‘Such a special group’: Bullets star lifts lid on NBL1 success ahead of NBL pre-season Blitz
On the back of an NBL1 North title and National grand final appearance with the Mackay Meteors, Brisbane Bullets guard Isaac White is looking to bring a new level of confidence to the NBL25 stage. Full story and 20+ off-season stars from across the country inside:
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On the back of an NBL1 North title and National grand final appearance with the Mackay Meteors, Brisbane Bullets guard Isaac White is looking to bring a new level of confidence to the NBL25 stage.
The 26-year-old Adelaide product is entering his second season of a two-year contract with the Bullets and last year averaged 7 points, 2 rebounds and 1.5 assists.
“Each year I get a little bit smarter, a little more experienced and my confidence grows,” White said.
“With this NBL1 championship and successful year behind me, I just want to carry that confidence through with me and build on what I started last year with Brisbane.
“All my focus is on getting better individually and making sure I can carve out a good role in the group.
“Hopefully I can be a big part of the team as we make a finals push.”
Mackay’s rise
The Mackay side let slip just two losses throughout the season and went on to place runners-up against the Knox Raiders in last week’s NBL1 National Finals series held on the Sunshine Coast.
“(It) was probably the best NBL1 experience I’ve had to date,” White said.
“We had such a special group where everyone was so welcoming of the additions we had to the team and everyone bought into their role.
“Everyone knew their place and embraced that.
“It allowed us to have such a successful year on an individual level but also get the NBL1 North title.”
White was unable to play during the weekend-long series due to Bullets’ pre-season commitments, instead he watched on from the sidelines as they narrowly went down 84-87 in the grand final.
“The boys did really well,” he said.
“Obviously it’s pretty upsetting to not come away with the win given we had a couple of guys out, but the boys still fought super hard and it was a good contest.”
With an all-Australian starting lineup of NBL talent, White said the level of experience within Mackay’s roster made a dramatic difference to how he performed through the season, averaging 24 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game in the regular season.
“My job was made a lot easier this year.
“We had a balanced lineup ... guys who could create so I had a lot less responsibility and that allowed me to be more efficient with my touches.”
And despite the glowing resume of numbers, White admitted stats are something he keeps out of sight and out of mind.
“When I was younger, that’s something that would play on my mind a bit ... statistics would lead confidence and that’s a pretty dangerous game,” he said.
“I try to let my game do the talking and I’ll have a look at the end of the year out of curiosity.
“I’ve been a professional for going on five years now and investing in the numbers isn’t the way to go for me.”
Next steps...
With one season under his belt and another on the horizon, White said the door is wide open for talks to remain in the sunshine state as a Bullet.
“When I signed with Brisbane initially I was looking for some stability and a place to call home, a place to just build and represent a club long-term,” White said.
“I just have to control what I can control and produce on the floor.
“If they want me back that’s a conversation we’ll have.”
He admitted there were no surprises when it came to contracts but has high hopes for the future.
“In the NBL you see a lot of short contracts, one or two years sometimes three.
“I know Adelaide will always be my first home but I’m not tied down to any one place, I’ve just sort of gone to wherever has the best basketball for me and right now that’s in Brisbane.
“I’ve settled in nicely, I’ve got a great network here of coaches and teammates ... that definitely helps make the place feel like home.”
Beyond this NBL season, White has sights set on two major goals: the NBA, and an Olympic gig.
“It’s in the back of my mind, a motivator for me but I’ve got a handle the here and now for the time being.”
Full: Off-season stars
With just three weeks until first tip off of the 2024 NBL Blitz on the Gold Coast, we reveal who on each roster had stand-out off seasons and are ready to make a statement on court.
From all corners of NBL1 and the NBA’s Summer League, to Sal’s nzNBL and Paris’s Olympic stage - here’s who to keep your eyes on this pre season Blitz.
MORE: NBL Blitz returns to the Gold Coast
MORE: Gold Coast hunts NBL expansion
NBL1 North:
Isaac White (Brisbane Bullets), Todd Blanchfield and Luca Yates (Illawarra Hawks) shared NBL1 North premiership honours with the Mackay Meteors, defeating the Brisbane Capitals 2-0 in the grand finals series in August. White faced Brisbane Bullets teammate Sam McDaniel, recording a total 52 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists across the two games. Blanchfield topped the Mackay season leaderboard for both rebounds (9.53rpg) and blocks (1.06bpg), only trailing White in points (24 vs 20.65ppg).
Kody Stattmann (Cairns Taipans)
The 24-year-old hailing from Cairns will enter his third NBL season and first at home having played the 2022-23 season with Brisbane and 2023-24 season for South East Melbourne Phoenix. Strattmann started for the Cairns Marlins in NBL1 North, averaging 27.47 points per game at 46.25% and 6 rebounds.
