BIO: Jordan Hunter was born in Sydney (NSW) and grew up in the suburb of Vaucluse. He later attended Saint Ignatius’ College. Hunter received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 2015. He spent one year there and played for the program’s state league team.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Jordan Hunter made his NBL debut with the Sydney Kings at 22 years of age. He scored five points in his first game.

During his debut season, Jordan Hunter saw limited minutes but managed to participate in 27 games, averaging 0.9 points and 1 rebound. His contributions helped Sydney secure the top spot in the regular season and advance to the NBL Grand Final series.

2020/21
Following their runner-up finish in 2020, Sydney faced significant roster turnover, losing key pieces like All-NBL First Team forward Jae’Sean Tate and head coach Will Weaver to the NBA’s Houston Rockets. Retirements from Kevin Lisch, Andrew Bogut, and Lucas Walker left additional voids. Kings assistant Adam Forde stepped up as head coach, recruiting new talent, including import Jarell Martin, Illawarra’s Angus Glover, and rookie Dejan Vasiljevic. During the preseason, Sydney lost Xavier Cooks to a foot injury, prompting the signing of Tom Vodanovich (via New Zealand) as an injury replacement. The injury woes continued with Glover suffering an ACL tear, ruling him out for all but two games.

With a young core leading the way, Sydney struggled initially, dropping three of their first four games to sit seventh on the ladder. The mid-season NBL Cup held in Melbourne helped the team regain form, going 4-4, followed by consecutive home wins that propelled them into the top four by round 12.

Co-captain Casper Ware (17.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists) and Jarell Martin (17.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists) led the offense, with Martin posting a season-high 29 points against New Zealand. Vasiljevic (15.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists) and Jordan Hunter (9.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks) emerged as key players, with Hunter stepping up as Sydney’s starting center. Hunter delivered a standout six-block performance in Round 14 against the Phoenix.

Xavier Cooks (10.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.0 blocks) also made an impact later in the season, highlighted by a 19-point, 11-rebound game against Illawarra. Despite these efforts, Sydney’s struggles in perimeter shooting (tied with Illawarra at 33.4% for worst in the league) and a lack of road wins ultimately cost them a playoff spot. A rough stretch saw Sydney lose five of their final seven games, finishing fifth (19-17) and narrowly missing postseason qualification.

Hunter’s strong season performance earned him runner-up for the Most Improved Player award, while Vasiljevic secured Rookie of the Year honours.

2021/22
Hunter faced an unfortunate setback this season, missing all games due to a left navicular fracture that required surgery, sidelining him for the entire year.

2022/23
Coming off a championship win, the Sydney Kings had to overhaul their roster as they lost their star imports—Jaylen Adams, Jarrell Martin, and Ian Clark—to lucrative overseas contracts. Building around the impressive development of Xavier Cooks, Dejan Vasiljevic, and Angus Glover, Sydney decided to invest in local talent and select complementary imports. Derrick Walton Jr was signed to fill Adams’ scoring role, sharpshooter Tim Soares (via Europe) joined as the new center, and former Defensive Player of the Year Justin Simon (via Illawarra) rounded out the new import trio. Kouat Noi (via Cairns) was brought in after Makur Maker signed with the Washington Wizards, with rookie Jackson Makoi completing the roster.

The Kings opened their title defense with consecutive wins over Illawarra, Brisbane, and Melbourne, reaching a 3-0 record. Their 91-71 victory against Melbourne was particularly impressive, featuring a dominant 25-0 second-quarter run that limited United to a mere six points. This win set a new NBL record for Sydney with their 15th straight road victory, breaking a record set by Canberra’s championship teams in the 1980s.

Sydney’s unbeaten run ended in an 83-78 loss to the Cairns Taipans. Missing Tahjere McCall, Cairns executed well on defense, while Sydney struggled at the free-throw line, shooting only 14 of 25. Shannon Scott led Cairns with 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, while DJ Hogg added 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.

