The preseason is over! The regular season has begun! It brings to an end the action-packed offseason action where almost every team has improved in quality with some incredibly seismic transactions taking place. The Illawarra Hawks finished their roster as the last team in the league that needed to find someone; that was one day before the South East Melbourne Phoenix released Vrenz Bleijenbergh and therefore put themselves back in the hunt for another import. The Cairns Taipans were also forced to make a replacement after Ashton Hagans — who would have been an absolutely great player here — was released due to personal and family circumstances. Elsewhere across the league, teams filled their rosters with development players and nominated replacement players.

1. Jack Andrew to New Zealand Breakers
2. Andrew Andrews to Cairns Taipans
3. Jonah Antonio to Illawarra Hawks
4. Lachlan Barker to Cairns Taipans
5. Biwali Bayles to Illawarra Hawks
6. Austin Foxwell to South East Melbourne Phoenix
7. Hunter Goodrick to Sydney Kings
8. Pat Ryan to South East Melbourne Phoenix
9. Henry Sewell to Melbourne United
10. Team overviews
11. Remaining free agents
    1. Locals
    2. Imports

Jack Andrew to New Zealand Breakers

Position: Forward
From: Taranaki Airs (New Zealand – National Basketball League)
2025 statistics: 13.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 2.2 blocks, .5 steals, 63.3% field goal, 37.5% three-point, 61.8% free throw

The Breakers continue to add to their local contingent by bringing in Jack Andrew as a development player. He spent two seasons with the Perth Wildcats in the same role from 2022 to 2024. Andrew had a breakout season in the NZNBL for the Taranaki Airs this offseason when he averaged double-digit scoring numbers for the first time of his career. He is a strong rebounder and has defensive ability as well.

Andrew Andrews to Cairns Taipans

Position: Guard
From: Wolves Vilnius (Lithuania – Lithuania Basketball League)
2024–25 statistics: 13.0 points, 1.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, .0 blocks, .5 steals, 41.8% field goal, 41.7% three-point, 87.8% free throw

The Cairns Taipans lost their relatively unheralded signing of Ashton Hagans on the eve of the season and were left in the unenviable position of quickly needing a replacement import. The cause for the rush was evident as the Taipans had lost their primary playmaker who was to make all of the other acquired pieces on their roster excel. Instead of a like-for-like replacement (a dynamic and explosive young scoring playmaker), the Taipans opted for the tried-and-tested reliability of veteran Andrew Andrews. With a name simply so good you have to say it twice, Andrews joins the Cairns Cairnss after an extensive international career that has taken him across European leagues. Andrews is more of a shooting guard that can handle the ball as opposed to the playmaking point guard the team desperately needs so it will be interesting to see how much he can assimilate into that role. Andrews holds the honour of being the sole incoming import who I have seen in person before; he recorded 4 points, 1 assist and 4 turnovers for Panathinaikos against AS Monaco while I was in Athens on 21 October 2022 and wondered to myself, “who is this guy?”. Three years later and Taipans decide to find out.

Jonah Antonio to Illawarra Hawks

Position: Guard
From: Cairns Taipans
2024–25 statistics: 4.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, .8 assists, .2 blocks, .6 steals, 30.4% field goal, 30.5% three-point, 100.0% free throw

Antonio was one of the Australians who found himself handicapped by the limited number of roster spots available after his previous team, the Cairns Taipans, found Antonio² in their new signing Reyne Smith. Antonio received the first regular playing time of his professional career last season and shot threes. Many threes. As I highlighted in my previous post of remaining free agents, Antonio remarkably had a higher three-point percentage than field goal percentage (albeit both on low percentages and a 0.1% difference). As I highlighted in my post on the signing of his replacement, 3.7 of Antonio’s 4.3 field goal attempts per game were three-pointers. After not making it on a team through a regular contract, Antonio joins the Illawarra Hawks as a nominated replacement player. Whoever he replaces will be having three-pointers put up in their memory.

