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<\/p>\nThe 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
All of this and more in the latest edition of NBL Daily.<\/p>\n
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Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n UNITED LAND SON OF NBL LEGEND<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s MVP award in 2002.<\/p>\n 01Nov97 Basketball Grand Final. Melbourne Tigers vs. South East Melbourne Magic. Mark Bradtke holds the NBL Premiership Trophy aloft. \/BasketballSource: News Limited<\/p>\n Now, Jensen begins his own journey with United in the city where he grew up.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m over the moon to be a part of this United organisation,\u201d Bradtke said in a statement released by the club.<\/p>\n \u201cI know what they\u2019re about. I\u2019ve worked closely with the club in previous off-seasons, and I\u2019ve got some family history here, so it\u2019s pretty cool to be coming back to Melbourne and be a part of this team.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t wait to be able to go in every single day with the boys and just train and work hard on the court.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Boomers star\u2019s fresh start after injury nightmare as NBL return secured with unique deal<\/a><\/p>\n United head coach Jacob Chance believes Bradtke has all the tools to develop into a genuine NBL contributor.<\/p>\n \u201cI think he\u2019s really motivated to prove that he can be a contributing NBL player here in the next coming years,\u201d Chance explained.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m excited to welcome someone with his kind of skill set and size into our program. It\u2019s going to help us on a daily basis, and I think we\u2019re really going to be a great environment for him.<\/p>\n Jensen Bradtke signs a two-year deal with Melbourne United. Picture: Basketball AustraliaSource: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s going to be able to come in, practice, compete and get after it with our more senior players, and that\u2019s going to make him better.\u201d<\/p>\n Bradtke joins Christian D\u2019Angelo as one of Melbourne United\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n PHOENIX BRING IN SHARPSHOOTER<\/p>\n South East Melbourne Phoenix head coach Josh King has continued his trend of recruiting players with European experience, signing 6\u20197\u201d forward D\u2019Shawn Schwartz following two seasons with the Rostock Seawolves in Germany\u2019s Basketball Bundesliga (BBL).<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n D\u2019Shawn Schwartz signs with the South East Melbourne Phoenix. (Photo by David Hammersen\/picture alliance via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cD\u2019Shawn can play a multitude of positions; he can play the three, the four and even the two. He\u2019s a two-way player and a high-quality shooter, around the 40% mark in his recent seasons,\u201d King said in the team\u2019s announcement release.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n \u201cThe experience he has in Europe will definitely allow him to catch up really quickly with what\u2019s going on in Australia and with what we\u2019re trying to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Schwartz\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n His advanced metrics also compare favourably with Hamilton\u2019s 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\u2019s production in the BBL could translate to the NBL.<\/p>\n