That was an exciting week and a busy week with NBL even though only two players were signed. The New Zealand Breakers return their star import point guard on a two-year contract while the Tasmania JackJumpers complete their roster with their second import.

Elsewhere and perhaps most excitedly, the NBA draft occurred and saw all three Australian NBL entrants get selected. Rocco Zikarsky was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves with pick 45, Alex Toohey was traded to the Golden State Warriors with pick 52 and Lachlan Olbrich was traded to the Chicago Bulls with pick 55. What an incredible result for homegrown talent to get selected and it is a testament to how highly regarded Australian basketball has become on a global stage. Zikarsky only averaged around 9 minutes a game during his two seasons with the Brisbane Bullets but a 7’3″ 18-year-old that still managed to average 4 points and 3 rebounds will always be difficult to ignore. Toohey also had two seasons as a professional where he earned an important role with the Sydney Kings and saw his averages rise to 10.6 points and 4 rebounds this last season. Olbrich was not on any draft boards when he left UC Riverside as a freshman with averages of 11.4 points and 6.4 rebounds as a starter in 2022–23 but he developed to become a vital component of the champion Illawarra Hawks this season with 8.7 points and 3.8 rebounds in a reserve role. Fellow Australian Tyrese Proctor also went to the Cleveland Cavaliers at pick 49 after a collegiate career at Duke. Four Australians drafted was a record total. It was ultimately a tough night for the only non-Australian player with NBL experience; former Perth Wildcats player and Spanish national team member Izan Almansa went undrafted.

In addition, Trey Kell III announced that he would not be returning to the Illawarra Hawks after helping to lead them to the 2025 championship. It marks an end to his three consecutive seasons in the NBL after he debuted with the South East Melbourne Phoenix in 2022–23, moved to the Adelaide 36ers in 2023–24 and then joined the Illawarra Hawks in 2024–25. It was during his 36ers stint that he first revealed all that he could do and the Hawks wisely signed him as the complimentary piece that ultimately led them to a title. It is a poetically fitting end though: #3 Trey the III leaves after 3 seasons.

The Brisbane Bullets also lose their development player Kye Savage who terminated his contract with two seasons remaining. He appeared in eight games and averaged 1.3 points.

1. Bryce Hamilton to Tasmania JackJumpers
2. Parker Jackson-Cartwright returns to New Zealand Breakers
3. Team overviews
4. Remaining free agents
   1. Locals
   2. Imports

Bryce Hamilton to Tasmania JackJumpers

Position: Guard
From: Rostock Seawolves (Germany – Basketball Bundesliga)
2024–25 statistics: 17.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, .1 blocks, .9 steals, 41.4% field goal, 35.5% three-point, 71.3% free throw

The Tasmania JackJumpers complete their roster with the signing of their second import, Bryce Hamilton. Three years into his professional career, Hamilton spent his first season overseas during 2024–25 with the Rostock Seawolves of Germany where he demonstrated his strong scoring ability. The JackJumpers needed some further offensive options and Hamilton will bring this in abundance. Any evidence? His final game with the Seawolves in the playoffs play-in game saw him post 45 points on a 58.6 field goal percentage. The team’s decision to bring in a second shooting guard implies that Sean Macdonald will be trusted with the floor general role alongside contributions from David Johnson. I had wanted them to either get another import point guard (last season Jordon Crawford and Macdonald were a dual point guard pairing alongside their playmaking shooting guard Milton Doyle) or a back-up center for Will Magnay (who has missed significant time due to injuries for now his entire JackJumpers tenure). They do have another import slot available at the cost of one of their locals so it will be interesting to see how their new line-up configuration works.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright returns to New Zealand Breakers

Position: Guard
2024–25 statistics: 18.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists, .1 blocks, 1.6 steals, 48.7% field goal, 32.9% three-point, 80.8% free throw

It was a disappointing end for the New Zealand Breakers during the 2024–25 season after a 7–3 start… as they then went 3–16. It can be considered a season of adjustment as they were under the guidance of first-time head coach Petteri Kopponen and had seen a major change in their line-up from the 2023–24 season. One player who has now seen a Breakers season of the highs and a Breakers season of the lows is returned for a Breakers season of hope: Parker Jackson-Cartwright is brought back for what will be his third and fourth seasons. It is always a great accomplishment when a talented import is retained for multiple seasons and this was a brilliant retention for the Breakers to make. Jackson-Cartwright made the All-NBL First Team during his first season in 2023–24 and likely had similar aspirations until his year of turbulence in 2024–25 – first seeing a five-game suspension and then missing the end of the season due to injury in addition to the difficulties of the team’s losses. Still, Jackson-Cartwright sees a future with the Breakers – who he once so proudly proclaimed as “Breakers family!” – and it is hugely beneficial to be bringing him back. Here is hoping the Breakers nail the rest of their roster for greater competitiveness this season.

Team overviews

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

Adelaide 36ers
G: Flynn Cameron, Bryce Cotton (I), Michael Harris, Matt Kenyon, Keanu Rasmussen, Dejan Vasiljevic, Isaac White
F: Zylan Cheatham (I), Montrezl Harrell (I)
C: Ben Griscti, Isaac Humphries
Needs: General stability

Brisbane Bullets
G: Sam McDaniel, Taine Murray, Mitch Norton
F: Jacob Holt, Casey Prather (I), Tohi Smith-Milner
C: Tyrell Harrison
DP: G Tristan Devers
Needs: Import guard, import 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, 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 (NS), Milton Doyle (I), Chris Goulding, Shea Ili, Tanner Krebs, Tom Wilson
F: Kyle Bowen, Finn Delany, Fabijan Krslovic
DP: G Campbell Blogg, F Tom Koppens
Needs: Import center, local center

New Zealand Breakers
G: Taylor Britt, Parker Jackson-Cartwright (I), 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 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, Omari Moore (I), Nathan Sobey
F: Akech Aliir, Malique Lewis (NS), DJ Mitchell
C: Gorjok Gak, Jordan Hunter
DP: G Daniel Foster
Needs: 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
Needs: A return to 48-minute games so the quality of players receive enough minutes, emergence of Spurgin

Tasmania JackJumpers
G: Ben Ayre, Bryce Hamilton (I), David Johnson (I), Nicholas Stoddart, Sean Macdonald
F: Josh Bannan, Majok Deng, Anthony Drmic, Nick Marshall, Kobe Williamson
C: Will Magnay
DP: G Brody Nunn, F Archie Woodhill
Needs: 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
• Lachlan Olbrich (F, Illawarra Hawks) – 29 games, 8.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.6 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
• Deng Adel (F, Brisbane Bullets) – 10 games, 4.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, .8 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
• Kye Savage (G, Brisbane Bullets) – 8 games, 1.3 points, .0 rebounds, .3 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
• Klairus Amir (F, Sydney Kings) – 0 games, .0 points, .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
• 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
• Derrick Walton Jr. (G, S.E. Melbourne Phoenix) – 18 games, 11.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists
• James Batemon (G, Brisbane Bullets) – 16 games, 15.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.8 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