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Melbourne United has added its first import piece for the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 season with the signing of former NBA big-man Josh Oduro. The 206cm American spent last season with the New Orleans Pelicans on a two-way contract in the NBA, ultimately suiting up for three games, including one start.
The journey of Australian point guard Patty Mills has taken an exciting turn with his decision to join the French EuroLeague club LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne. This follows a spectacular stint in the Basketball Champions League and Spain’s Liga Endesa with La Laguna Tenerife. With the Canary Islands outfit, Mills resurfaced his FIBA Patty nickname alongside his elite scoring power by delivering a 36-point performance against powerhouse FC Barcelona. His lethal shooting across Europe quickly caught the attention of several clubs, ultimately sparking a competitive pursuit that is leading him to France.
Olgun Uluc: Luke Travers will play for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2026 NBA Summer League, sources told ESPN. The 6'8 Australian forward was the 56th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft; he spent the last two seasons on a two-way contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Olgun Uluc: Oscar Cluff will play for the Houston Rockets in the 2026 NBA Summer League, sources told ESPN. The Australian big-man started all 39 games as a senior at Purdue, averaging 10.6 ppg (68.3% FG), 7.5 rpg, and 1.8 apg.
Over the past few weeks, there has been plenty of chatter around three-time NBA All-Star Ben Simmons and his next stop on the hardwood. The 29-year-old, who has 422 NBA games to his name, hasn’t featured in a basketball game since the end of the 2024-25 season with the Los Angeles Clippers. The latest to weigh in on the future of the 2016 first overall Draft pick isAustralian basketball icon Andrew Gaze. "He's an interesting prospect. If he has the desire, then there's no doubt in my mind, it's still a guy in his late 20s that he could play at a high level,” Gaze told NBL Media. “He's an NBA All-Star, and provided his body is in the right shape and he's comfortable where he's at, he would dominate this competition. “[He’s] a 6’10 point guard, a guy that we can equate to Magic Johnson type skills. “I think this [League] would be a great platform for him to come back and continue his career in basketball. He's a superstar.”
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This comes after 2001 NBL champion Damon Lowery called on NBL teams to pick up the phone and reach out to the 2020 All-NBA Third Team selection. “To all your NBL GMs out there, I know you love basketball, but do you love it enough to reach out to Ben and see how he’s doing?” Lowery said on Instagram. “[Because] what if a healthy Ben Simmons showed up in NBL27? Can you imagine? It would be carnage. “Who going to guard him? Because he could guard everyone. “He would win MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same year.”
During a recent episode of All The Smoke podcast, 10-time All-Star and NBL Next Stars ambassador Carmelo Anthony and 2003 NBA champion Stephen Jackson weighed in on the issue and encouraged the older athletes to head to Australia and play in the NBL. “All you 25-year-olds that still want to go to college, I got a League for you in Australia right now, the NBL,” Anthony said. “You can go over there, you can play and you can get paid. Get out of college, there's no way a 25 or 26-year-old should be playing against an 18-year-old high school kid.”
“When I got fired, I really didn't think much about anything,” he said. “My wife and I, Ro and I, shoot, we went to Sydney, Australia, to see UFC 313. We went to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. We went to St. Barts — fantastic island, man, I can't wait to go back. “We actually came to New York City, too, and ran around New York for like four days. We went to this one club and we met these young dudes that work on Wall Street, and I was there with them till like five in the morning. They sent me some pictures and stuff. I'm surprised that they haven't sent them to you guys yet.
Melbourne United are the last team in the League looking for a head coach, and Hools is Hearing that a very prominent and well-respected NBA name is at the top of the list. Current Milwaukee Bucks assistant Dave Joerger has been interviewed by the club recently about potentially taking over after Dean Vickerman’s departure. The 52-year-old has previously been Head Coach of the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings, before being added to the Bucks staff two years ago.
That's the prevailing reason Joe Ingles - now 38 - has signed a two-year deal with Melbourne United, which the team officially announced on Tuesday, returning to Australia's National Basketball League 17 years after leaving the league in 2009 following a three-year stint with the South Dragons. "I knew, deep down, I had that itch to play," Ingles told ESPN. "We would play pick-up every game day, and I would be competing, I would play really well, I felt really good. I obviously just wasn't getting the minutes with the team we had in Minnesota."
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"I wouldn't have done this if I didn't believe that," Ingles said of being able to make a meaningful impact in the NBL. "I understand where I'm at in my career; I'm not 21 anymore. I'm very self-aware of where I'm at in my career. If I didn't truly believe that I could come in and make an impact and help this team win games, I wouldn't have done it. I'm not doing it for financial needs, I'm not doing it for the notoriety of coming back. I've played 20 years professionally, I've played 12 in the NBA, I've done five Olympics. I've done a lot of stuff I never thought I'd do in my career.
"Coming home to Melbourne feels incredibly special," Ingles said. "To return to where my professional career began almost 20 years ago is something I don't take for granted. "So much has happened since then, but Melbourne has always felt like home. "We're really excited to reconnect with the community here, and to be closer to family and friends again. After so many years overseas, that part means a lot to us."
Olgun Uluc: It’s official. Joe Ingles has signed a two-year deal with Melbourne United, the team says. “Coming home to Melbourne feels incredibly special,” Ingles said. “… I still love competing, I still love the game, and I believe I can genuinely help this group win.”
Joe Ingles -- a five-time Olympian and 12-year NBA veteran -- plans to join Melbourne United ahead of the 2026-27 NBL season, multiple sources told ESPN. Ingles is currently in the midst of an NBA playoffs campaign with the Minnesota Timberwolves; once his season is complete, there's an expectation that the 38-year-old will finalise a deal with United in Australia's NBL.