The Australians playing in the NBA this season
Shayne Hope |
A LOOK AT THE AUSTRALIANS PLAYING IN THE NBA THIS SEASON
* Dyson Daniels – Atlanta Hawks
The league’s Most Improved Player last season snatched 229 steals – the highest individual tally in 30 years – to earn himself the Aussie-themed nickname Great Barrier Thief. The 22-year-old will look to cement his status in the league before likely being joined on the big stage by younger brother Dash Daniels – an NBL Next Star with Melbourne United – next season.
* Dante Exum – Dallas Mavericks
Exum has averaged career-highs in points (8.0), assists (2.8), and rebounds (2.4) across his two seasons with the Mavericks, but has also been hampered by various injuries. In an ideal world, the 30-year-old guard stays healthy to play a big role in the Mavs’ title chances alongside No.1 draft pick Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, and justifies the team’s faith in keeping him on a one-year deal.
* Johnny Furphy – Indiana Pacers
This is Furphy’s time to shine. The human highlights reel has gone viral in the build-up to his second NBA campaign with a series over brutal dunks and appears poised for a breakout season, after struggling for regular court-time in his rookie year. The 20-year-old averaged 2.1 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.4 assists in 50 games last season and featured 11 times in the playoffs.
* Josh Green – Charlotte Hornets
Hornets forward Green underwent surgery in June to address instability in his left shoulder. The 24-year-old has been progressing in his rehab but there is still no firm timeline on his return to the court.
* Josh Giddey – Chicago Bulls
Giddey is poised to take his game to a whole new level after ending an extended stand-off with the Bulls in the off-season, signing a monster $US100 million, four-year contract. It puts the 23-year-old at the heart of the Bulls’ starting unit for the foreseeable future, after he averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists last season.
* Joe Ingles – Minnesota Timberwolves
The 38-year-old veteran hardly played last season and is again unlikely to see much court time this time around, but his presence in the Wolves’ locker room is invaluable. At peace with his role after signing a veteran minimum deal worth $5.4 million, Ingles will also serve as a sounding board for rookie Australian centre Rocco Zikarsky.
* Jock Landale – Memphis Grizzlies
Landale is set for more minutes as a back-up centre in his first season with the Grizzlies, having seen limited opportunities in his two seasons with Houston. The 29-year-old averaged 4.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 42 games for the Rockets.
* Lachlan Olbrich – Chicago Bulls
The 21-year-old centre enters his first season after being selected with the 55th pick in the 2025 NBA draft. An Adelaide native, Olbrich made his Australian Boomers debut in 2024 and helped the Illawarra Hawks win the NBL championship last season, averaging 8.4 points and 3.8 rebounds in 37 appearances.
* Tyrese Proctor – Cleveland Cavaliers
The 21-year-old guard is already turning heads in Cleveland after being selected with the 49th overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft out of Duke University. Born and raised in Sydney, Proctor played soccer, cricket and baseball growing up, but found his calling in basketball and has showed maturity beyond his years since joining the Cavs, after putting together a strong Summer League campaign. Signed a four-year, $13.2 million deal and will get minutes as a back-up point-guard.
* Duop Reath – Portland Trail Blazers
Reath enters his third NBA campaign hoping for more minutes after averaging 4.2 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.6 assists in 46 limited appearances last season.
* Matisse Thybulle – Portland Trail Blazers
The 28-year-old showed glimpses of his potential late last season on return from injury – averaging 7.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 15 appearances – and re-signed with the Blazers in the off-season. He has been hampered by a knee injury in pre-season but should be fit to start the regular season.
* Luke Travers – Cleveland Cavaliers
Travers averaged close to a triple-double in 16 G League games last season – 15.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 7.4 assists – and re-signed with the Cavs on a two-way deal. It’s now time for the versatile 24-year-old forward to step up and show he fits at the top level.
* Alex Toohey – Golden State Warriors
The 21-year-old former NBL Next Star was the 52nd overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft by Phoenix, who traded his rights to the Warriors in the league’s first-ever seven-team trade in July. Toohey, who claimed the NBL Next Generation Award after a stellar 2024/25 season with the Sydney Kings, has signed a two-way deal with Golden State and is expected to feature for the G League’s Santa Cruz Warriors.
* Rocco Zikarsky – Minnesota Timberwolves
The 221cm giant is finding his feet at this level as he prepares for his first NBA season. He will likely split his time between the Timberwolves and their G-League affiliate Iowa Wolves, after signing a two-way deal. The former Brisbane Bullets centre was the 45th overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft by Chicago, who immediately traded his rights to Minnesota.
KEEP AN EYE ON:
* Taran Armstrong – Golden State Warriors
A surprise move overseas to sign with Dubai Basketball could keep the 196cm point-guard’s NBA dream alive, with the Warriors retaining Armstrong’s rights on a two-way deal. The 23-year-old was the first Tasmanian to sign in the NBA in February and made his G-League debut for the Santa Cruz Warriors in March.
* Patty Mills – unsigned
The 36-year-old Boomers leader and five-time Olympian last featured with the Los Angeles Clippers but his playing future is in limbo. Mills has accepted a role as the University of Hawaii men’s basketball general manager and has joined the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Advisory Board.
* Ben Simmons – unsigned
Injury-plagued Simmons reportedly received and rejected a one-year minimum contract offer from the New York Knicks and remains unsigned. NBL owner Larry Kestelman has urged Simmons to “reignite your passion” for basketball in the Australian league, though the prospect of the 29-year-old playing Down Under appears slim.
AAP
