The 2026-27 NBL off-season is entering its final stages, with clubs beginning to shift their focus towards pre-season fixtures and the NBL Blitz ahead of the new campaign in September.

While Adelaide, Sydney and Tasmania have now completed their rosters, several other teams are still putting the finishing touches on their squads. Melbourne United have added the son of an NBL legend, the reigning champion Kings have filled their final roster spot with an FIBA Asia Cup gold medallist, and the South East Melbourne Phoenix have officially unveiled their first import signing of the off-season.

All of this and more in the latest edition of NBL Daily.

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UNITED LAND SON OF NBL LEGEND

Melbourne United have signed 208cm big man Jensen Bradtke to a two-year development contract, with the second season including a club option to elevate the 22-year-old to the full roster.

Bradtke arrives with one of the most recognisable surnames in Australian basketball. He is the son of NBL legend, Hall of Famer and Olympian Mark Bradtke, who played 554 games across a decorated career with the Adelaide 36ers, Brisbane Bullets and Melbourne Tigers. Mark also enjoyed stints overseas with the Philadelphia 76ers and Greek powerhouse Olympiacos, winning three NBL championships and claiming the league’s MVP award in 2002.

01Nov97 Basketball Grand Final. Melbourne Tigers vs. South East Melbourne Magic. Mark Bradtke holds the NBL Premiership Trophy aloft. /BasketballSource: News Limited

Now, Jensen begins his own journey with United in the city where he grew up.

“I’m over the moon to be a part of this United organisation,” Bradtke said in a statement released by the club.

“I know what they’re about. I’ve worked closely with the club in previous off-seasons, and I’ve got some family history here, so it’s pretty cool to be coming back to Melbourne and be a part of this team.

“I can’t wait to be able to go in every single day with the boys and just train and work hard on the court.”

Bradtke made his NBL debut with the Brisbane Bullets last season, appearing in 14 games. While opportunities were limited, his best performance ironically came against Melbourne United in January, when he recorded six points and three rebounds.

The young centre has continued his development in the NBL1 North with the Gold Coast Rollers, where he is enjoying a breakout campaign. In his second season with the club, Bradtke is averaging 20.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, helping guide the Rollers to a 14-2 record and a second-place finish ahead of their semi-final on August 1.

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United head coach Jacob Chance believes Bradtke has all the tools to develop into a genuine NBL contributor.

“I think he’s really motivated to prove that he can be a contributing NBL player here in the next coming years,” Chance explained.

“I’m excited to welcome someone with his kind of skill set and size into our program. It’s going to help us on a daily basis, and I think we’re really going to be a great environment for him.

Jensen Bradtke signs a two-year deal with Melbourne United. Picture: Basketball AustraliaSource: News Corp Australia

“He’s going to be able to come in, practice, compete and get after it with our more senior players, and that’s going to make him better.”

Bradtke joins Christian D’Angelo as one of Melbourne United’s development players for NBL27 and becomes part of a roster featuring Kyle Bowen, Chris Goulding, Shea Ili, Joe Ingles, Fabijan Krslovic, Sean Macdonald, Malith Machar and Sam Waardenburg.

PHOENIX BRING IN SHARPSHOOTER

South East Melbourne Phoenix head coach Josh King has continued his trend of recruiting players with European experience, signing 6’7” forward D’Shawn Schwartz following two seasons with the Rostock Seawolves in Germany’s Basketball Bundesliga (BBL).

Schwartz, 27, spent four seasons at Colorado before transferring to George Mason for his final collegiate campaign in 2021-22. Across 159 college appearances, he averaged 9.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game while shooting 36.7% from three-point range. The left-hander knocked down 232 triples from 632 attempts, a key attribute that attracted King.

D’Shawn Schwartz signs with the South East Melbourne Phoenix. (Photo by David Hammersen/picture alliance via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

“D’Shawn can play a multitude of positions; he can play the three, the four and even the two. He’s a two-way player and a high-quality shooter, around the 40% mark in his recent seasons,” King said in the team’s announcement release.

“That’s something we need a recruit to do, extend the floor, create spacing and open up opportunities for the five-man to roll to the basket, catch lobs and open up the paint.

“The experience he has in Europe will definitely allow him to catch up really quickly with what’s going on in Australia and with what we’re trying to do.”

