NBL: Breaking down player award leaders at the FIBA break
With a third of the NBL season now in the books, who are the early leaders in the race for individual honours?
The FIBA break is a milestone in any NBL season, and roughly speaking, it marks a third of NBL25 in the books. There’s still a lot of basketball left to be played, but with the small sample size growing bigger and bigger, trends are starting to emerge, reputations are being built, and for some, seasons are already being defined.
Credit: JBC Studios
Who knows what might change between now and the postseason; more importantly, with a two week break ahead of us, who cares? As the NBL takes a deep breath, it’s the perfect time to make some early observations and name the players leading the race for every major award. These aren’t predictions of who will win at season’s end, but rather who would take home the silverware if the season ended today.
All advanced stats via SpatialJam.
Next Generation Award: Sam Mennenga, New Zealand Breakers
Already a man mountain when playing in college, Sam Mennenga was widely tipped to make an instant impact as a rookie with Cairns last season. That proved to be the case as he stepped straight into the rotation and was effective, but his opportunities were limited while backing up emerging star Sam Waardenburg. With plenty of overlap in their skill sets, Mennenga played just 17 minutes per game despite knocking down 35% of his threes and rebounding at a high rate.
Maybe that played a role in Mennenga’s decision to seek a fresh start in the offseason, with the Taipans agreeing to buy out the remainder of his contract in order for him to sign with the New Zealand Breakers. Maybe it was a desire to return home and be closer to family and friends, or to represent the team that he grew up watching. “I have more pride in winning with this club and with this city, this country, all of that,” Mennenga said after the team’s round seven win over Melbourne.
Whatever the motivation, it’s been a brilliant move for both player and club, with the Breakers flying high in second place and Mennenga taking his game to another level. After an offseason of high roster turnover and with a brand-new head coach, it’s clear that the 22-year-old has stepped straight in as one of the club’s leaders, being vocal on the court and even fronting up for press conferences after losing his voice.
Most importantly, he has been a key contributor in New Zealand’s red-hot start to the season, starting every game and averaging 12.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. That starting role was in question in the pre-season, but when import big Freddie Gillespie was suspended for round one Mennenga grabbed the opportunity with both hands, dropping 22 points and seven rebounds on the Bullets.
He hasn’t dominated every game like that, but he hasn’t needed to; instead, he’s been a perfect fit for a team that has a strong European influence and is spearheaded by Parker Jackson-Cartwright. Their offence all flows on from the drive-and-kick ability of their star point guard, with the ball swinging from there and moving through hands. Mennenga is the ideal big man in that system – a big body to set screens, a smart player that makes the right reads, and a capable shooter able to knock down threes consistently.
It’s that shooting ability that has stood out the most, as he leads all centres with 1.2 made threes per game and has four games with multiple makes. While his percentage has dipped a little from last season, his threat from the perimeter has helped to unlock a Breakers offence that trails only the high-powered Illawarra Hawks as the most efficient in the league. It’s rare to find a big with that kind of presence behind the arc that is also strong enough to bang down low with more traditional centres.
Through the first third of the season, Mennenga has formed a nice “yin and yang” partnership with Gillespie, providing the offensive spark as the American has brought his defensive edge. Gillespie’s apparent departure could see Mennenga take on an even more prominent role for the rest of the season, and while a replacement import will almost certainly come in, the Breakers can make the change safe in the knowledge that they have their starting centre locked in.
In the mix…
He’s the youngest player in the league, but Karim Lopez has played like a seasoned veteran for the high-flying Breakers; after struggling to find his feet in his first few games, he’s averaged 12.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks over his last five games. Izan Almansa is another that has found his groove as the season has gone on, emerging as a key player for the Wildcats and pouring in 19 points in his lone start, while South East Melbourne wing Malique Lewis has been one of the league’s most disruptive defenders and earned heavy minutes for a team that is surging up the table.
Of the local contingent, Alex Toohey has been rock solid, starting every game and bringing versatility on both ends of the floor. He’s struggled with his shot after a hot start to the season, shooting just 5-27 from deep in his last nine games, but if that corrects he’ll quickly climb the rankings here. Taipans point guard Taran Armstrong would undoubtedly be at the top of the list if injuries hadn’t interrupted his start to the year – he missed the first two rounds, returned to pour in 34 points across two games, and then suffered another untimely injury from which he’s only just recovered. With Bryce Cotton missing significant time, Perth duo Ben Henshall and Elijah Pepper have both impressed with their shot-making ability but may now slip back into a reduced role.
