NBL EXPERIENCE

Sean MacDonald made his NBL debut with the Tasmania JackJumpers at 21 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

Sean MacDonald signed as a development player with the Tasmania JackJumpers for their debut NBL season. Although his court time was limited, MacDonald was part of a remarkable “Cinderella” season for the JackJumpers, who finished with a 17-11 record and reached the NBL Grand Finals series. They ultimately lost the championship to the Sydney Kings in three games.

2022/23
After reaching the NBL Championship Series in their inaugural season, Tasmania entered NBL23 with most of its roster retained. Leading scorer Josh Adams (to Cedevita Olimpija) and MiKyle McIntosh (to Saga Ballooners) were the major departures, with head coach Scott Roth recruiting Milton Doyle (via Gaziantep) and Rashard Kelly (via JDA Dijon) as their replacements.

MacDonald returned for his second season as a development player after signing a one-year deal which included an option to become a contracted roster player. His development had also earned him selection in an Australian Boomers squad. “Sean is a fantastic young athlete who really made the most of his first year with us,” Roth said.

The JackJumpers began the season shorthanded, with Will Magnay continuing his recovery from a foot injury and captain Clint Steindl sidelined by the knee injury suffered while representing Australia at the FIBA Asia Cup. Isaac White (via Illawarra) and Tristan Forsyth (via South East Melbourne) were added as injury replacements.

Tasmania opened the season against South East Melbourne at John Cain Arena on October 1, where MacDonald (11 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists) made three three-pointers off the bench, while McVeigh (20 points and 5 rebounds) and Kelly (18 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) led the JackJumpers. Adnam (30 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) carried South East Melbourne to an 84-79 win.

MacDonald (6.3 points across 32 games) appeared in every game and made two starts, with his role increasing while Steindl was sidelined and remaining part of the rotation after the captain returned. Further losses to Cairns and New Zealand left Tasmania 0-3 and equal last with Brisbane before MacDonald (2 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist) played 29 minutes in a 90-86 overtime win against the Bullets at MyState Bank Arena on October 9. Doyle (32 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists) and McVeigh (17 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Tasmania, while Johnson (24 points and 3 assists) was Brisbane’s best, with the victory beginning a four-game winning streak which moved the JackJumpers into the top six, where they remained for the rest of the season.

MacDonald’s best scoring game came against Melbourne at John Cain Arena on November 26, where he finished with 14 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal on 6-of-11 shooting as Tasmania closed the game on a 13-4 run to win 94-90. Doyle (23 points) and McVeigh (17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks) led the JackJumpers, while Tucker (23 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) was Melbourne’s best.

MacDonald signed a new two-year contract in January which kept him with Tasmania through the end of the 2024/25 season, with the guard remaining a development player in NBL24 before being elevated to the full roster in NBL25. “I’m absolutely loving being a part of this group and feel like this is where I’ll get the best out of myself,” MacDonald said.

Doyle (17.2 points, 5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.7 steals) led Tasmania in scoring, was selected to the All-NBL First Team and won the club MVP award, while McVeigh (14.8 points and 4.6 rebounds) increased his scoring for a fifth consecutive season, finished as the JackJumpers’ leading Australian scorer and was voted Fan Favourite. Kelly (12.1 points and 6.2 rebounds) led Tasmania in rebounding and was a finalist for Best Sixth Man, while Magette (10.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2 steals), Magnay (5.9 points and 4.1 rebounds), White (5.3 points across 28 games) and Krslovic (5.2 points and 3.2 rebounds) completed the main rotation. Tasmania conceded 81.7 points per game, the second-fewest in the NBL, while splitting its 14 home games at 7-7.

MacDonald was one of three finalists for the NBL Most Improved Player award and finished third with 34 votes before receiving Tasmania’s Coaches Award and placing fifth in the club MVP count with 40 votes. Magnay was named the club’s Defensive Player of the Year and White received the Players Award.

Tasmania’s final regular-season game came against Illawarra at the WIN Entertainment Centre on February 4, where MacDonald (7 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists), Doyle (20 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists) and McVeigh (14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) helped the JackJumpers win 87-63 and secure fourth place with a 16-12 record, while Harvey (13 points) led Illawarra. The victory came at a major cost when Magette (5 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) received an accidental elbow from Hickey, suffering a broken cheekbone and fractured eye socket which required surgery and ruled him out of the postseason.

