BASKETBALL

NBL

By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

 

TRARALGON’S Jack White announced his signing to Basketball Bundesliga and Euroleague club FC Bayern Munich for the remainder of their season.

White declined his player option with Melbourne United for the 2025-26 NBL season following their NBL Championship series loss to Illawarra Hawks in March.

“Bayern just seemed like a perfect situation for me to come in and have a great experience,” he said in a team press release.

“From the coaching staff, talented roster, and incredible city, I believe this is the best situation for me to have a positive experience for my first professional stint in Europe.”

FC Bayern Munich currently sit seventh (19 wins, 14 losses) in Euroleague standings and first (19-6) in Basketball Bundesliga.

White tested the free agency market, planning to explore his options overseas with the possibility of a return to Melbourne.

“Melbourne United will always be a special place for me, it’s my home away from home in Australia and the NBL,” White told Melbourne United media.

“Over the next few months, I’ll be assessing my playing options internationally to determine what is the best next move for my career.”

In 35 games for United last season, White averaged 12.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game across the regular season and playoffs.

Two years ago, White won an NBA championship as a member of Denver Nuggets on a two-way deal (playing both in the development ‘G-League’ and the NBA) before playing on the Los Angeles Lakers G-League team for most of the 2023-24 campaign.

White was called up and signed a 10-day contract with Memphis Grizzlies to end that season, and returned to the NBL and United for the 2024-25 season.

Beforehand, White had played for United in 2021 during a championship year however, missed due to an achilles injury.

When visiting his hometown in December during the build-up to Traralgon’s FIBA Asia Cup games, White told the Express of his desire to return to the NBA stratosphere for another shot.

“I definitely have aspirations of getting back there and I feel like I’m an NBA calibre player, but it’s one thing to say, it’s another thing to go out there and do it and prove that on a nightly basis,” he said.

Following the 2023 NBA title with the Nuggets, White signed a non-guaranteed deal with Oklahoma City Thunder before being waived in their last roster cuts before the start of the season.