NBL signing news: Melbourne United in talks with Sydney Kings championship winner Ian Clark

He’s a beloved figure in Sydney after helping break the Kings’ NBL title drought but could NBA champion Ian Clark be lured to “the dark side” by Melbourne United?

Melbourne United are in talks with NBA and NBL champion Ian Clark in a bid to add another potent weapon for NBL24.

Multiple sources told Code Sports United has scoured the globe to fill its sole import vacancy, with Clark among the key targets it identified.

The 32-year-old looms as another elite talent in United’s stunning off-season revamp and would give Dean Vickerman another marksman who can handle the ball.

Clark helped Sydney Kings to the NBL22 championship and appeared in 10 games for Adelaide 36ers last campaign as a mid-season arrival.

"If only you knew the power of the dark side."

A beloved figure in Sydney, Clark played a vital role in the Kings’ title run, averaging 13.9 points while shooting 47 per cent from the field as one of the NBL’s best sixth men.

If Clark does link with Melbourne, it will add more fuel to the burgeoning rivalry with his former club. One Kings connection joked: “It would be like Luke Skywalker joining the dark side”.

The Memphis native excelled in the Kings’ Game 3 grand final win over Tasmania, pouring in three triples down the stretch to finish with 22 points in the championship-clinching win, breaking a 17-year drought in the Harbour City.

Clark won an NBA championship at the Golden State Warriors in 2017 alongside the likes of Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson.

Originally published as NBL signing news: Melbourne United in talks with Sydney Kings championship winner Ian Clark