Without Magette, Roth split greater point-guard responsibility between Weeks and MacDonald, with White also helping initiate the offence when Tasmania faced Cairns in the Seeding Qualifier. MacDonald (5 points, 1 rebound, and 2 assists), Doyle (25 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals), White (18 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Kelly (11 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal) led the JackJumpers, while McCall (24 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) and Scott (17 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) were Cairns’ best as Tasmania won 87-79 at the Cairns Convention Centre and advanced to face second-seeded New Zealand.

Game one of the semifinals saw Tasmania record its third-lowest score of the season in an 88-68 loss at Spark Arena. MacDonald (6 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals) provided defensive pressure, while Kelly (12 points and 4 rebounds) and Doyle (10 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals) were Tasmania’s only players to reach double figures, with Pardon (15 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and McDowell-White (13 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists) leading New Zealand.

Game two moved to MyState Bank Arena, where MacDonald (3 points and 3 rebounds) made the first start of his NBL career, while Doyle (23 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals), McVeigh (16 points and 3 rebounds) and Kenyon (11 points and 6 rebounds) led Tasmania to an 89-78 victory. Brown Jr (19 points and 3 steals), Brantley (17 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks) and Pardon (15 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 steals) led New Zealand as the JackJumpers forced a deciding game.

Game three returned to Spark Arena, where MacDonald (14 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) made his second consecutive start and joined McVeigh (22 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 block) and Kelly (16 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 block) in leading Tasmania, while Brown Jr (32 points and 3 steals), Pardon (15 points, 14 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Brantley (14 points and 7 rebounds) carried New Zealand to a 92-77 win and a place in the NBL Championship Series.

2023/24
A second straight postseason appearance ended with Tasmania losing the deciding Playoff game to New Zealand in 2022/23 after finishing fourth with a 16-12 record, and coach Scott Roth reshaped the supporting cast while keeping most of his core together. Sam McDaniel (to Brisbane), Isaac White (to Brisbane), Matt Kenyon (to South East Melbourne), Rashard Kelly (to Lithuania), Jarrad Weeks (retired) and Josh Magette (retired) departed. Roth added Anthony Drmic (via Adelaide), Junior Madut (via South East Melbourne), Tre Armstrong (via California Baptist), Marcus Lee (via Melbourne), Jordon Crawford (via Puerto Rico) and Majok Deng (via Cairns), while captain Clint Steindl, Jack McVeigh, Milton Doyle, Will Magnay, Fabijan Krslovic and Sean MacDonald returned.

Tasmania opened the season at RAC Arena on September 29, where MacDonald (2 points and 2 assists) played 10 minutes off the bench as Perth defeated the JackJumpers 101-95. McVeigh (22 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 block) and Doyle (18 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 1 steal) led Tasmania, while Jordan Usher (35 points and 3 rebounds) was Perth’s best.

MacDonald (8 points across 37 games) entered NBL24 as a development player in the first season of the two-year deal he had signed in January 2023, with the contract guaranteeing his elevation to the full roster for NBL25. “I’m absolutely loving being a part of this group and feel like this is where I’ll get the best out of myself,” MacDonald said when signing the deal. He appeared in every game, averaged 22.8 minutes and cemented himself as Roth’s first guard off the bench, while also becoming just the fifth player to reach 50 games for the JackJumpers.

MacDonald’s best scoring game came against New Zealand at MyState Bank Arena on January 1, where he made seven of his nine three-point attempts and finished with a career-high 23 points, 1 rebound, and 3 assists. McVeigh (17 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Lee (14 points, 13 rebounds, and 1 block) provided support, while Parker Jackson-Cartwright (27 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) led the Breakers as New Zealand came from behind to defeat Tasmania 98-93.

An ankle injury to Deng (7.5 points across 26 games) on Christmas Day led Tasmania to sign Tom Vodanovich (1.2 points across 9 games) for the remainder of the season. Lachlan Barker (1.3 points across 11 games) was elevated as Deng’s nominated replacement player, Madut (1.6 points across 11 games) was deactivated and Majok Majok’s short-term replacement contract ended, although he remained with the group as a training player.

MacDonald (2 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, and 2 steals) contributed in Tasmania’s final regular-season game against Perth on February 17 as the JackJumpers won 86-72, with Doyle (24 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) and McVeigh (20 points and 10 rebounds) leading the way while Alexandre Sarr (17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) was Perth’s best. The victory was Tasmania’s fourth in a row and completed a 16-12 regular season that saw the JackJumpers finish third.

