Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth on likely loss of star Jack McVeigh to NBA

Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth says the club is planning for life without Jack McVeigh following reports he is set to join the NBA.

Reports emerged on Tuesday that Tasmania JackJumpers star Jack McVeigh has signed a two-way deal NBA deal with Houston Rockets. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth has confirmed the NBL24 champions are already planning for life without star guard Jack McVeigh should he indeed be NBA bound.

Reports emerged on Tuesday morning that McVeigh had reportedly agreed, or been offered, a two-way deal with the Houston Rockets, meaning the 28 year-old would play for both the Rockets and their G-League affiliate club Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

McVeigh (left) and Scott Roth (right) celebrate the NBL Championship victory back in March. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

While Roth confirmed that nothing was official from the JackJumpers end on Tuesday, he said McVeigh had the full backing of the organisation should he join Houston.

“Nothing’s official yet until it’s obviously signed, but this has been going on for a little while,” Roth said.

“I had a conversation with some people before I left and it’s been going on. Jack’s a dream chaser and he has an opportunity to do that. We’ll support him all the way.

“If you told me six months ago that he’d be playing against LeBron James and wearing an Olympic uniform, I would probably have said probably not, (but) what a wonderful six months he’s had and he’s chasing this dream.

“It’s nothing but good news for us because again it’s going to attract players to come down here.

“I think the last three years my coaches have proven that if you want to get better, you want to improve your game, and you want to go somewhere, you might as well come down here to the JackJumpers.”

While Roth admitted the potential loss of McVeigh would “hurt” the franchise from an on-court perspective, he was confident that both their planning, ‘next-man up’ mentality and strong culture would ensure they remain an NBL25 contender.

“We’re down the road with some guys already (to potentially come in for McVeigh) and we’re always trying to at least be on top of things and if we have to bring someone in on more of a temporary basis just to fill out that last roster spot, we will,” he said.

“We’ll see what happens in the next few days when things get more official but we’re agile enough to move and I really feel good about the group we have.

“It’s going to be a great test for Majok Dang, who gets to come back and hopefully be healthy and ready to go coming off the Olympics, and ‘Fab’ (Fabijan Krslovic).

“And I think people are going to be really surprised with Craig Sword and what he can do.

Former G-League player Craig Sword will join Tasmania for NBL25 and is one player Scott Roth is excited to bring in this season. (Photo by China Wong/NBAE via Getty Images)

“So we’ll just be flexible and we’ll do what we do. We will grind away and we’ll play as hard as we can and that’s how it is.

“On a selfish end, it’s going to hurt us (from a playing standpoint) and we’ll have to obviously have some holes to fill but from an overall standpoint of the club and the NBL and the exposure around the world, wow.”

Roth returned to Hobart on Tuesday to begin preparations for the JackJumpers pre-season later this month with the former NBL Coach of the Year confirming last season’s championship victory was now in the rear view.

EARLIER

Just hours after taking the court against Team USA and LeBron James, Jack McVeigh’s 2024 continues to reach new heights.

This masthead confirmed on Tuesday morning the Tasmania JackJumpers star, and NBL24 Finals MVP, has signed a two-way deal with the Houston Rockets.

Australia's guard Jack McVeigh marks USA's forward #06 LeBron James during the Basketball Showcase friendly match between the United States and Australia at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on July 15, 2024. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP)

CODE Sports first reported on Monday that McVeigh was being talked about by NBA teams as a potential two-way contract candidate with reports first emerging on Tuesday morning he had signed a deal with the Rockets.

The two-way deal means McVeigh would split his time between the Rockets and their G-League affiliate club Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

He will join Boomers teammate Jock Landale at the NBA franchise.

NBA champion Andrew Bogut said McVeigh had earned a shot.

“It’s just amazing what the selection for the Boomers has done for him. This is a guy that I think his first season didn’t really play much. He spoke about that at length that he had to find himself and reinvent himself about how hard he worked,” he said on NBL Media’s Gold Standard podcast.

“The national team has put him on the map a little bit … I’m sure Houston were probably following his journey in that NBL season and had an eye him.

“He made the national team over Matisse (Thybulle) and a few other guys and they’ve probably said ‘let’s give him a crack for a two-way’.

“It’s great for the league, it’s great for Tasmania, it’s great for Jack.”

The news of McVeigh’s NBA deal caps off what’s been a stellar 12-months for the 28 year-old.

A first All-NBL finals appearance came following a blistering NBL24 season where he averaged 17.3 points, 1.7 assists and 5.9 rebounds.

But it was his performances during the NBL24 Grand Final Series against Melbourne United that likely made those outside Australia take notice of McVeigh.

A game-winning half-court shot in game 3 against Melbourne United will go down in NBL folklore with his performances across the five-game series earning him the nod as MVP.

His first Olympic selection followed this, with both McVeigh and JackJumpers teammate Will Magnay set to play for the Boomers in Paris.

Tasmania JackJumpers head coach Scott Roth is set to return to Hobart on Tuesday to begin pre-season preparations for the JackJumpers NBL25 season but will now have to do it without a key component of their run to the NBL24 Championship.