BIO: Dontae Russo-Nance was born in Auckland (NZ). He attended Saint Kentigern College and played as a junior for Waitakere Basketball, where he won three national championships across different age groups before moving to the US for high school. Playing at the Oak Hill Academy, a prestigious school that has produced multiple NBA stars including Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and Rajon Rondo he was selected as one of 40 top international prospects from around the world to compete in the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp in Salt Lake City, which took place during the famed NBA All-Star 2023 weekend.

“He’s a strong combo-guard who has already had good success in the NZNBL, and teaming up with Ben Henshall, the Wildcats’ future backcourt will have the opportunity to learn from the likes of Bryce Cotton and the Webster brothers” said head coach John Rillie upon signing Russo-Nance.

“He can score in multiple ways, while also having the ability to play-make for his teammates. He has the physical tools to compete at the NBL level from day one.”

NBL EXPERIENCE

Dontae Russo-Nance made his NBL debut with the Perth Wildcats at 18 years of age. He scored four points in his first game.

Russo-Nance joined Perth on a three-year deal as a development player for NBL24, with the original agreement seeing him elevated to the main roster for the following two seasons. The New Zealand guard arrived after winning the 2022 NZNBL Youth Player of the Year award and spending time at Oak Hill Academy in the United States.

Perth opened the season with a 101-95 win over Tasmania, although he did not take the court.

Russo-Nance (2.7 points across 3 games) made his NBL debut against South East Melbourne on October 1, finishing with 4 points, 1 assist, and 1 steal in four minutes as Perth lost 110-99, with Henshall (24 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals) leading the Wildcats and Tyler Cook (23 points and 10 rebounds) and Mitch Creek (23 points and 9 rebounds) leading the Phoenix.

A foot injury limited his availability through the middle of the season before Russo-Nance scored another 4 points and 1 steal against Brisbane on January 19 as Perth won 118-86. A wrist injury then ended his debut season early as the Wildcats finished second with a 17-11 record.

2024/25
After being eliminated by Tasmania in the 2024 semifinals, Perth farewelled Alexandre Sarr (to Washington), Jordan Usher (to France), Corey Webster (to Auckland) and Kyle Zunic (to Keilor). John Rillie returned for his third season as head coach and retained captain Jesse Wagstaff, Bryce Cotton, Keanu Pinder, Kristian Doolittle, Tai Webster, Hyrum Harris, Ben Henshall and David Okwera. Elijah Pepper (via UC Davis), Next Star Izan Almansa (via G League Ignite) and Dylan Windler (via Atlanta) joined the roster, Michael Harris was promoted from the development group and Todd Withers (via Warwick) signed as a nominated replacement player, while Dontae Russo-Nance and Thomas Gerovich filled the development positions.

The Auckland guard entered the second season of the three-year contract he signed in May 2023. Although the original agreement was expected to elevate him onto Perth’s main roster after one year, the Wildcats retained him as a development player for NBL25 before a planned promotion in 2025/26. He returned to Perth after averaging 11.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists across seven games with the Otago Nuggets, having said when signing, “I just want to work with the older guys … and just be a sponge and learn from them.”

After remaining outside the rotation across Perth’s opening eight games, Russo-Nance (1.2 points across 9 games) received brief opportunities off the bench and did not make a start during his second NBL campaign.

Russo-Nance’s best scoring game came against Adelaide at the Entertainment Centre on December 28, where he made the first two three-pointers of his NBL career and finished with 6 points, 1 rebound, and 1 steal in 1:30 as Perth won 116-92. Windler (24 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 blocks) and Pinder (23 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocks) led the Wildcats, while Dejan Vasiljevic (23 points and 5 rebounds) was Adelaide’s best. Perth made 21 three-pointers, its highest total of the 40-minute era.

Cotton (28.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.2 steals across 24 games) led the league in scoring, while Pinder (15.1 points and 6.3 rebounds across 25 games), Doolittle (14 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists across 24 games) and Windler (11.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals across 24 games) formed Perth’s other leading group. Henshall (9.8 points and 3.1 rebounds across 28 games), Webster (8.3 points across 16 games), Almansa (7.6 points and 4.3 rebounds across 29 games), Pepper (7.6 points across 29 games) and Withers (5.8 points across 14 games) completed the main rotation. Cotton won his fifth Andrew Gaze Trophy, another Fans’ MVP award, an All-NBL First Team selection and the Gordon Ellis Medal as club MVP, while Doolittle received the Players’ Player and Best Defensive Player awards, Henshall was named Most Improved and Hyrum Harris (2.9 points across 26 games) received the Coaches’ Award. Russo-Nance was not used during Perth’s closing regular-season games as the Wildcats finished third with an 18-11 record.