McVeigh (17.3 points and 5.9 rebounds across 37 games) led Tasmania in scoring, followed by Crawford (16.1 points and 3.2 assists across 37 games) and Doyle (15.7 points, 5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.2 steals across 36 games), while Magnay (10.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks across 27 games), Drmic (6.8 points and 4.7 rebounds across 37 games) and Lee (6.1 points and 5.4 rebounds across 34 games) rounded out the main rotation. MacDonald’s improvement was recognised when he won the Hungry Jack’s NBL Most Improved Player Award with 48 votes, while he also finished third for Best Sixth Man with 28 votes, only one behind Magnay. McVeigh and Doyle were selected to the All-NBL Second Team, while McVeigh won the JackJumpers MVP, Doyle was named Fan Favourite, Magnay received the Defensive Player and Players’ Awards and Bairstow (1.3 points across 16 games) received the Coaches’ Award.

Tasmania opened the postseason at MyState Bank Arena against Illawarra, where MacDonald (10 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) provided an important contribution off the bench as the JackJumpers won the Seeding Qualifier 92-76. McVeigh (26 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 steals), Magnay (25 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals, and 4 blocks) and Crawford (20 points) led Tasmania, while Gary Clark (21 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 block) and Tyler Harvey (15 points) were Illawarra’s best.

Game one of the Playoff series moved to RAC Arena, where MacDonald (5 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist), Crawford (19 points and 3 assists), McVeigh (17 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Lee (16 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal) led Tasmania, but Keanu Pinder (25 points and 7 rebounds) and Bryce Cotton (15 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists) helped Perth take the series opener 89-81.

Tasmania responded at MyState Bank Arena, where MacDonald (12 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) took on a greater defensive role against Cotton and helped the JackJumpers come from 12 points down to win 102-94. Doyle (24 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 steal), McVeigh (22 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block) and Deng (18 points and 5 rebounds) led Tasmania, while Cotton (26 points and 3 steals) and Kristian Doolittle (20 points and 9 rebounds) were Perth’s best as the series was tied at 1-1.

The deciding game returned to RAC Arena, where MacDonald (9 points, 1 rebound, and 5 assists) again played important minutes against Cotton, helping deny the four-time MVP the ball and holding him without an assist. McVeigh (27 points and 6 rebounds), Doyle (24 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals) and Magnay (18 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) powered Tasmania to a 100-84 win, while Cotton (21 points and 4 rebounds) and Hyrum Harris (13 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Perth as the JackJumpers advanced to the Championship Series.

MacDonald’s role increased again against Melbourne, averaging 29 minutes across the five-game Championship Series in what was widely regarded as the best Finals campaign by a development player in NBL history. Game one at John Cain Arena saw MacDonald (6 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists), Drmic (18 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal), Doyle (16 points and 8 rebounds) and McVeigh (13 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists) lead Tasmania, but Chris Goulding (22 points and 4 rebounds), Jo Lual-Acuil Jr (20 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) and Ian Clark (18 points and 6 rebounds) powered Melbourne to a 104-81 win.

Game two moved to Hobart, where MacDonald (13 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists) played almost 30 minutes and was preferred to Crawford down the stretch as Tasmania recovered from 15 points behind to win 82-77. McVeigh (16 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block), Doyle (13 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) and Crawford (13 points and 4 assists) contributed, while Shea Ili (20 points), Goulding (19 points and 2 steals) and Lual-Acuil Jr (9 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks) led Melbourne as the JackJumpers tied the series.

Game three returned to John Cain Arena, where MacDonald (13 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists) scored six of Tasmania’s final eight points in the first quarter and later made another important three-pointer as the JackJumpers stayed within reach. McVeigh (18 points and 12 rebounds), Deng (15 points and 1 block) and Doyle (14 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) led Tasmania, while Matthew Dellavedova (21 points, 8 assists, and 3 steals), Goulding (17 points) and Luke Travers (14 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 blocks) were Melbourne’s best. McVeigh then made a long three-pointer at the buzzer to give Tasmania a 93-91 win and a 2-1 series lead.

Melbourne answered in Hobart with an 88-86 win in game four, despite MacDonald (14 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist) producing his highest-scoring game of the series alongside McVeigh (28 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals), Doyle (14 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Crawford (14 points). Clark (18 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 block), Travers (17 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks) and Goulding (17 points) led United before McVeigh’s long attempt at another game-winner missed at the buzzer, forcing a deciding fifth game.

