The NBL Blitz is done and dusted, and there was plenty to take away from the week.
It was a different Blitz than usual. It was in cold Canberra instead of the sunny Gold Coast, and the event was shortened, so each team only played two games. Then, there was the element of it taking place so early in the preseason, so not all rosters are complete, while some high-profile imports still hadn't arrived in Australia.
Some of those things are not ideal, but that didn't affect the on-court product, where we generally saw high-quality, competitive basketball being played.
The New Zealand Breakers won the Blitz -- with new import Izaiah Brockington walking away with MVP honours -- but even they know that wins and losses don't really matter during this time of year; we just focus on the friends we make along the way: the indicators teams show that may give us a window into how they may operate in the regular season and beyond.
In that regard, the Blitz was useful; there were only 10 total games played at the event but there was still a lot to learn and ESPN was in the building to soak it all in.
Here's what everyone -- NBA personnel, NBL executives, players, and pundits -- are talking about from the week in Canberra, including some whispers from around the gym.
Javon Freeman-Liberty is elite
It seemed clear that there was one import that opposing NBL teams are now feeling somewhat uneasy about going up against in the regular season, and that's Javon Freeman-Liberty.
The Brisbane Bullets' import guard excelled with the ball in his hands, showing off an impressive level of athleticism and feel driving to the rim. There were some high-level angled finishes after Freeman-Liberty got two feet in the paint, or he would just finish above the rim, throwing down a heap of highlight dunks over the Blitz.
"First off, he's just a dynamic athlete," Bullets head coach Stu Lash told ESPN.
"Those guys stand out. Everything he does is fluid. Sometimes I don't even know if he's running hard, then he's just heat on the rim.
"We haven't run a single play for him yet, so he's getting all of that naturally through our system... I think he's going to be a force all year."
Freeman-Liberty was quieter in the Bullets' second game, when faced with an organised United defence, but he's someone who excels both on and off the ball, and, even on a team with Tyrell Harrison, Casey Prather, and Jaylen Adams, will likely be atop the scouting report for opposing teams.
Dylan Windler is in for a breakout season
John Rillie has long wanted to see the Belmont University version of Dylan Windler, and this is tracking like the season where we'll get it.
As a senior at Belmont, Windler averaged 21.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per game; most importantly, he averaged 13.6 shot attempts, more than half of which were from beyond the three-point line. Over his first season in Perth, Windler's role was largely complementary, playing alongside a high-usage guard in Bryce Cotton, but his second game of the Blitz was a window into what we'll likely see more of throughout the 2025-26 NBL season.
In that contest, Windler had 27 points and seven rebounds, shooting 9-of-20 from the field, including 3-of-9 from downtown; he was aggressive with his shot, and had bulk on-ball reps, which is a significant change to how he was asked to operate during his four seasons in the NBA.
"Being in the [NBA] for five years, kind of getting stuck in that role where I was, it takes a lot to get out of that honestly," Windler told ESPN.
"You've got to flip your whole mentality ... if you're playing five years in the pretty narrow role they have for you, to then coming here and you've gotta polish your game off again, you've gotta wake some things up.
"I had a really good summer, working on a lot of different things that I might not have worked on in previous years, because I tried to be the best I could be in that NBA role.
"A lot more live ball reads, coming off ball screens, pushing the ball in transition... I feel really comfortable coming into this season with my role, and look forward to being more aggressive."
Dylan Windler buries the triple from well beyond the arc for the Wildcats.
Windler signed a two-year deal to return to the Perth Wildcats this off-season, but still has a goal of leveraging a successful season into a potential NBA return.
"Ultimately, I wanna play at the highest level and get back in the NBA," he said.
"I think this league is good enough, and has enough talent and competition, and enough scouts and eyes on it at all times that, if you do play well, you're always in a position to get back there."
What NBA scouts are saying
The assumption that no NBA teams would travel to freezing cold Canberra to watch a shortened NBL Blitz -- while the biggest drawcard sat with an injury -- ended up being extremely overblown.
A total of 12 NBA teams were represented at the Blitz -- with some sending multiple executives -- an NBL spokesperson told ESPN; a plethora of scouts scattered along the baseline seating at the AIS Arena all week.
