This week saw the indubitably greatest signing in league history (!!!) which was only amplified by its sheer unexpectedness. It casts a tremendous shadow over the other signings with the addition of a rookie talent and return of a player with a point to prove.

1. Bryce Cotton to Adelaide 36ers
2. Finn Delany to Melbourne United
3. Kobe Williamson to Tasmania JackJumpers
4. Team overviews
5. Remaining free agents
   1. Locals
   2. Imports

Bryce Cotton to Adelaide 36ers

Position: Guard
From: Perth Wildcats
2024–25 statistics: 28.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.7 assists, .4 blocks, 1.2 steals, 45.6% field goal, 42.7% three-point, 86.4% free throw

What once seemed a complete impossibility has transformed into a certainty: Bryce Cotton will play the Adelaide 36ers. The news was truly stunning once it started to leak out on Thursday and seemed almost to be hearsay until it was confirmed by Cotton himself on his Instagram page. The 36ers needed a new point guard after the departure of Kendric Davis to the Sydney Kings and they somehow attracted the reigning most valuable player/eight-time scoring champion/all-time great/face of the league away from the allure of overseas. Nobody saw this coming and the mere contemplation of the Bryce Cotton playing for an Australian team other than the Perth Wildcats – where he had been since 2017 – would have been absurd to think about only earlier this week (!!!). Instead, the Wildcats are left to contemplate how they let their all-time best player dedicate his talents elsewhere while the 36ers are now given the responsibility of making it all work.

Finn Delany to Melbourne United

Position: Forward
From: Veltex Shizuoka (Japan – B2 League)
2024–25 statistics: 15.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, .2 blocks, .9 steals, 46.8% field goal, 33.1% three-point, 81.2% free throw

Melbourne United find their replacement for the departure of Jack White with the return of Finn Delany. After spending eight seasons with his native New Zealand Breakers, Delany departed in 2024 to play in the second division of the Japanese B.League. It can be hard to believe that Delany was a top-10 talent in the NBL only four years ago when he was appointed to the All-NBL Second Team in 2021; he saw a drop in production in 2021–22, played as a reserve in Europe in 2022–23, returned to the Breakers as a reserve in 2023–24 and then had his season in Japan where he had a return to form. Delany is now seeking to reach a similar attainment in the NBL and will be appointed that opportunity under a familiar face in head coach Dean Vickerman; Delany spent his NBL rookie season with Vickerman on the Breakers in 2015–16.

Kobe Williamson to Tasmania JackJumpers

Position: Forward
From: Seattle Redhawks (College basketball – NCAA Division I)
2024–25 statistics: 9.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 blocks, .8 steals, 49.0% field goal, 30.3% three-point, 81.1% free throw

The Tasmania JackJumpers sign Australian Kobe Williamson for his first professional contract after five years with the Seattle Redhawks in NCAA Division I. Williamson saw his role fluctuate during his time in Seattle but ended as their starting forward. He is a strong rebounder with decent offensive ability and will now benefit under the tutelage of Scott Roth to start his career.

Team overviews

G: Guard / F: Forward / C: Center / I: Import / DP: Development Player

Adelaide 36ers
G: Flynn Cameron, Bryce Cotton (I), Michael Harris, Matt Kenyon, Keanu Rasmussen, Dejan Vasiljevic, Isaac White
C: Ben Griscti, Isaac Humphries
Needs: Import forward, general stability

Brisbane Bullets
G: James Batemon (I), Sam McDaniel, Taine Murray, Mitch Norton
F: Jacob Holt, Casey Prather (I), Tohi Smith-Milner
C: Tyrell Harrison
DP: G Tristan Devers, G Kye Savage
Needs: Import guard/forward, local back-up center

Cairns Taipans
G: Kyle Adnam, Kody Stattman
F: Kyrin Galloway, Alex Higgins-Titsha, Sam Waardenburg
Needs: Everything but also: import guard, import forward, import center, local guard, local center

Illawarra Hawks
G: Tyler Harvey (I), William Hickey, Lee Hyunjung
F: Todd Blanchfield, Daniel Grida, Lachlan Olbrich, Mason Peatling, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk
C: Sam Froling
DP: G Kobe McDowell-White, G Luca Yates
Needs: Return of G Trey Kell III (I), Gary Clark/Darius Days-type import forward, retaining Justin Tatum