Perth opened the postseason against South East Melbourne at the Perth High Performance Centre, where Russo-Nance (0 points in 1:26) appeared during the closing stages as the Wildcats won 122-105. Pinder (35 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks), Cotton (27 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Doolittle (20 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists) led Perth, while Angus Glover (25 points and 2 steals), Matt Hurt (24 points and 3 steals) and Nathan Sobey (22 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists) were the Phoenix’s leading performers.

Russo-Nance was not used during the semifinal series. Game one moved to John Cain Arena, where Pinder (24 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists), Doolittle (22 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Cotton (22 points and 6 assists) led Perth, while Chris Goulding (41 points), Ian Clark (22 points) and Jack White (13 points and 10 rebounds) carried Melbourne to a 105-93 victory.

Facing elimination at RAC Arena, Perth recovered from a 20-point deficit to win game two 96-89 behind Windler (27 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks), Cotton (18 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Doolittle (17 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists), while Goulding (15 points), Matthew Dellavedova (13 points, 8 rebounds, and 12 assists) and Clark (13 points) led Melbourne.

Game three returned to John Cain Arena, where Doolittle (37 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals), Cotton (33 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) and Pinder (15 points and 5 rebounds) led Perth, while Clark (38 points), Goulding (30 points and 4 rebounds), White (15 points and 9 rebounds) and Dellavedova (10 points, 4 rebounds, and 11 assists) carried Melbourne. Wagstaff (3 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 steal) tied the scores with a three-pointer with 2.9 seconds remaining, but Dellavedova found Goulding under the basket and Henshall (9 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) was called for a foul with 0.8 seconds left. Goulding made the first free throw and deliberately missed the second as Melbourne won 113-112 and took the series 2-1.

2025/26
A place on Perth’s full roster marked the next step for Dontae Russo-Nance, who was elevated after spending his first two Wildcats seasons as a development player. The Auckland guard entered the season after a breakout NZNBL campaign with the Manawatu Jets, averaging 18.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.5 steals. Perth was coming off a 113-112 loss to Melbourne in the deciding semifinal, which left the Wildcats one point short of the Championship Series, while five-time league MVP Bryce Cotton (to Adelaide), Keanu Pinder (to Akita), Hyrum Harris (to Kanazawa), Michael Harris (to Adelaide) and Izan Almansa (to Madrid) departed during the off-season.

John Rillie returned for his fourth season as head coach, with Kristian Doolittle, Dylan Windler, Ben Henshall, Elijah Pepper, captain Jesse Wagstaff, David Okwera, Russo-Nance and Thomas Gerovich remaining from the previous roster. Jo Lual-Acuil Jr (via Alexandria), Sunday Dech (via Adelaide), Lat Mayen (via Adelaide), Mason Jones (via Stockton), Next Star Noa Kouakou-Heugue (via France), Jaron Rillie (via Northern Colorado) and development player Cameron Huefner (via Sam Houston State) joined the Wildcats.

Perth opened the season against Tasmania at RAC Arena on September 20, where Russo-Nance contributed 4 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist in 12:05 off the bench. Jones (16 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Lual-Acuil Jr (15 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block) led the Wildcats, but Bryce Hamilton (26 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) carried the JackJumpers to a 75-72 victory.

Russo-Nance (2.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists across 28 games) made seven starts and increased his playing time from 3.1 minutes per game during the previous season to 10.3 minutes. He moved between point guard and shooting guard, providing additional ball-handling and defensive pressure during his first season as a fully contracted roster member.

His first start came in his hometown of Auckland against New Zealand on September 27, where Russo-Nance finished with 4 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 steals in 19:57. Lual-Acuil Jr (21 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks), Windler (20 points and 15 rebounds) and Doolittle (16 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Perth, while Parker Jackson-Cartwright (18 points and 5 assists), Karim Lopez (16 points and 7 rebounds) and Izayah Le’afa (14 points, 3 assists, and 3 steals) were New Zealand’s best. The Wildcats answered a 15-0 Breakers run with 17 consecutive points of their own to record their first win of the season, 89-78.

Russo-Nance produced his best rebounding performance against Tasmania at MyState Bank Arena on October 29, collecting 3 points, a season-high 7 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals in 16:44. Perth trailed by 17 points during the opening quarter before Lual-Acuil Jr (23 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists), Pepper (19 points) and Okwera (13 points and 6 rebounds) led the comeback. Hamilton (26 points) was Tasmania’s leading scorer as the Wildcats won 95-84 and improved to 5-4.