Roth elevated MacDonald (6 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, and 1 steal) into the starting lineup for game five at John Cain Arena, only his second start of the season, with Tasmania looking to add another ball-handler and put early pressure on Goulding. “I found out I was starting the day before when we were at the airport about to travel to Melbourne,” MacDonald later said. Crawford (32 points and 6 rebounds) scored 27 points in the first half, while McVeigh (14 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block), Magnay (11 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks) and Doyle (11 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 steals) helped Tasmania fight back from nine points down in the fourth quarter. Lual-Acuil Jr (14 points and 6 rebounds), Dellavedova (13 points and 7 assists), Travers (13 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks) and Goulding (13 points, 2 steals, and 1 block) led Melbourne. MacDonald drove off a McVeigh screen to score Tasmania’s final points before Dellavedova missed a potential game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer, giving the JackJumpers an 83-81 victory, a 3-2 series win and the first championship in club history. McVeigh was awarded the Larry Sengstock Trophy as Championship Series MVP.

2024/25
After defeating Melbourne United 3-2 to win the first championship in club history, Tasmania began its title defence under head coach Scott Roth and captain Clint Steindl without Grand Final MVP Jack McVeigh (to Houston), Marcus Lee (to Melbourne), Majok Majok (to South East Melbourne), Tom Vodanovich (to South East Melbourne), and Jarred Bairstow (to Brisbane). The JackJumpers retained Milton Doyle, Jordon Crawford, Will Magnay, Majok Deng, Anthony Drmic, Sean MacDonald, and Fabijan Krslovic, while adding Gorjok Gak (via South East Melbourne), Craig Sword (via Indiana Mad Ants), and Reuben Te Rangi (via South East Melbourne).

After three seasons as a development player, MacDonald was elevated to Tasmania’s full roster and signed an extension on May 2 that kept him contracted until the end of the 2025/26 season. The deal followed a championship campaign where he played every game, started the deciding game of the Championship Series and won the NBL’s Most Improved Player Award. General Manager of Basketball Mika Vukona said, “It would be an understatement to say we’re very proud of Sean and his development in the last 3 years. He has embraced everything our program is about, and he is proof of what can be achieved when you buy in and put in the work.”

MacDonald landed awkwardly and injured his ankle during Tasmania’s FIBA Intercontinental Cup campaign in Singapore, keeping him out of the first 12 games as the defending champions fell to a 4-8 record.

MacDonald (11.2 points and 3.8 assists across 9 games) returned against Brisbane at MyState Bank Arena on November 15 and immediately strengthened Tasmania’s backcourt. MacDonald (7 points, 1 rebound, 7 assists, and 1 steal) played 17:48 minutes off the bench as the JackJumpers defeated the Bullets 95-92, with Doyle (32 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists) making a career-best eight three-pointers and Magnay (14 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals) providing support, while Keandre Cook (23 points and 5 steals) led Brisbane.

His next appearance came in Adelaide on November 30, where MacDonald (15 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists) made the decisive shot with eight seconds remaining as Tasmania defeated the 36ers 77-73 and collected its third consecutive victory. Magnay (15 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks) and Drmic (14 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) helped the JackJumpers improve to 6-8, while Isaac Humphries (19 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 steals) led Adelaide.

MacDonald’s best scoring game came against Illawarra at the WIN Entertainment Centre on January 7, where he made five three-pointers and finished with 19 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. Deng (16 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Crawford (13 points and 4 assists) provided support, while Trey Kell III (19 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) led the Hawks to an 89-84 win. MacDonald suffered a foot injury during the loss and was ruled out for the remainder of the regular season.

Tasmania won seven of MacDonald’s nine appearances, with his return helping the JackJumpers transform a 4-8 start into an eight-game winning streak. Sword (6.3 points across 15 games) was released in December and replaced by Ian Hummer (via Osaka), but injuries to MacDonald, Magnay and Deng left Tasmania without several important rotation players during the final part of the season.

Crawford (16 points and 4.4 assists across 28 games) led Tasmania in scoring and won club MVP, while Doyle (14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.2 steals across 29 games) remained one of the team’s main creators. Magnay (13.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 1.6 blocks across 13 games) anchored the interior until suffering a fractured toe, with Deng (11.5 points and 5 rebounds across 26 games) and Drmic (8.1 points and 4 rebounds across 28 games) providing the other main contributions.

After improving to 11-8 during its winning streak, Tasmania managed only two victories from its final 10 games and finished seventh with a 13-16 record, missing the play-in tournament on percentage and the postseason for the first time in club history.

MacDonald remained sidelined for the annual Teal Game at MyState Bank Arena on February 8, where Deng (21 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Crawford (19 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block) led Tasmania to a 90-83 win over Cairns, while Tanner Groves (17 points and 8 rebounds) was the Taipans’ leading scorer.

Sean MacDonald played four seasons the Tasmania JackJumpers. He averaged 7 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists in 86 NBL games.