In his second season with the Darwin Salties and sixth in NBL1, Tasmania JackJumpers’ guard Sean Macdonald notched an average points, assists and rebounds tally of 16.29, 6.21 and 5.36 per game. Macdonald recorded career-highs in assists, field goal percentage (47.49%) and free throw percentage (81.48).
NBL1 South:
Angus Glover and Owen Foxwell (South East Melbourne Phoenix) claimed the NBL1 South title with the Eltham Wildcats (79-70) against fellow SEM player Luke Rosendale and the Ballarat Miners. It was an unexpected end to the season, Wildcats having finished 5th on the ladder before kicking into gear when it mattered most. Glover notched 30 points and 3 rebounds, Foxwell with 26 points and topping the assists (6) and steals (3).
In his maiden season of NBL1 South, Kyle Bowen (Melbourne United) helped push the Knox Raiders to a championship title and through to the NBL1 National finals, averaging 12.35 points and 10.15 rebounds per game. He reached a season high 15 rebounds twice and shot at 100% from behind the arc on three occasions.
Tanner Krebs (Melbourne United) played for the Sandringham Sabres in NBL1 South and was picked as an All-Star Five Team member. Krebs was also an MVP candidate, having averaged 20.9 points and 9.2 rebounds across the season. He is quick-rising young talent to watch.
NBL1 East:
William ‘Davo’ Hickey (Illawarra Hawks) was named Defensive Player of the Year, playing for Albury-Wodonga Bandits who finished fifth in the regular season. Hickey topped the leaderboard for seven of eight possible stats including points (22.09), assists (7.91), rebounds (10.41), blocks (1.73), free throws made (4.73) and steals (2.5) per game.
NBL1 Central:
Alex Starling (Adelaide 36ers) won the NBL1 Central conference MVP title with the South Adelaide Panthers and walked away with the Best Defensive Player Award. He averaged 23.2 points and 11.9 rebounds in what can only be considered as a breakout NBL1 season. 2024 will be Starling’s second year with the 36ers having played 25 games throughout NBL24.
Alex Higgins-Titsha (Cairns Taipans) recorded career-high stats in NBL1 Central for the Inner West Bulls, averaging 19.62 points per game compared to 16.74 in 2023 and 11.45 in 2022. The 24-year-old forward also topped his career shooting percentage at 59.93% over 21 games.
Akoldah Gak (Cairns Taipans) played with the West Adelaide Bearcats where he won the Frank Angove medal at the Central Awards Night, as well as being named best U23 player – similar to Youth Player of the Year. Gak averaged 19.3 points, 9.3 rebounds per game.
NBL1 West:
Averaging 27 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists for the Warwick Senators, Perth Wildcats’ Michael Harris was named in the NBL1 West All-NBL1 First Team. The 24-year-old’s climb up the ranks has been slow and steady since his maiden season under with the 36ers in NBL20 where he took the court twice as a development player. NBL25 will be Harris’s third season with the Wildcats.
nzNBL
Lachlan Olbrich (Illawarra Hawks)
The South Australian product has now won back-to-back finals MVP awards in two separate league’s (NBL1 Central’s Bearcats, 2023 and nzNBL’s Canterbury Rams, 2024). Topping the resume this season, Olbrich walked away as the league’s MVP, Youth Player of the Year and Most Outstanding Forward as well as being named in the All-Star Five team. He averaged 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.
Ben Ayre (South East Melbourne Phoenix)
Notching up an average 18.9 points, 6,2 assists, 34.9 minutes per game for the Wellington Saints, Ayre also received the the Fan Voted Most Valuable Player award. He helped push Saints to a home semi final where they went down to the Franklin Bulls.
NBA Summer League
Joe Wieskamp (South East Melbourne Phoenix)
Pick number 41 overall in the 2021 draft, Wieskamp will join the Phoenix as an import in NBL24 alongside former Sydney Kings championship player Derrick Walton Jr. The 6’6 G/F played for the Minnesota Timberwolves where in his final game scored 13 points and 2 rebounds.
Josh Bannan (Brisbane Bullets)
Following his first season with Bullets in NBL24, Bannan donned the Los Angeles Clippers jersey this Summer League season and consistently found his way onto the stats sheet, averaging 3.6 points and 4.4 rebounds.
Other
Karim Lopez (New Zealand Breakers) has joined the Breakers as part of the Next Stars program. At just 17, he’s a projected first-round pick in the 2026 NBA draft and was recently named in the All-Tournament Team at the 2024 Adidas Next Generation Tournament in Paris - a major youth club competition comprising of some of the world’s best rising talent. There, he put up an average 18 points and 11 rebounds per game while connecting on 41 percent of his three-point attempts.
Will Magnay (Tasmania JackJumpers)represented Australia at the Olympics for the first time in Paris after a successful NBL24 campaign with the JJ’s title win. In his three court appearances, Magnay scored a combined 7 points and 11 rebounds for the Boomers.
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Originally published as ‘Such a special group’: Bullets star lifts lid on NBL1 success ahead of NBL pre-season Blitz
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