After Perth began the season with a 3-2 record, Jones (11.4 points across five games) was released and David Duke Jr (via San Antonio) arrived as his replacement. Duke Jr (12.1 points and 3.2 assists across 19 games) strengthened Perth’s backcourt before suffering a serious elbow injury against Adelaide in December, creating additional opportunities for Russo-Nance, Henshall, Dech and Pepper during the second half of the season.

Russo-Nance recorded the highest-scoring game of his NBL career against Sydney at Qudos Bank Arena on February 15. Starting in place of the injured Henshall, he made five of six field-goal attempts and two of three three-pointers to finish with 12 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists in 19:17. Doolittle (19 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists), Pepper (14 points and 10 rebounds) and Lual-Acuil Jr (12 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks) provided Perth’s other main contributions, while Kendric Davis (30 points), Makuach Maluach (18 points and 4 rebounds), Xavier Cooks (14 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Tim Soares (14 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks) led Sydney to a 102-84 win. Russo-Nance left the game with a lower-leg injury, although Rillie expected the issue to be minor.

Doolittle (17.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists across 37 games) and Lual-Acuil Jr (16.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks across 37 games) carried the largest offensive load for Perth. Windler (13 points and 6.8 rebounds across 32 games), Pepper (10.3 points and 3.3 rebounds across 37 games) and Henshall (8.7 points and 3.5 rebounds across 34 games) supplied the other leading contributions.

Doolittle earned All-NBL First Team honours and collected the Gordon Ellis Medal as Perth’s club MVP, along with the Wildcats’ Best Defensive Player award. Wagstaff (3.2 points across 35 games) received the Players’ Player award, Gerovich (0 points across five games) was presented with the Coaches Award, and Okwera earned Most Improved Player honours.

Russo-Nance did not play in Perth’s final regular-season game after entering the week with an ankle concern. Pepper (22 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Lual-Acuil Jr (21 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 block) led the Wildcats against Adelaide at RAC Arena on February 20, while Nick Rakocevic (18 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks) was the 36ers’ best. Perth won 86-74 to secure fourth place with a 21-12 record.

Russo-Nance returned for the Seeding Qualifier against South East Melbourne at John Cain Arena, finishing with 2 points and 3 assists in 8:05. Doolittle (22 points and 6 rebounds), Windler (13 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 blocks) and Henshall (11 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Perth, but Nathan Sobey (24 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists), Owen Foxwell (18 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals) and Ian Clark (16 points) powered the Phoenix to a 111-94 win.

Perth then hosted Melbourne in an elimination game at RAC Arena, where Russo-Nance made both of his field-goal attempts, including a three-pointer during Perth’s first-quarter run, to finish with 5 points and 1 rebound in 3:30. Lual-Acuil Jr (28 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 blocks), Doolittle (24 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) and Windler (18 points and 9 rebounds) led the Wildcats, while Milton Doyle (13 points), Tyson Walker (12 points) and Jesse Edwards (12 points and 8 rebounds) were Melbourne’s best. Perth overturned a nine-point half-time deficit by outscoring United 51-24 after the break, winning 95-77 to reach the semifinals.

Russo-Nance recorded one assist in 1:35 during game one against Sydney at Qudos Bank Arena. Doolittle (31 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals), Duke Jr (20 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists) and Lual-Acuil Jr (19 points and 12 rebounds) led Perth, while Davis (35 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals), Torrey Craig (20 points and 9 rebounds) and Matthew Dellavedova (11 points and 3 assists) led the Kings. The Wildcats received several opportunities from the final possession but could not convert, allowing Sydney to escape with a 105-104 victory.

In game two at RAC Arena, Russo-Nance made both of his three-point attempts and finished with 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals in 9:41. Henshall (20 points and 6 rebounds), Doolittle (15 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Lual-Acuil Jr (9 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) led Perth, while Davis (27 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists), Maluach (23 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) and Craig (12 points and 7 rebounds) led Sydney. The Kings took control after half-time and won 89-75, completing the 2-0 semifinal sweep and ending Perth’s season.

Perth confirmed Russo-Nance’s departure in June after three seasons with the Wildcats. He signed with Pepperdine University for the 2026/27 college season, ending his first professional chapter to continue his development in the United States.

Dontae Russo-Nance played three seasons with the Perth Wildcats. He averaged 2.4 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 40 NBL games.