Most Improved Player: Will Hickey, Illawarra Hawks
He was the odds-on favourite for this award ahead of the season, and Will Hickey has well and truly met expectations through the first third of the season. It was easy to picture him blossoming in NBL25; after all, his true breakout came in last year’s finals, where he stepped into the starting lineup for Illawarra and helped them to get within one win of a Grand Final berth. After playing just 9.4 minutes per game in the regular season, “Davo” more than doubled that in the postseason and did it all for the surging Hawks, averaging 10.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game.
“It’s tough to be as talented as he is and have to wait your turn,” Hawks coach Justin Tatum said after Hickey scored 18 points in an overtime semi-final win. “As he got seasoned and kept practising and kept working and being consistent, his time was going to come and now it’s here.”
After starring under the pressure of do-or-die basketball, it was assumed that Hickey would carry that form into the new season. Five postseason games is a small sample size, though, and there are no guarantees in life or basketball; with that in mind, it’s been good to see Hickey continue to shine while showing even more improvement. The introduction of import signing Trey Kell saw the 25-year-old slide back into the second unit, but he’s still played more than 20 minutes per game as the first man off the bench.
That same do-it-all production has followed, with Hickey providing 8.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. Those numbers alone are impressive enough – he’s one of just four players in the NBL averaging four rebounds, three assists and one steal – but his impact goes far beyond the box score. Tatum has a pair of elite guards at his disposal in Kell and Tyler Harvey, but there’s a reason he continually turns to Hickey, playing him in place of one or alongside both in crunch time.
Hickey provides a complete change of pace when he steps on the floor, not just for the Hawks, but for their opponents as well. He’s always been an elite athlete, lightning quick and super bouncy, but he struggled previously to harness those gifts in his short stints on the court. Now with some added maturity and developing skill, he’s found the balance, staying (mostly) under control while being in constant motion – hounding the league’s best guards on one end, attacking off the dribble and as a cutter at the other, flying high above bigger players for rebounds or the occasional spectacular block, and causing chaos at all times.
The end result? Illawarra is 8.5 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor, and allowing five points per 100 less defensively. That’s a remarkable impact on a team currently sitting in the top three, particularly from someone that played less than 200 total minutes in the NBL24 regular season, and who a year prior to that shot 35% from the field and had more turnovers (41) than assists (28). He’s still not perfect and there are mistakes along the way, but it’s impossible to ignore such a stunning rise on a championship contender.
In the mix…
There’s more to come on him below, but Breakers big man Sam Mennenga has taken a big leap after a solid rookie campaign in Cairns. It’s rare to see an import in the running for this award, but after making strides offensively throughout last season, Kristian Doolittle has continued to expand his game for the Wildcats; take out his injury-affected game on Sunday, and he’s a top-20 scorer in the league and still an elite wing defender.
A change of scenery has done wonders for Angus Glover, who is currently blowing past his previous career high in scoring, averaging 9.1 points per game for the Phoenix after crossing over from Sydney. He’s shooting the ball with as much confidence as ever, and with more opportunities as a playmaker he’s showing off a more well-rounded skill set than many give him credit for. Another Aussie guard that was primed for a breakout year was Taran Armstrong, but his start to the season has been undone by injuries; still, he’s shown off a ceiling that could make him a strong contender by the end of the season.
Best Sixth Man
It’s tough to pick an early leader for the Best Sixth Man, with plenty of teams still juggling their rotations across the opening rounds. In reality, Davo Hickey is probably the frontrunner here too; there’s not another bench player in the league that has had his two-way impact, and to bring that on a loaded team that’s winning games is even more impressive. Instead of copying and pasting the above, though, why not take more of a look at the chasing pack instead?
Before he was breaking the record for points in a game in the modern era, James Batemon’s shift to the second unit was a very real factor in Brisbane’s turnaround. He started in their first three games, all losses, and averaged 5.7 points on a 29-17-25 shooting split; after moving to the bench the Bullets went 3-2 in their next five, with Batemon knocking down almost 50% of his triples, topping 20 points three times, and leading the team in scoring over that span. His 51-point explosion against Perth was absolutely outrageous, and while he was filling in for the injured Casey Prather in the starting lineup, there’s every chance he’ll stay there now.
It would be no surprise at all to see a Melbourne United guard take this award home at season’s end, but as of right now, it’s impossible to know which one. Ian Clark was a runaway winner last season but has started 12 of his 14 games to date, with Matthew Dellavedova and Shea Ili also starting in all but a handful of their appearances. Injuries have kept that merry-go-round spinning, but with their whole squad finally healthy over the last two rounds, it’s been Clark that has settled back into his previous niche off the bench. After pouring in 20 points in just 18 minutes against Adelaide on Sunday, he could be primed to make a run at back-to-back crowns.
