NBL 2024: Tasmania JackJumpers season preview and more

Here’s everything you need to know about the Tasmania JackJumpers, including the import tipped to be right in the NBL MVP discussions. Check out the full preview.

The remarkable story that is the Tasmania JackJumpers will add another chapter in NBL24 – and the club is confident it can continue its fairytale run of success.

The JackJumpers may be entering the club’s third season, but they’ve already achieved so much. A grand final berth in year one and a playoff position in year two.

So, what does year three have to offer?

Club: Tasmania JackJumpers

Last season: 4th, 15-13 record

Coach: Scott Roth, 66 games (37-29)

Full roster: Anthony Drmic, Clint Steindl, Fabijan Krslovic, Jack McVeigh, Jacob Richards, Jarred Bairstow, Jordon Crawford, Junior Madut, Lachlan Barker, Majok Deng, Majok Majok, Marcus Lee, Milton Doyle, Sean Macdonald, Walter Brown, Will Magnay

Bench spark

Fabijan Krslovic: Averaged 5.2ppg off the bench last season and will play some key minutes when Doyle needs a rest.

Sean Macdonald: Still plenty of room for improvement at 23. Will help provide key playmaking minutes when Crawford is off the court.

Will Magnay: Another pre-season which has been hampered by injury. Could force his way into the starting five if he’s at his best.

Coach’s corner

JackJumpers assistant coach Jack Fleming said the club was happy with the roster they had built.

“We’ve managed to bring in quality players and quality human beings,” he said.

“We think we’ve got a really good balance with the guys that we’ve brought in and those who we’ve managed to retain. For us, our team is always going to be about a defensive first mindset, that doesn’t change with our new guys either.

“Jordan is a little different at guard with his dynamic skills, speed and scoring ability. Marcus is going to be a lob threat and strong interior presence on both ends.

“We’ve had great imports before but it does look a little different.

“In terms of fitting in with the culture, we still went after guys who were going to fit into our hard working environment.”

Scott Roth will lead the JackJumpers for a third season. (Photo by Russell Freeman/Getty Images for NBL)

What’s changed since last year?

The JackJumpers roster looks very different to last year. Exciting point guard Jordon Crawford and ex-Melbourne United big man Marcus Lee join Milton Doyle as the imports replacing Josh Magette and Rashard Kelly. The inclusion of Crawford points to what appears a greater focus on offence after the JackJumpers had one of the league’s worst offences last season.

Scott Roth’s team often grinded their ways to victories but in pre-season they’ve already appeared to have a more free flowing offence. The pre-season has been an opportunity to reset the roster and one of the biggest questions surrounds just how well this team is able to gel early in the season.

If the new imports aren’t able to help find a new offensive punch, it could spell trouble in some games.

In the hot seat: Will Magnay

It’s time for us to see the best of Will Magnay again. After returning from his time with New Orleans in the NBA, Magnay has been hampered by injury and he’ll face a delayed start to the season. When he does get up and running, JackJumpers will be hoping to see more like the Magnay who earned a trip to the US.

Now in this third season with the boys from the Apple Isle, it’s time to get more out of the big man. He averaged 16.9 minutes across 22 games last season but just 5.9 points. With so much pressure on the guards, that number is going to need to rise if the JackJumpers are going to be around at the pointy end of the season.

Will Magnay will have a delayed start to the season. (Photo by Russell Freeman/Getty Images for NBL)

The Big Question

Just who are the new look Tasmania JackJumpers. In their first two NBL seasons, the Jackies have become known as a defensive minded team capable of strangling opposition teams into submission. But in the off-season, they hunted greater offensive weapons and appear to have landed those most notably with the arrival of Crawford.

With the departures of key defenders Matt Kenyon (SEM Phoenix) and Sam McDaniel (Brisbane Bullets), there’s a gap in the defensive system. That’s where Roth and his coaching staff will be hopeful the likes of Drmic and Lee can fill the void.

The JackJumpers are probably likely to be more entertaining to watch for the neutral in NBL24 but at what cost could it be?

Prediction

Mick Randall says: To doubt Scott Roth has been a fool’s errand and, while there’s something nagging me about the loss of their two best perimeter defenders in Matt Kenyon and Sam McDaniel, Marcus Lee’s foul troubles and Will Magnay’s injuries, the Jackies have been miserly, while looking more potent in the pre-season, so there’s no way I’m picking them to miss the playoffs. Will be a hard team to beat every night.

Matt Logue says: There is no NBL team tougher than the Tasmania JackJumpers, which is an impressive feat considering the franchise is only heading into its third season. American coach Scott Roth has instilled resilience and basketball smarts in his players. It’s a mentality that ensures the JackJumpers are competitive in every game they play. I’m expecting this to continue in NBL24. Top six or it’s a failure.

NBL Award contenders

MVP: Milton Doyle, Jordon Crawford

DPOY: Marcus Lee

6MOY: Sean Macdonald

You can never discount the JackJumpers. (Photo by Russell Freeman/Getty Images for NBL)

Odds

Title odds: $15 (via Betr)

The NBL’s newest franchise – and most fun story, having made a Grand Final and Final Four in their two years of existence – went 3-0 at NBL Blitz and once more looked primed to give the more established teams of the league a shake.

After adding Jordon Crawford and Anthony Drmic in the off-season the Jackies added more hard-nosed workers to a core of Clint Steindl, Milton Doyle and Jack McVeigh that went 16-12 last year.

The concern for Tasmania’s egalitarian offence is if it can continue to manufacture points in the clutch, but coach Scott Roth is a steady hand at the tiller and will have Tassie right in the mix.

Best bet: To Make Top 6 ($1.75)

—Jaymz Clements

SuperCoach

The long-limbed and athletic Marcus Lee ($288,700, C) could be either a savvy point of difference for SuperCoaches — or a foul-prone trap. The big man is ultra-productive at both ends of the floor, when he can stay on it. Fouled out five times last season and doesn’t appear to have adjusted, disqualified twice in three Blitz games. Milton Doyle ($344,600, G) should be the JackJumpers go-to guy on the court and in SuperCoach again but tiny point guard Jordon Crawford ($277,000, G) could challenge him for that mantle, while saving you nearly $70k to spend elsewhere.

Key Stats You Need To Know

Milton Doyle had a usage rate of 27.6% last season, second in the league behind the new departed Barry Brown Jr.

Tasmania ranked 1st for steals per game (8.1) last season.

The JackJumpers grabbed 76.6% of defensive rebounds last season – 1st in the league

Originally published as NBL 2024: Tasmania JackJumpers season preview and more