NBA champ’s reduced role raises alarm; Boomers hopeful sends statement – NBL Talking Pts

Round 16 delivered across the board. While one game remains – following the postponement of the Brisbane Bullets vs Cairns Taipans matchup due to the potential impacts of a cyclone – the results and storylines have reached fever pitch as the season edges closer to its peak.

The round saw a young Sydney Kings star step up for a career night, building on his recent international dominance.

It also raised questions in Illawarra, as a veteran Hawk saw his minutes continue to dwindle following strong halftime comments from his head coach before being benched after the main break.

Watch live coverage of NBL and WNBL 2025-26 seasons with ESPN on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.

Elsewhere, a young Tasmania JackJumpers forward further announced himself in NBL26 with a statement performance against his former club.

With one game still to be played, there is no shortage of storylines demanding attention. Here is the latest edition of NBL Talking Points.

FIBA GALLOWAY ARRIVES IN THE NBL

When the Sydney Kings matched up with Melbourne United, it was always shaping as a close, physical contest. In the end, the Kings prevailed 97-94, but it was 23-year-old Jaylin Galloway who stole the spotlight with a career-best performance.

Galloway finished the night with a career-high 27 points, shooting an incredible 90 per cent from the field and a perfect 100 per cent from beyond the arc. He also added five rebounds, one steal, and one block as the young Australian Boomer hopeful brought his international form back to the NBL stage.

His previous career high of 22 points came against the Tasmania JackJumpers in NBL24, but performances like this only strengthen his résumé as he continues to push for an NBA return for the first time since signing a two-way deal with the Milwaukee Bucks. With the Kings in strong form and opportunities opening due to injuries to Xavier Cooks and Bul Kuol, displays like this carry significant weight for both Galloway and the club.

During the broadcast, Jason Cadee – a teammate of Galloway’s at the Bankstown Bruins in NBL1 East – said, “I’m really high on him, his upside is immense.”

Early in his career, shoulder injuries limited Galloway’s ability to produce consistently at the NBL level, but the potential has always been evident.

In NBL25, Galloway appeared in just 10 games. This season, that tally has already climbed to 23, while he has also impressed on the international stage. He dominated for the Australian Boomers at the Asia Cup, where he was named tournament MVP, before playing a key role in the Boomers’ FIBA World Cup qualifiers against the New Zealand Tall Blacks.

For the Kings, the victory improved their record to 15-9 and moved them into third place on the ladder. It was an emotional win, with Brian Goorjian visibly fired up post-game as he embraced star guard Kendric Davis. It marked the third time this season the Kings have defeated Melbourne United, prompting Andrew Gaze to remark, “This could go down as one of the best wins of his career.”

“If they can continue to play like this, they are true championship contenders,” Gaze added.

Having now won eight of their past 10 games, the Kings’ rise up the NBL26 ladder shows no signs of slowing. There remains intrigue around their roster construction, with discussions ongoing around a potential third import. With the eligibility deadline approaching, decisions will need to be made quickly – but performances like Galloway’s only strengthen their championship case.

IS THE MCGEE EXPERIMENT OVER FOR THE HAWKS?

The Illawarra Hawks’ poor form continued in Round 16, finishing the weekend 0-2 with losses to the South East Melbourne Phoenix in overtime and the New Zealand Breakers, who were coming off a 41-point defeat to the Sydney Kings just two days earlier.

One growing area of concern is the role of three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee and his steadily declining minutes. While McGee is 37 years of age, he is still averaging 26 minutes and 30 seconds per game this season. However, in Round 16 that figure dropped to just 23 minutes and nine seconds, with the most alarming reduction coming against the Breakers, where he played a little over 21 minutes.

McGee finished that contest with 11 points and three rebounds, while also committing three turnovers – well below his season averages of 21.1 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal. While McGee has been individually dominant for large stretches of NBL26, the Hawks have continued to struggle, losing five of their past seven games.

To be clear, these losses are not solely on McGee. However, three of those five defeats have come by margins greater than 10 points, and with the Tasmania JackJumpers building momentum in their push to secure sixth spot, the Hawks are slipping further behind in the playoff race.

At halftime of the loss to the Breakers, head coach Justin Tatum delivered a blunt message, saying: “If I don’t get the effort and energy I’m looking for, you will be benched.”

The defending champions have undergone significant roster turnover this season, but the trademark effort, physicality, and collective edge that defined their NBL25 championship run has not translated into NBL26. That disconnect is one of several reasons the Hawks now find themselves fighting an uphill battle.

Given McGee’s age and stature, there is a growing argument that his workload could be managed for the remainder of the season – particularly if the Hawks fail to reach the playoffs – with a likely return to Puerto Rico in the NBL offseason on the horizon.

A visibly frustrated Tatum now faces the challenge of keeping the group engaged and competitive as they attempt to salvage their season. Right now, however, it is difficult to see a clear path back into finals contention.

JACKJUMPER GETS REVENGE ON 36ERS

Nick Marshall’s move away from the Adelaide 36ers is already paying dividends.

After four seasons with the club, Marshall joined the Tasmania JackJumpers this past offseason in search of a fresh start and the opportunity to further develop his professional career within an organisation renowned for player growth.