There were a few players teams wanted to get eyes on. With New Zealand Breakers wing Karim Lopez sidelined with a back injury, the focus shifted largely to his fellow projected first round pick for the 2026 NBA Draft: Melbourne United's Dash Daniels. The other prospect who multiple NBA teams told ESPN they were monitoring very closely was Sydney Kings wing Jaylin Galloway, who's coming off an MVP showing at the FIBA Asia Cup. Galloway's combination of athleticism and improved three-point shooting sees him fit that prototypical three-and-D mould in the NBA, so teams are gauging whether his game can translate smoothly to the next level.
Outside of watching the other draft-eligible prospects -- teams scouted Perth Wildcats guard Ben Henshall and South East Melbourne Phoenix wing Malique Lewis closely -- some NBA personnel in Canberra also mentioned the value of being in the building for the Blitz in order to get a more accurate read on the level of the NBL, as well as the physicality; being able to determine that allows for more effective contextualisation of the prospects on show.
Finally, some NBA teams were fascinated about where the Next Stars program goes from here, and if attending future Blitz's was justified. With the emergence of NIL in college basketball, the prospect of recruiting high-level, draftable players to the NBL has naturally become harder and harder; for context, four-star high school recruits out of the U.S. are generally earning around one NBL team's salary cap worth of income, with the number rising seemingly by the minute. While those NIL rules may be tweaked at some stage, it's difficult to see the NBL paying up for worthwhile prospects in the immediate future. It then begs the question: if there aren't enough draftable prospects to watch, is it worth it for these NBA teams to make the trip to Australia? Again, the landscape can change once again and make that entire point moot, but it's food for thought given the way the environment is currently structured.
Wildcats whispers
We've reached September and the Perth Wildcats still have an import spot to fill.
That's not necessarily an indictment on the process -- many teams, including the Wildcats, have actually been rewarded for their patience this off-season -- but it's naturally tested the patience of the most vocal fanbase in the NBL, who've been desperate to know who the franchise would 'replace' Bryce Cotton with.
So, let's talk about who's on the Wildcats' radar, based on some conversations around the Blitz.
Over the off-season, ESPN's reporting was that the team reached out to the likes of Zavier Simpson, Jahmir Young, and Emmanuel Mudiay; the first two players signed with teams elsewhere, while the latter chooses not to take jobs at this time of year, so they're all off the table.
Last month, the Wildcats were offered 12-year NBA veteran Patrick Beverley, sources told ESPN, but chose not to meaningfully engage. Former NBL guard Travis Trice was also offered to the Wildcats, sources said, but he was another option they weren't interested in.
Recently, the team has sought intel on four-year NBA shooting guard Kobi Simmons, sources said, as well as Mason Jones, who's the reigning NBA G-League Finals MVP. Yuri Collins -- a 6'0 point guard who spent the bulk of the 2024-25 season with the Santa Cruz Warriors -- is also currently on the Wildcats' radar, sources said.
The Perth Wildcats defeat Melbourne United to open the NBL26 preseason in the nation's capital.
Cairns won't be afraid to be unorthodox
The Cairns Taipans haven't looked anything close to a traditional basketball team over the preseason.
In their first game of the Blitz, head coach Adam Forde opted to start five forwards. Then, in their second game, the starting unit had four forwards and a centre. With import point guard Ashton Hagans yet to arrive in Australia, Kody Stattmann has joined backup guard Kyle Adnam in playing a lot of the point over the preseason, while we've even seen Marcus Lee bring the ball up the floor at times.
"I like the way we're going," Lee told ESPN.
"We're trying to figure each other out right now. That's kind of the fun part of preseason, is you really get to figure out what guys can do, what they prefer. I think that's the fun thing."
The Taipans have lost every preseason game they've played in, including two at the Blitz -- it's, of course, worth another reminder that preseason results do not matter -- but have had the opportunity to shake things up and see how different players adapt to different roles. Part of what it's done is shine a light on the dearth of ball-carrying on the roster that's been evident since the team was finalised; in that regard, Forde went against the grain relative to the direction every other team in world basketball is headed - most teams are loading up on ball-carrying - so it'll be fascinating to see how that plays out in the regular season.
No matter the outcomes, and even some of the shaky indicators with regard to positional depth -- especially in the guard spots -- there's confidence within the program that the Taipans will be better for this sort of preparation.