The Kings responded with another road win over Brisbane but stumbled again at home, falling 92-88 to Adelaide, who had recently upset the NBA’s Phoenix Suns in a preseason game. Despite having multiple chances to close the gap in the final minute, Sydney’s missed shots and defensive efforts from Adelaide’s Mitch McCarron secured the win for the visitors. Craig Randall II led all scorers with 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists.

In a thrilling round-five match, Sydney was on the brink of a third consecutive home loss until Kouat Noi sank a buzzer-beater against his former team, clinching a 106-103 win over Cairns. Cooks nearly logged a triple-double with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists, helping Sydney secure the top position in the league standings (8-2).

The Kings then faced the New Zealand Breakers in a high-stakes game between the top two teams. Despite a last-quarter surge from New Zealand, Sydney pulled through for an 81-77 win. However, the victory came at a cost, as Walton Jr left with an ankle injury after scoring 12 points in 18 minutes, and Cooks also suffered an ankle injury that sidelined him for three weeks, including a World Cup Qualifier against Kazakhstan.

Cooks returned in a game that saw Cairns snap Sydney’s road-winning streak with a 94-88 overtime win. Keanu Pinder posted a career-high 30 points and 13 rebounds for the Taipans, while Cooks returned with 25 points and 10 rebounds but fouled out in the fourth quarter.

A marquee matchup against South East Melbourne saw Mitch Creek score 46 points and Walton Jr 45 points, marking the first 40-point games of the season. Despite the Phoenix missing players like Gary Browne and Ryan Broekhoff, and Cooks dealing with an ankle injury, the Kings dropped a double-overtime thriller (112-113), slipping to second place behind New Zealand.

With Coach Chase Buford suspended, Kevin Lisch stepped in to lead Sydney in a dominant 97-77 win over the JackJumpers, where they scored 56 points in the paint and set a season-high field-goal percentage at 69%.

Sydney’s season hit a high point with a 116-67 victory over Brisbane, setting a 49-point margin—the largest in the 40-minute era and Sydney’s biggest over the Bullets. Key players Cooks (20 points), Soares (20 points), and Walton Jr (18 points) led the charge.

As the regular season concluded, Sydney topped the ladder (19-9), with Xavier Cooks winning the NBL MVP over Bryce Cotton and Mitch Creek. Hunter finished the season with averages of 5.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.6 assists.

Sydney’s playoff journey began with a semi-final series against Cairns, where Cooks’ 27 points and 14 rebounds led the Kings to a game-one win (95-87). However, game two saw Buford ejected after a chaotic match featuring hard hits on Kouat Noi and Sam Waardenburg, and a striking foul on Tim Soares. Cairns took advantage of the tension, winning 93-82 to force a decisive game three.

In game three, Dejan Vasiljevic stepped up with 15 points and 5 rebounds, hitting three crucial triples to lead the Kings to a 79-64 win, propelling them into the championship series.

The Kings faced New Zealand in the Grand Final. New Zealand took game one (95-87), with William McDowell-White scoring 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists, while Barry Brown Jr (19 points) and Jarrell Brantley (16 points and 7 rebounds) added firepower. Simon led Sydney with 18 points and 6 steals, though Walton Jr’s injury limited his effectiveness.

Sydney tied the series in game two, despite limited minutes from Walton Jr (4:50) and Cooks (9:05). Simon (12 points, 9 rebounds, 6 steals) and Noi (20 points) led Sydney, holding New Zealand to just 36% shooting.

Back in Sydney for game three, the Kings defeated the Breakers in front of an NBL-record crowd (91-68). Walton Jr (12 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds) overcame injury concerns, while Cooks added 10 points and 8 rebounds.

The Breakers took game four in Auckland (80-70), forcing a game five. Brantley (23 points), McDowell-White (19 points), and Brown Jr (20 points) delivered for New Zealand, while Walton Jr (18 points) and Glover (12 points) led Sydney.