His Melbourne teammate Marcus Lee has come off the bench in every game, and despite averaging just 17.8 minutes, he still sits second in the league with 1.7 blocks per game. He’s been limited by fouls at times, but it’s hard to ignore his impact regardless – he leads all players in Defensive Box Plus-Minus and has been key to United’s elite defence, which is second in defensive rating behind only Sydney. The only player swatting more shots than him is also yet to make a start this season, but with reports that Freddie Gillespie is on the verge of leaving the NBL for Italian club Olimpia Milan, his campaign for this award may be over before it really began.
Finally, a shout out to two supremely talented bigs that are still finding their feet this season. Cam Oliver’s role and minutes have been a hot topic, but even with those ups and downs he has still averaged 12.6 points and 6.9 rebounds per game to lead all bench players. There’s been talk of him starting more consistently, and there’s also been talk of him being cut – where the truth lies is anyone’s guess, but he’s an All-NBL talent at his best and should continue to put up strong numbers. Jarrell Martin is still working back to full fitness after a long injury layoff, playing just 17.3 minutes per game in a crowded frontcourt rotation, but he has flashed the skills that made him an key piece in Sydney’s 2022 championship, knocking down more than 36% of his triples and bringing a physical presence.
Best Defensive Player: Will Magnay, Tasmania JackJumpers
The Damian Martin Trophy is almost always the toughest to pick, for the same reason that defensive players don’t always get the love they deserve. It can be hard to spot the little things that make an elite stopper, with the highlight reels typically favouring a stepback three or a thunderous dunk over some fundamentally sound defence.
Thankfully, Will Magnay makes life a little easier by making plenty of highlights of his own. While his shot blocking has been a little down compared to last season, he has still provided a healthy dose of emphatic spikes into the stands; on top of that, there’s a very real case to be made that he’s the most impactful defender in the league and the most important to his team’s fortunes on that end of the floor.
That has been doubly important for a JackJumpers team that has, for the most part, been completely inept offensively through the first third of the season. Even after a slight uptick in recent weeks, they sit dead last in offensive rating by a huge margin, scoring more than five points per 100 possessions less than the Cairns Taipans ahead of them. They’ve just barely managed to stay afloat in spite of that thanks to a little bit of luck and a lot of the defensive intensity and effort that has become their trademark.
Sitting third in the league in defensive rating, they trail only Melbourne and Sydney, two squads that have a lot more talent on paper and a wealth of defensive stoppers. That’s in large part thanks to Magnay, who is adept at cleaning up messes and missed rotations at the rim and sits third in the league with 1.5 blocks per game. Those are the plays that stand out, putting his timing and athleticism on show, but infinitely more important is what he unlocks for his teammates.
The JackJumpers play a frenetic style of defence, blitzing screens with a second defender at every opportunity and backing themselves to scramble and recover. There are occasional mistakes and missed coverages as a result, but they’re outweighed by the positive impact of taking the opposition out of their offensive rhythm. That’s all unlocked by Magnay, who has an uncanny ability to put a body on the ball handler, then in an instant be back in the lane to cut off his man while closing off the lanes around the basket. After playing a similar role at this summer’s Olympics he’s looked as sharp as ever back in the NBL, with Tasmania’s opponent turnover percentage sitting first in the league as a result.
“He’s a huge factor being in there, and if you do make a mistake at least he’s at the rim and we have another chance,” coach Scott Roth said after his team’s win over Melbourne in round two.
It’s tough to say given his impressive resume, but this year’s version of Magnay may be the most well-rounded yet. He’s one of just three players averaging a steal and a block per game, with his 1.3 steals per game more than double his previous career high and helping to fuel some much-needed early offence. That makes it no surprise to see him sitting fourth in the league in Defensive Box Plus Minus, trailing only a trio of Melbourne United stars.
He’s spent time on the injury list once again, and any further ailments could easily derail him here. If he can stay on the court, though, and the JackJumpers can scrap and claw their way into the postseason, then he’ll be hard to ignore at the end of the season.
In the mix…
Sydney has had the best defence in the league by a wide margin, sitting more than three points per 100 possessions ahead of second-placed Melbourne, and their stars deserve some love. Xavier Cooks is another of those three players to post more than a steal and a block per game, and his ability to guard from one through five continues to power everything they do. They’re also allowing more than five points per 100 possessions less when Bul Kuol is on the floor, and he’s continued to grow as arguably the best perimeter stopper in the league, with his well-documented foul issues starting to fade.