"I think this is gonna be a team that, when you see us in true form, people are really gonna see: that's a terrifying team to go against," Lee said. "I think that's what we're trying to do here. We're contenders, we're here, and you're going to have to fear us when you walk into our arena."
The Tasmania JackJumpers walk away with an overtime win in their NBL Blitz contest with the Cairns Taipans.
Delly should lead the league in assists
Above all else, Matthew Dellavedova is just a supremely gifted floor general in the FIBA game.
"That man can really pass the ball," his teammate Xavier Cooks told ESPN.
"There's sometimes I don't even know I'm open and the ball hits me on the side of the head. What he brings to a team, both on and off the court, is invaluable."
It's fascinating to watch up close. We were basically situated courtside for the majority of the Blitz, and we could hear Dellavedova barking instructions to his teammates all game. We're talking full-blown yelling at times, guiding teammates to their spots.
"He does a really good job of communicating, on offence and defence, and putting us in our spots," Cooks said. "Especially at this time of year in the preseason, it's huge, because we're all trying to figure it out together."
He finished with 10 assists in the Kings' first game of the Blitz, before dishing out eight in their second outing, so it seems he's on track to be among the league leaders in dimes once again.
While Dellavedova brings a lot to the table -- his body is in a great place, the jump-shot is at a good level right now, and he brings elite intensity defensively -- the most valuable thing the four-time Olympian does for the Kings is be a high-level connector. It's the skillset the Kings needed after a poor offensive season, and Dellavedova is surrounded by dynamic talent - from Cooks, to Kendric Davis, and Jaylin Galloway, to name just a few of Brian Goorjian's deep roster - that he has the ability to maximise.
Fast forward to the last day of the regular season. A good indicator of how well the Sydney Kings perform would be how many assists Dellavedova averages. Basically, the higher the number, the better the Kings' processes would have been over the course of the season, which should theoretically lead to more wins.
John Brown III is an extra possession monster
John Brown III was everywhere in his South East Melbourne Phoenix debut.
His stat-line, while impressive - 13 points, four rebounds (two offensive), two steals, and a +34 -- doesn't even come close to telling the whole story either. He was always in the right spots defensively -- ready for wall-ups or to take charges - maybe has the quickest hands in the league, and is a perennial glass crasher. In his less-than-24-minutes against the Kings, Brown III would've earned his team seven or eight extra possessions, which is an unbelievably valuable, and underappreciated, skillset.
"Talk about some good juice," Jordan Hunter told ESPN of Brown III.
There's some Marcus Smart, Patrick Beverley, Draymond Green type defensive playmaking in Brown III, and there's an offensive skill package that he can tap into because of the force he plays with.
"Unpredictable," Brown III told ESPN on what to expect from him, foreshadowing his opening bucket in his preseason debut: a catch-and-shoot 16-footer on the baseline.
"Unpredictable on offence, and I'm there on defence every time."
"It's basketball. Somebody can go out there and score zero points, [or] they come out and give you 30 next game. You never know. My intention is just to win, and help my teammates get better at this point in my career.
"But I'm still a hooper, baby. Don't sleep on me now."
Prepare for the Brown III to be a lively and entertaining character off the court, too; the 33-year-old was a quote machine in his sit-down with ESPN: "I come in the locker room, it's smelling like baby powder with all of them young guys."
Melbourne and Tasmania feel like high-floor teams
In United's final game of the Blitz, they defeated the Bullets 98-60, while holding the import backcourt duo of Jaylen Adams and Freeman-Liberty to just 4-of-20 shooting.
It was the first game that head coach Dean Vickerman took the reins of, and everyone at the Blitz -- even opposing NBL teams and players -- said the same thing: that United wanted to send a little reminder to the rest of the league that they're the standard until shown otherwise.
United has had proven, high-level processes in place for years, and it showed on both ends as they dismantled the Bullets. Again, the result doesn't matter, but the indicators are that United is in mid-season form, with an impressive balance of roster continuity and the addition of a new, dynamic import trio -- Milton Doyle, Tyson Walker, and Edwards -- that fill substantial needs.
United's off-season may be underappreciated by the general NBL fan, but a good tell is that, when you ask opposing players around the league to do a ladder prediction, more than you think would put United at No. 1.