In game five, Sydney broke their own attendance record (18,124) and clinched the championship with a 77-69 win, marking their first back-to-back titles since 2003-2005. Walton Jr (21 points, 6 assists) earned Finals MVP, while Cooks contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds. Brown Jr (22 points) led New Zealand off the bench.

A record-breaking 67,811 fans attended the series.

2023/24
Heading into the NBL24 season, Sydney undertook a significant rebuild after multiple key departures to the NBA. Reigning NBL MVP Xavier Cooks and DJ Vasiljevic both signed with the Washington Wizards, while head coach Chase Buford accepted an NBA opportunity with Milwaukee. Imports Derrick Walton Jr, Justin Simon, and Tim Soares also moved overseas, leaving Jordan Hunter as the lone returning starter from their championship squad.

To fortify the roster, former league MVP Jaylen Adams rejoined Sydney after a stint in Europe, and the Kings added new imports DJ Hogg (from Cairns) and Denzel Valentine. Sydney also brought in former NBA player and Australian Boomer Jonah Bolden, who was making a return to basketball after a four-year hiatus. To steer the team, G-League championship-winning coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah replaced Buford. Despite the extensive roster changes, Sydney entered the season as favourites for the title.

After their first ten games, Sydney held a solid second position on the ladder (7-3), having suffered losses only to the Tasmania JackJumpers (twice) and Cairns Taipans. This record was achieved even with marquee player DJ Hogg missing the season’s first half and Jaylin Galloway sidelined by injury.

However, starting from Round 8, the Kings struggled to maintain the dominance they had displayed in previous years. Defensive issues saw them concede 100 points or more on nine different occasions, and they closed the season as one of the weaker defensive teams in the league.

Offensively, much of Sydney’s production came from the pick-and-roll dynamic between Adams (19.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.1 steals) and Hunter (10.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks). Bolden contributed solid performances with 8.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists, though he spent most of the season regaining his basketball form. On the other hand, Valentine (12.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.1 steals) and Hogg (14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.3 blocks) fell short of expectations on both ends of the court.

The Kings finished fifth on the ladder and missed the playoffs, eliminated by New Zealand in the play-in qualifiers. Despite the team’s struggles, standout seasons from rookie Alex Toohey (8 points, 4.0 rebounds), Kouat Noi (10.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist), who nearly won the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award, and Galloway (10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 steals) were among the season’s few bright spots.

Hunter solidified his role as the starting center for the Kings, averaging 10.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks, and achieved a career milestone with his 100th NBL game during a round one win over Illawarra. His standout games in October included a 22-point, 8-rebound performance with 1 steal against Adelaide. In this 109-100 victory over the 36ers, Hunter shot 8 of 10 from the field and was a perfect 6 of 6 from the free-throw line. The following week, he put up 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 1 steal while shooting 8/11 from the field and 4/5 at the free-throw line in a 99-86 win over Perth.

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX
2024/25
Hunter signed a two-year contract with South East Melbourne for the NBL25 season, which includes an Asia out-clause.

Phoenix General Manager of Basketball Simon Mitchell expressed high expectations, predicting that Hunter could become one of the league’s top centers by season’s end.

“Jordan has shown what he is capable of on court in arguably the toughest position, he is at the perfect period in his career to explode and dominate,” Mitchell stated. “The Phoenix are looking forward to Jordan forming a pivotal piece of our team puzzle moving forward.”

Hunter joins Angus Glover and Nathan Sobey as Phoenix’s latest off-season acquisitions, positioning the team as strong contenders for the upcoming season.

Jordan Hunter currently plays for the South East Melbourne Phoenix and has played 131 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 6.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 0.5 assists since entering the league in 2019.

CURRENT CONTRACT:

South East Melbourne Phoenix – 3 Year Deal (2024-27)

Dan Boyce (815 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.