Illawarra has been an offensive juggernaut, but at the other end of the floor, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk has been the glue holding them together. The three-time NBL champion has taken plenty of big-name scalps already this season, with his length and mobility on the perimeter making him a mismatch nightmare. Finally, there’s a swag of players contributing to Melbourne’s success defensively – Marcus Lee, Jack White and Rob Loe make up the NBL’s top three in Defensive Box Plus Minus, while NBL24 winner Shea Ili is still a disruptive force at the point of attack.
Most Valuable Player: Parker Jackson-Cartwright, New Zealand Breakers
When NBL imports return for their second season in the league, one of two things tends to happen; they figure out the league, or the league figures them out. For all of the overseas stars that have gone on to dominate into their second year and beyond, there are just as many that struggled to adapt once opposing teams knew their MO.
It’s still early days, but it’s safe to say that Parker Jackson-Cartwight is most definitely the former. The 29-year-old was one of the breakout stars of last season, earning All-NBL First Team honours and a top-three finish in the Andrew Gaze Trophy after ranking second among all players in assists, third in scoring, and first in steals, and he has been just as impressive through the first third of NBL25. Averaging 18.6 points, 7.4 assists and two steals per game, he once again sits among the league leaders across the board, and on a new-look Breakers roster he has remained at the centre of everything they do.
“The idea is, it’s his team – he is the superstar of this league, he’s one of the best players, and he’s our leader,” coach Petteri Koponen said after his team won their home opener in round two. “We know his talent, the things that he can do, and us coaches, we just try to put him in the position where he can succeed.”
That mission has been a success so far, with the Breakers flying high in second spot on the ladder and already more than halfway to their win total from last season. It’s a remarkable start for a team that was widely written off ahead of the season, with a new head coach untried at the professional level leading an almost entirely new playing group, one that underwent a gruelling road trip to the United States early in their campaign.
It’s their explosive offence that has powered them there, and they sit second in the league in offensive rating; that success all starts with Jackson-Cartwright, who shoulders a heavier load than any other playing and leads all players in usage rate. It’s certainly not a one man show – Matt Mooney has been the perfect foil, with Sam Mennenga taking a leap and their role players excelling – but it’s been PJC leading from the front.
There’s no reason for a Breakers possession to start without the ball in his hands, as he creates more mismatches than any player and is surgical in taking advantage of them. Already too quick for most of the league’s guards when defended one on one, a heavy dose of screens has helped him to consistently get into the heart of opposing defences. Give him an inch of space there, and he’s made teams pay – despite his diminutive frame, he’s shooting 51% at the rim and in the paint this season. Sending an extra defender to cut him off has been just as dangerous, with the bulk of his league-high assist tally coming as he feeds New Zealand’s plentiful shooters.
“It’s pretty easy when he just draws so much attention… when Parker draws all that attention it’s easy, it’s fun,” teammate Sam Mennenga said.
Most importantly, Jackson-Cartwright is now leading a winning team, with New Zealand’s 7-3 record the most glowing endorsement he could get. With 10 new faces added to their roster in the offseason and a new head coach hired at short notice, it would have been excusable for the Breakers to be a little disjointed early in the season. Instead, with Jackson-Cartwright pulling the strings and a game plan tailored to his strengths, they’ve soared to new heights. He was already an MVP contender last season on a Breakers squad that just barely snuck into the play-in tournament. If they can keep up their winning form, it might just push him over the top.
In the mix…
Ok, here’s the permanent footnote in any NBL discussion – never count out Bryce Cotton. He’s missed too much time to be in contention here, but he sent a warning to the entire league with 33 points in his return from injury, and he’ll almost certainly be in the conversation come season’s end.
Argue all you want about the most valuable player, but it’s impossible to deny that Montrezl Harrell has been the NBL’s most entertaining player. The former NBA Sixth Man of the Year has been box office viewing for his energy and intensity alone, but he’s backed that up with his performance, sitting third in the league in scoring and averaging a near double-double for an Adelaide team that has surprised many. Another newcomer to the league that has impressed mightily is Matt Hurt, who was torching opposing defences even as the Phoenix struggled and has continued to do so during their resurgence.
It would be wrong to ignore the ladder leaders, and Jack White’s overall impact for Melbourne United has been impressive. His 13.7 points per game don’t jump off the page, but he’s been efficient for a team that doesn’t always need him to score in volume and hugely effective as a versatile defender. The same goes for Xavier Cooks, who remains one of the league’s most well-rounded players on both ends of the floor and is enjoying yet another stellar season for the Kings.