Lachlan Barker to Cairns Taipans

Position: Guard
From: Tasmania JackJumpers
2024–25 statistics: 2.0 points, .3 rebounds, .2 assists, .0 blocks, .2 steals, 38.1% field goal, 40.0% three-point

I was thinking to myself during the preseason how unfortunate it was that young Lachlan Barker was not getting a development player opportunity. Here was a young man putting up double-digit scoring numbers off the bench for the Cairns Taipans. I was surprised when he was not included as one of the young development players signed by the Taipans for this season. I then realised that Barker is 29-years-old. Fortunately, Barker’s age does not hold him back from being signed as a nominated replacement player and he joins the Taipans in that role for the season.

Biwali Bayles to Illawarra Hawks

Position: Guard
From: BBC Nyon (Switzerland – Swiss Basketball League)
2024–25 statistics: 19.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, .3 blocks, 2.3 steals, 44.0% field goal, 28.4% three-point, 76.9% free throw

The Illawarra Hawks had the luxury of being relatively well-resourced across all positions as they were on the hunt for the player to fill their final local roster spot. They find it in Swiss basketball legend, Biwali Bayles … I mean, Australian basketball player, Biwali Bayles, who spent last season playing in none other than Switzerland. Bayles began his NBL career in 2021 with the Sydney Kings where he won two championships. He joined the Hawks in 2023 but played sparingly during his one season with the team. Bayles went for fresh air in Switzerland last season where he showcased for the first time in his career what he is fully capable of doing. It spectacularly ended up earning him an invite to play for the New York Knicks at the 2025 NBA Summer League. With no great stress to fill a need on their roster, why would the Hawks not take a chance with the Swiss army knife who showcased that he can do it all last season?

Austin Foxwell to South East Melbourne Phoenix

Position: Guard
From: Dandenong Raiders (NBL1 South)
2025 statistics: 5.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, .5 assists, .0 blocks, .8 steals, 28.0% field goal, 100.0% free throw

The Foxwells are starting to become a prominent family in the NBL. It was eldest Owen who debuted for the South East Melbourne Phoenix in 2021, middle Joel played for Melbourne United during 2024–25 and now the youngest Austin joins his older brother on the Phoenix by signing as a development player. The two Foxwell brothers partnering on the Phoenix now means that there are four(!) sets of brothers on teams in the NBL; they are accompanied by the Frolings of the Hawks, the Manyangs of the 36ers and the McVeighs of the Taipans. The brothers roll deep. The Phoenix made an investment in Owen four years ago when he too joined the team as a development player and he is now their longest rostered player who will likely find himself in the starting line-up this season. Foxwell is only 18-years-old and has much to experience in his career.

Hunter Goodrick to Sydney Kings

Position: Forward
From: Norths Bears (NBL1 East)
2025 statistics: 17.2 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, .4 blocks, 1.5 steals, 49.0% field goal, 63.6% free throw

The Sydney Kings sign Hunter Goodrick as their nominated replacement player for his first NBL stint. He ended his four-season collegiate career at South Dakota and California Baptist in 2024 with career averages of 7.0 points and 6.5 rebounds. Goodrick played for the Norths Bears in 2025 and showed that he plays much bigger than his 6’7″ size with 11.5 rebounds yet also has some ball handling ability with 3.0 assists per game. Goodrick is a good pick for the Kings.

Pat Ryan to South East Melbourne Phoenix

Position: Guard
From: Keilor Thunder (NBL1 South)
2025 statistics: 7.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, .8 assists, .3 blocks, .6 steals, 40.3% field goal, 60.0% free throw

Pat Ryan joins the South East Melbourne Phoenix as a development player for his first NBL contract. He has spent time with the team during the offseason as a training player and receives an elevation; much in the same way that his Keilor Thunder teammate Daniel Foster was elevated from development player to the main roster. Ryan was praised in his Phoenix signing announcement for his defensive abilities. He spent four years in the United States with Menlo College at the NCAA Division II level.

Henry Sewell to Melbourne United

Position: Forward
From: Knox Raiders (NBL1 South)
2025 statistics: 7.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, .5 blocks, .2 steals, 56.5% field goal, 74.1% free throw

Melbourne United are running with two teenagers on their roster after signing Henry Sewell as a development player to accompany their Next Star Dash Daniels. The 17-year-old Sewell originally signed with United in June as a training player but has been elevated after what the team called a strong offseason. Dean Vickerman likened Sewell’s presence on the team to Joel Foxwell who used his time to prepare himself for collegiate basketball which implies that Sewell might only have a brief tenure in his current role.

