Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. signs with his hometown Perth Wildcats on a contract that makes him the highest-paid Australian player in NBL history. It is both a highly awaited transaction for the Wildcats in their post-Bryce Cotton era and also a major return for one of Australia’s most talented centres who has flirted with overseas tenures throughout his career.

The Wildcats needed to make a signing which bore weight and they ultimately complete one of the most prominent additions that they could have made amongst local options. The team had two major gaps in their roster remaining: point guard and centre. Both are positions that have been left vacant by the departures of Cotton and Keanu Pinder. With such a priority to bring in an import guard, it was essential that their centre was local as their other two import slots are already taken by forwards Dylan Windler and Kristian Doolittle. The Wildcats had attempted to lure Yanni Wetzell back to NBL after three years in Germany but were unsuccessful when he instead joined a team in Japan. It then became paramount that the Wildcats sign Lual-Acuil Jr.; perhaps they could afford to pay whatever he demanded as they simply could not afford to lose him.

The Wildcats are in a fascinating predicament after experiencing the essentially unprecedented loss of Cotton. The team’s management needed to prove that they still had the ambition to provide a competitive roster and any move which happened as a result – regardless of how stunning it could be – was all part of the game plan. Even though Cotton departed. Even though Cotton was absolutely playing overseas. Even though Cotton said he would never play for another NBL team. Even though Cotton signed with the Adelaide 36ers. It now becomes equally important that the Wildcats perfect their final piece: their Cotton replacement at point guard who will be an NBA-experienced player per all suggestions and could have the largest shoes to ever fill in league history.

For Lual-Acuil Jr., the signing is greater than his basketball prospects. He was raised in Perth after moving there from a Ugandan refugee camp as a child fleeing war in what is now South Sudan. Lual-Acuil Jr. now has two children himself with his wife and made it clear in his Wildcats introductory press conference that the stability of living in Perth was a great benefit – especially when considering that he also shared his plans of retiring there.

Lual-Acuil Jr. has had a basketball career that has taken him across the world. After a collegiate career in the United States with Neosho County CC and Baylor, he began playing professionally in Israel. Lual-Acuil Jr. returned to Australia in 2019 where he signed with Melbourne United. He was selected as the league’s Best Sixth Man in 2021 when he was Jock Landale’s reserve as United won the NBL championship. Upon Landale’s departure to the NBA, Lual-Acuil Jr. capitalised as the team’s starting centre during the 2021–22 season and was named to the All-NBL First Team with team-high averages of 16.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. His newfound prominence saw him leave Australia to play in China and then Lebanon during the 2022–23 season. Lual-Acuil Jr. rejoined United in 2023 and was selected to the All-NBL Second Team in 2024 after averaging 15.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. He then had a turbulent year to follow; he played in Libya, China, Türkiye and Egypt in addition to an NBL1 stint. The next two years of his career are now relatively organised with his two-year contract with the Wildcats.

Lual-Acuil Jr. was the only Australian centre included on the All-NBL teams when he was nominated in 2022 and 2024; Pinder during his last year with the Cairns Taipans and Sam Froling of the Illawarra Hawks are the only other two centres to be nominated since 2022. He is one of the premier centres and it is a major accomplishment to bring him back to the NBL. Lual-Acuil Jr. is a class person in addition to his basketball talents; he phoned United head coach Dean Vickerman prior to signing with the Wildcats to inform him of his intentions. Lual-Acuil Jr. should have the ability to thrive in his new environment and his price tag showcases that management believe him to be someone who has the potential to be the focal point of a team as opposed to his stints with United where it is very much systematised.

The point guard that will lead Lual-Acuil Jr. to his full capabilities is still yet to be decided. Whoever it is will be responsible for both leading a talented squad and carrying an unbelievable set of expectations.