Schwartz’s time in Germany also featured some familiar faces. During his debut BBL season in 2024-25, he played alongside current Tasmania JackJumpers import Bryce Hamilton and former Cairns Taipans import Pedro Bradshaw.

Across two seasons with Rostock, Schwartz appeared in 58 games, averaging 13.9 points and 6.1 rebounds during the 2025-26 campaign while shooting 38.1% from beyond the arc. His 75 made three-pointers ranked ninth in the league.

His advanced metrics also compare favourably with Hamilton’s time at Rostock. During the 2024-25 season, Hamilton posted an offensive rating of 106.8 and a defensive rating of 108.8. Schwartz, meanwhile, finished the 2025-26 campaign with an offensive rating of 122.0 and a defensive rating of 107.5. While the pair play different roles, the numbers provide a useful benchmark for how Schwartz’s production in the BBL could translate to the NBL.

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Schwartz’s standout performance came in May, when he exploded for 39 points and 14 rebounds while shooting 7-of-10 (70%) from three-point range in just 32 minutes. It’s the type of scoring display that will excite Phoenix fans as the club looks to replace reigning Defensive Player of the Year John Brown III, who has since signed with Pallacanestro Brescia in Italy.

Schwartz’s signing further reinforces King’s commitment to a fast-paced, high-volume style of play. The Phoenix look well placed to again be one of the league’s most prolific three-point shooting teams after leading the NBL in attempts during NBL26.

South East Melbourne launched 1,203 three-pointers during the regular season, leading the league and well clear of Melbourne United’s 988 attempts, while also ranking third in the league in three-point percentage at 35.2%. Those numbers become even more impressive considering reigning Defensive Player of the Year John Brown III was one of the club’s regular starters, despite not being known as a perimeter shooter.

With the Phoenix still searching for a marquee point guard, the addition of Schwartz represents a strong first step as King looks to guide the club beyond the semi-finals for the first time in franchise history heading into its eighth season in the NBL.

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KINGS SIGN GOLD MEDALIST

The Sydney Kings have, for now, completed their roster for the 2026-27 NBL season, signing Western Australian 7’1” centre Harry Wessels following four years at Saint Mary’s and a recent stint with the San Antonio Spurs at NBA Summer League.

The reigning champions have added much-needed depth to their frontcourt, with Wessels joining Keli Leaupepe and Jason Spurgin in Brian Goorjian’s centre rotation.

Wessels spent four seasons at Saint Mary’s between 2022 and 2026, appearing in 129 games for the Gaels. While he averaged just 16.6 minutes per game in his senior season, his impact around the basket was significant. Across 32 appearances, including 23 starts, he averaged 4.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game.

Although opportunities were limited during NBA Summer League, Wessels saved his best performance for his final outing against the Phoenix Suns, finishing with 10 points, nine rebounds and two blocks. He also wrapped up his college career with an impressive 60.7 per cent true shooting percentage and a player efficiency rating (PER) of 20.9, one of the best marks on the Saint Mary’s roster.

He was also part of Australia’s gold medal-winning campaign at the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, appearing in all six games and averaging 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 60% from the field.

The Australian Boomers win the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup.Source: getty

His arrival helps fill the void left by Tim Soares, who departed the Kings after their championship-winning campaign to sign with the Ibaraki Robots in Japan’s B.League Premier.

Wessels gives Sydney another genuine rim protector and interior presence, complementing a team that finished first in the NBL in defensive rating (108.2) and fourth in rebounds (42.2) during its title-winning 2025-26 season. His size and physicality should only strengthen an already elite defensive unit as Goorjian chases back-to-back championships.

Exactly what role Wessels will play remains to be seen, but an early projection would see him averaging around 12 to 14 minutes per game as part of a centre rotation alongside Leaupepe and Spurgin. Like Tasmania’s Will Magnay, Wessels is a traditional interior big who does his best work around the rim rather than stretching the floor, meaning his minutes could fluctuate depending on match-ups.

For now, the Kings have secured one of the better local big men available in what is a thin market, and their roster appears complete. However, with continued speculation linking star wing Jaylin Galloway to the Cairns Taipans, Sydney’s off-season business may not be finished just yet.