Team overviews

G: Guard / F: Forward / C: Center / I: Import / NS: Next Star / IRP: Injury Replacement Player / NRP: Nominated Replacement Player / 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
NRP: F Blake Jones
DP: G Che Brogan, F Deng Manyang, F Magok Manyang
Needs: General stability

Brisbane Bullets
G: Jaylen Adams (I), Alex Ducas, Javon Freeman-Liberty (I), Sam McDaniel, Taine Murray, Mitch Norton
F: Jacob Holt, Casey Prather (I), Jack Purchase, Tohi Smith-Milner
C: Tyrell Harrison
NRP: F Callum Dalton, G Lamar Patterson (I)
DP: F Jensen Bradtke, G Tristan Devers

Cairns Taipans
G: Kyle Adnam, Andrew Andrews (I), Reyne Smith, Kody Stattman
F: Kyrin Galloway, Alex Higgins-Titsha, Mawot Mag, Jack McVeigh, Admiral Schofield (I), Sam Waardenburg
C: Marcus Lee (I)
NRP: G Lachlan Barker
DP: G Lloyd McVeigh, C Jed Richardson

Illawarra Hawks
G: Biwali Bayles, Tyler Harvey (I), William Hickey, JaQuori McLaughlin (I)
F: Todd Blanchfield, Jonah Bolden, Daniel Grida, Mason Peatling, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk
C: Sam Froling, JaVale McGee (I)
IRP: C Harry Froling
NRP: G Jonah Antonio
DP: G Jackson Ball, G Kobe McDowell-White, G Johny Narkle, G Luca Yates
Needs: Local anything

Melbourne United
G: Dash Daniels (NS), Milton Doyle (I), Chris Goulding, Shea Ili, Tanner Krebs, Tyson Walker (I), Tom Wilson
F: Kyle Bowen, Finn Delany, Fabijan Krslovic, Malith Machar
C: Jesse Edwards (I)
NRP: C Nicolas Tata
DP: G Campbell Blogg, F Tom Koppens, F Henry Sewell

New Zealand Breakers
G: Taylor Britt, Izaiah Brockington (I), Parker Jackson-Cartwright (I), Izayah Le’afa
F: Sean Bairstow, Rob Baker (I), Max Darling, Carlin Davison, Karim López (NS), Reuben Te Rangi
C: Robert Loe, Sam Mennenga
DP: F Jack Andrew, G Kaia Isaac, F Liam Judd, G Alex McNaught

Perth Wildcats
G: Sunday Dech, Mason Jones (I) Elijah Pepper, Dontae Russo-Nance
F: Kristian Doolittle (I), Ben Henshall, Noa Kouakou-Heugue (NS), Lat Mayen, David Okwera, Jesse Wagstaff, Dylan Windler (I)
C: Jo Lual-Acuil Jr.
DP: F Thomas Gerovich, F Cameron Huefner, G Jaron Rillie

South East Melbourne Phoenix
G: Daniel Foster, Owen Foxwell, Angus Glover, Hunter Maldonado (I), Nathan Sobey
F: Akech Aliir, Vrenz Bleijenbergh (I), John Brown III (I), Malique Lewis (NS), DJ Mitchell
C: Gorjok Gak, Jordan Hunter
DP: C Ellis Biggar, G Austin Foxwell, G Pat Ryan

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: Tim Soares (I)
NRP: F Hunter Goodrick
DP: G Lueth Awan, F Goc Malual, C Jason Spurgin
Needs: A return to 48-minute games so the quality of players receive enough minutes

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
IRP: Tyger Campbell (I)
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. Strikedthrough names mean that player has signed elsewhere for the 2025–26 season.

Locals

• Jack White (F, Melbourne United) – 35 games, 13.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.5 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
• 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
• Kaia Isaac (G, New Zealand Breakers – 8 games, 2.6 points, .5 rebounds, .8 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Tacko Fall (C, New Zealand Breakers) – 18 games, 11.4 points, 6.6 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