New NBL team Tasmania JackJumpers have received a welcome boost, signing rising Australian centre Will Magnay for their inaugural season.
Magnay, 23, debuted in the NBA with the New Orleans Pelicans earlier this year while playing for G-League side Erie Bay Hawks, before completing the NBL season with runners up Perth Wildcats. I have been a huge fan of Will since his days in Brisbane and firmly believe he has the potential to be one of Australia s best big men, said JackJumpers coach Scott Roth. Will had a taste of the NBA earlier this year and I want to help him get back there.
Duop Reath, the big-man who was just named to the Australian Boomers Olympic team, has agreed to a deal with the Illawarra Hawks for the 2021-22 NBL season, sources told ESPN.
The 25-year-old will join a Hawks team coached by Brian Goorjian, who s also at the helm of the Boomers going into the Tokyo Olympics.
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The Hawks are also privately confident that Tyler Harvey will return for another season in Illawarra, sources said, after the import guard finished as a finalist for the 2021 NBL MVP trophy.
Reath was one of a host of local big-men to make NBL Free Agency decisions on Sunday.
Sydney v Melbourne: NBL Semi Finals - Game 3
Sport by Matt Logue 18th Jun 2021 9:38 AM | Updated: 10:01 AM
Melbourne United coach Dean Vickerman has set the scene for Fridayâs grand final opener against Perth by cheekily declaring the series is fair game because âWeâve got one import eachâ.
United have landed in the west for the opening two games of the five-match series having been on the road for more than three weeks.
Vickermanâs tongue-in-cheek dig comes as the Wildcats will play without star guard Bryce Cotton, who was ruled out for the season after suffering a haematoma to his left quadriceps.
NBL ladder leaders Melbourne United stormed home in the fourth quarter to defeat Adelaide 36ers 92-78 and equal a franchise record with their ninth win in a row.
The Sixers came into Saturday s contest at John Cain Arena needing a victory in Daniel Johnson s 300th club appearance to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Mitch McCarron drives to the basket in United s win over the Sixers.
Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images
Adelaide were in the hunt to claim their fourth win in five games when they drew level early in the fourth quarter but Melbourne stunned the visitors with a 14-0 run to take control and record their 19th victory of the season.