Melbourne United
G: Dash Daniels, Chris Goulding, Shea Ili, Tanner Krebs, Tom Wilson
F: Kyle Bowen, Finn Delany, Fabijan Krslovic
Needs: Import center, back-up shooting guard, local center

New Zealand Breakers
G: Taylor Britt, Izayah Le’afa
F: Sean Bairstow, Max Darling, Carlin Davison, Karim López, Reuben Te Rangi
C: Tacko Fall (I), Robert Loe, Sam Mennenga
DP: G Kaia Isaac, G Alex McNaught
Needs: Import point guard, import shooting guard

Perth Wildcats
G: Sunday Dech, Elijah Pepper, Dontae Russo-Nance
F: Kristian Doolittle (I), Lat Mayen, David Okwera, Jesse Wagstaff, Dylan Windler (I)
DP: F Thomas Gerovich, F Cameron Huefner
Needs: Bryce Cotton clone / import point guard, local point guard, local center

South East Melbourne Phoenix
G: Owen Foxwell, Angus Glover, Nathan Sobey
F: Akech Aliir, DJ Mitchell
C: Gorjok Gak, Jordan Hunter
DP: G Daniel Foster
Needs: Import point guard, import small forward, import power forward

Sydney Kings
G: Shaun Bruce, Kendric Davis (I), Matthew Dellavedova, Tyler Robertson
F: Xavier Cooks, Jaylin Galloway, Bul Kuol, Keli Leaupepe, Makuach Maluach, Kouat Noi
C: Jason Spurgin
DP: F Klairus Amir
Needs: A return to 48-minute games so the quality of players receive enough minutes, emergence of Spurgin

Tasmania JackJumpers
G: Ben Ayre, Sean Macdonald
F: Josh Bannan, Majok Deng, Anthony Drmic, Nick Marshall, Kobe Williamson
C: Will Magnay
DP: G Brody Nunn, F Archie Woodhill
Needs: Import point guard, return of Milton Doyle, back-up center, injury-free Sean Macdonald

Remaining free agents

Players who were contracted during the 2024–25 season. Statistics are from last season.

Locals

• Jack White (F, Melbourne United) – 35 games, 13.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists
• Ben Henshall (F, Perth Wildcats) – 32 games, 9.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists
• Alex Toohey (F, Sydney Kings) – 30 games, 10.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists
• Thomas Vodanovich (F, S.E. Melbourne Phoenix) – 30 games, 2.7 points, 1.8 rebounds, .7 assists
• Keanu Pinder (F, Perth Wildcats) – 29 games, 15.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists
• Hyrum Harris (F, Perth Wildcats) – 28 games, 2.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists
• Grant Anticevich (F, New Zealand Breakers) – 26 games, 4.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, .7 assists
• Jonah Antonio (G, Cairns Taipans) – 26 games, 4.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, .8 assists
• Jonah Bolden (F, New Zealand Breakers) – 24 games, 6.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists
• Akoldah Gak (F, Cairns Taipans) – 21 games, 6.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, .9 assists
• Tai Webster (G, Perth Wildcats) – 20 games, 7.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists
• Taran Armstrong (G, Cairns Taipans) – 19 games, 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists
• Rocco Zikarsky (C, Brisbane Bullets) – 18 games, 4.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, .3 assists
• Mojave King (G, New Zealand Breakers) – 17 games, 8.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists
• Dillon Stith (F, Cairns Taipans) – 14 games, 1.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, .1 assists
• Emmett Naar (G, Brisbane Bullets) – 14 games, 1.1 points, .6 rebounds, 1.1 assists
• Jackson Makoi (G, Cairns Taipans) – 11 games, 4.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists
• Tom Koppens (F, Melbourne United) – 11 games, .7 points, 1.2 rebounds, .2 assists
• Deng Adel (F, Brisbane Bullets) – 10 games, 4.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, .8 assists
• Nicholas Stoddart (F, Tasmania JackJumpers) – 10 games, 4.3 points, 1.2 rebounds, .9 assists
• Lachlan Barker (G, Tasmania JackJumpers) – 10 games, 2.0 points, .3 rebounds, .2 assists
• Jacob Rigoni (F, Adelaide 36ers) – 10 games, 1.6 points, 1.0 rebounds, .1 assists
• Luke Rosendale (G, S.E. Melbourne Phoenix) – 10 games, 1.2 points, .3 rebounds, .2 assists
• Jarred Bairstow (F, Brisbane Bullets) – 8 games, 2.3 points, 1.6 rebounds, .1 assists
• Campbell Blogg (G, Melbourne United) – 8 games, 2.1 points, .8 rebounds, .1 assists
• Joel Foxwell (G, Melbourne United) – 8 games, 1.1 points, .3 rebounds, .8 assists
• Walter Brown (F, Tasmania JackJumpers) – 8 games, .8 points, .5 rebounds, .1 assists
• Zac Triplett (F, Illawarra Hawks) – 8 games, .6 points, .4 rebounds, .3 assists
• Josh Kunen (F, Brisbane Bullets) – 7 games, 1.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, .7 assists
• Majok Majok (C, S.E. Melbourne Phoenix) – 5 games, .8 points, .6 rebounds, .0 assists
• Kuany Kuany (F, Illawarra Hawks) – 5 games, .8 points, .0 rebounds, .0 assists
• Callum Dalton (F, Brisbane Bullets) – 4 games, 3.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, .0 assists
• Tad Dufelmeier (G, Cairns Taipans) – 4 games, 2.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists
• Tai Wynyard (F, New Zealand Breakers) – 4 games, 1.0 points, .5 rebounds, .0 assists
• Alex Starling (F, Adelaide 36ers) – 4 games, .5 points, 2.3 rebounds, .3 assists
• Patrick D’Arcy (G, Adelaide 36ers) – 3 games, .0 points, .0 rebounds, .3 assists
• Luke Fennell (G, S.E. Melbourne Phoenix) – 2 games, .0 points, .0 rebounds, .0 assists
• Brad Ballinger (G, Illawarra Hawks) – 1 game, .0 points, 1.0 rebounds, .0 assists
• Fiston Ipassou (F, Adelaide 36ers) – 0 games, .0 points, .0 rebounds, .0 assists
• Tom Kubank (F, Adelaide 36ers) – 0 games, .0 points, .0 rebounds, .0 assists
• Henry Lau (F, Sydney Kings) – 0 games, .0 points, .0 rebounds, .0 assists
• Ngor Nai (C, Adelaide 36ers) – 0 games, .0 points, .0 rebounds, .0 assists