That pathway has worked before. Players such as Jack McVeigh and Sean MacDonald arrived in Tasmania and went on to establish themselves as high-level NBL contributors – and Marshall is now following a similar trajectory.

This season, Marshall is averaging 25 minutes per game, an increase of nearly 10 minutes from his final campaign in Adelaide. With that opportunity has come production, as he is posting career highs across the board with 9.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He is also shooting a career-best 53 per cent from the field while connecting on 36 per cent of his three-point attempts.

When the JackJumpers matched up with the 36ers on Friday night, Marshall was handed arguably the toughest defensive assignment in the NBL – guarding Bryce Cotton. Cotton, who entered the contest averaging 25.3 points and 7.7 assists per game, was limited to just 15 points and five assists in Tasmania’s 80-72 victory.

Marshall was outstanding at both ends of the floor. He used his size and physicality to contain Cotton, while also contributing 13 points and six rebounds of his own, finishing the game with a plus-minus of +10. The win lifted the JackJumpers to a 12-13 record on the season.

Post-game, head coach Scott Roth took a collective approach when discussing the defensive effort.

“You have to be mindful of him (Bryce Cotton), but collectively as a group we did a good job in other areas too,” Roth said.

“His (Marshall’s) work rate on him was really, really good, but he had four guys behind him pulling the same rope.”

Marshall was quick to credit his teammates when asked about the performance.

“Yeah, it feels pretty good to get the win, but again I had four guys behind me helping me and we had a good game plan kind of going into it, so credit to my teammates really helping me do all that,” Marshall said.

“It feels good to be out there and getting the opportunity and keep trying to learn as much as I can. It’s been good this season – I’ve learned a lot – so it’s been helping me as a player, but I credit my teammates for helping me.”

Roth also expanded on Marshall’s development and the reputation he carried when he arrived ahead of NBL26.

“I’ll just jump in here on him – he came kind of with us with maybe the tag of not being a very good defender, someone who could shoot the ball but maybe wasn’t as defensive-minded as people would assume,” Roth said.

“His due diligence over the last four or five months with studying – he’s a note taker, he’s in every meeting writing things down. He’s on the iPads, he’s in the coaches’ office. His work rate off the floor has been tremendous.”

“From where he was four months ago to where he is now, he’s our guy that we put on the best players to go harass them and give them as many problems as possible.”

“He’s really morphed into a really, really nice player at that end of the floor for us,” Roth added.

It is a strong endorsement for a young player still finding his rhythm in one of the toughest basketball leagues in the world. Marshall’s performance had a direct impact on the result, as the JackJumpers walked away with another significant win.

The story is only just beginning, but the foundations are clearly being laid for a future that could mirror the success of others who have thrived within the JackJumpers’ system.

AN AGGRESSIVE DOOLITTLE MAKES AN IMPRESSIVE STATEMENT FOR THE WILDCATS

When the Perth Wildcats matched up with the South East Melbourne Phoenix on Saturday night, two things were immediately clear. The Wildcats were determined to respond after surrendering a late lead to the Phoenix on their home floor earlier in the season, and when Kristian Doolittle arrives with an aggressive mindset, Perth is a significantly better team.

It had been just five games since Scott Roth labelled Doolittle the best player in the NBL, and against the Phoenix, the Wildcats star backed that praise with authority. Doolittle finished the contest with 23 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists, shooting an efficient 58 per cent from the field and 50 per cent from beyond the arc.

He also recorded the second-highest plus-minus for the Wildcats, trailing only Jaron Rillie as Perth secured a 107-97 win at the State Basketball Centre in Melbourne. Throughout his NBL career, Doolittle has made one thing abundantly clear – he hates losing and more often than not responds to defeat with a dominant performance in the following game.

In a recent interview with foxsports.com.au, Doolittle spoke about how his role has evolved following the departure of five-time NBL MVP Bryce Cotton.

“My role was to be aggressive to relieve some of the pressure on him,” Doolittle said.

“This year it’s teams putting their best player on me to take me out of the game. It’s been a lot different trying to still have an impact with the additional coverage.”

That shift has led to some fluctuations in production for the 28-year-old, but when the intent is there, Doolittle elevates the Wildcats into a far more dangerous and well-rounded side. With limited depth at the point guard position, he has also taken on increased responsibility initiating offence, setting up teammates, and guiding the team through key stretches of games.

Combined with his improved offensive arsenal, defensive presence and overall versatility, Doolittle continues to build a strong case as one of – if not the – best two-way players in the NBL. When opponents are forced to commit extra defensive attention to him, his teammates benefit, as was evident against the Phoenix.

Dylan Windler led all scorers with 27 points to go with eight rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block, while Elijah Pepper added 18 points, two rebounds, two assists, three steals, and one block in an impressive all-round showing.

Consistency has been elusive for Perth throughout NBL26, but the win over South East Melbourne marked the Wildcats’ third consecutive victory. The result moves them within one win of fourth place on the ladder as Melbourne United continues to slide.

A major roster decision also looms, with the deadline approaching for a potential replacement for injured import David Duke Jr. The Wildcats will next turn their attention to a home matchup against the Illawarra Hawks as part of the NBL’s annual HoopsFest weekend in Perth.