.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028