Imports

• Ian Clark (G, Melbourne United) – 36 games, 14.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists
• Matt Hurt (F, S.E. Melbourne Phoenix) – 34 games, 19.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists
• Marcus Lee (C, Melbourne United) – 34 games, 6.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, .9 assists
• Joe Wieskamp (G, S.E. Melbourne Phoenix) – 33 games, 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, .7 assists
• Darius Days (F, Illawarra Hawks) – 33 games, 10.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, .6 assists
• Trey Kell III (G, Illawarra Hawks) – 32 games, 17.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists
• Cameron Oliver (F, Sydney Kings) – 30 games, 12.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists
• Matthew Mooney (G, New Zealand Breakers) – 29 games, 16.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists
• Milton Doyle (G, Tasmania JackJumpers) – 29 games, 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists
• Montrezl Harrell (F, Adelaide 36ers) – 28 games, 20.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists
• Keandre Cook (G, Brisbane Bullets) – 28 games, 16.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists
• Jordon Crawford (G, Tasmania JackJumpers) – 28 games, 16.0 points, 1.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists
• Jaylen Adams (G, Sydney Kings) – 27 games, 18.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists
• Rob Edwards (G, Cairns Taipans) – 26 games, 19.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists
• Pedro Bradshaw (F, Cairns Taipans) – 24 games, 10.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists
• Tanner Groves (F, Cairns Taipans) – 22 games, 13.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists
• Jarell Martin (F, Adelaide 36ers) – 22 games, 8.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, .5 assists
• Parker Jackson-Cartwright (G, New Zealand Breakers) – 21 games, 18.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists
• Derrick Walton Jr. (G, S.E. Melbourne Phoenix) – 18 games, 11.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists
• Craig Sword (G, Tasmania JackJumpers) – 15 games, 6.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, .9 assists
• Todd Withers (F, Perth Wildcats) – 14 games, 5.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, .4 assists
• Ian Hummer (F, Tasmania JackJumpers) – 12 games, 4.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, .4 assists
• Josh Adams (G, Brisbane Bullets) – 9 games, 10.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists
• Freddie Gillespie (F, New Zealand Breakers) – 9 games, 6.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, .6 assists
• Deshon Taylor (G, Cairns Taipans) – 3 games, 3.0 points, 1.3 rebounds, .3 assists