Finn Delany and Tyson Walker combine for a stunning 26 points in the first half against the Brisbane Bullets.
A similar sentiment can be said about the Tasmania JackJumpers. Scott Roth runs a well-oiled machine, where the defence already appears connected and everyone knows their rules, while they seem in midseason form with regard to how their offence is flowing.
Will Magnay continues to be a special defender at this level, while Josh Bannan's playmaking from his position is already looking impressive. The JackJumpers' new import trio is also really dynamic, with all three bringing something different to the table; Bryce Hamilton comes off curls and on-balls with aggression and expertly scores at all three levels, David Johnson is already looking like an elite spot-up shooter, while Tyger Campbell's ability to probe in the halfcourt came in handy as both of the team's Blitz games went down to the wire.
Both United and the JackJumpers have the processes and coaching talent to have earned a level of trust, so their respective floors are high. It feels like, for both teams, how the imports perform will go a long way in determining the ceiling.
Could we see a breakout year from Isaac White?
The Adelaide 36ers were without three starter-level players at this Blitz, but still would've left the event feeling quite good.
Put aside the clearly-improved vibe and energy around the team -- which isn't quantifiable, but is important nonetheless -- but the indicators, especially offensively, appeared quite positive.
Among a few good signs was new signee Isaac White, who was the team's standout player over their two games in Canberra. The combo guard dropped 20 points, four rebounds, and six assists in the 36ers' first game against Illawarra, then followed it up with 18 points and five assists against Tasmania, shooting 7-of-14 from downtown over both contests and finishing in second place in the Blitz MVP voting.
White brings a ball-carrying and creation element that the 36ers will likely need to lean on this season -- with Bryce Cotton and Dejan Vasiljevic excelling more as off-ball options -- and operated well with fellow Adelaide newcomer Zylan Cheatham.
"It's going to be very important for me and [Isaac] to develop a two-man game," Cheatham told ESPN.
"He's such a dynamic scorer, dynamic playmaker. I feel like I'm a dynamic screener and roller, so having that dynamic with me and him -- as opposed to just Bryce, who's obviously going to attract so much attention -- and if we can develop a really good two-man game, I think he can be really dangerous for us."
White's impressive play was a byproduct of a 36ers team that operated extremely well offensively over the Blitz, shifting defences with their ball movement and leveraging their high-level advantage creators to find scoring opportunities for others. It's a good indicator for Mike Wells and his group, who were without Cotton, Montrezl Harrell, and Isaac Humphries in this event.
"I think we're potent," White told ESPN.
"Obviously we didn't have Bryce on the floor, but we've got so many threats, like Z flying around, DJ draws a lot of attention. For me, personally, there are a lot of openings that maybe weren't there previously in my career up until this point.
There are a lot of openings, and it's about making quick and accurate decisions. All of that is credit to our system... we have dangerous guys in dangerous spots. I've just got to be efficient with my touches."
'The system is the star' for the Phoenix
The Phoenix are democratic by design, and it was on show through both of their Blitz games.
In their opener against the New Zealand Breakers, Josh King's team had seven players in double figures, with Vrenz Bleijenbergh posting nine points of his own. Then, against the Kings, they did again: seven guys finished in double figures.
It's the way the team's been built. There's no out-and-out star; instead, it's a roster that could legitimately go 11-deep, with immense trust placed in how King is directing things on both ends.
Hunter Maldonado misses the free throw, gathers his own rebound and hits the buzzer-beater to cut the margin for the Phoenix.
"We want the system to be the star," Phoenix big-man Jordan Hunter told ESPN.
"We wanna go out there and make sure we're executing that to a high level. Whoever's night it is, that's their night. It worked for us a lot last year. Obviously we had some scoring firepower in Matt Hurt last year, but we want to continue to embrace that, whoever's night it is, let's ride. The team's gonna have their back, and we're all gonna chip in together.
"No-one's worried about looking over their shoulder and thinking 'I might be the dude here'... we wanna stay out of that space and I think that'll help us."
We'll see what this team's ceiling is without any elite go-to guy, but the Phoenix are deep and their players are so positionally versatile that they should be able to seamlessly pivot - and not lose much at all - if someone goes down with an injury.