BIO: Eric Jacobsen was born in Chandler, Arizona (USA).

NBL EXPERIENCE

Eric Jacobsen made his NBL debut with the Adelaide 36ers at 29 years of age. He scored three points in his first game.

After finishing fifth with a 14–14 record and missing the playoffs, Adelaide retained Jerome Randle while Adam Gibson (to Brisbane), Anthony Petrie (to Brisbane), Ebi Ere (to SLUC Nancy) and Lucas Walker (to Perth) departed. Walker had not been re-signed by Adelaide and joined Perth as an injury replacement for Matthew Knight. Coach Joey Wright added Anthony Drmic (via Boise State), Majok Deng (via Louisiana-Monroe), Eric Jacobsen (via Arizona State), Adam Doyle (via Forestville) and Terrance Ferguson (via high school). After going undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft and playing Summer League with Cleveland, Jacobsen secured Adelaide’s final roster spot in July. Ferguson chose to play professionally in the NBL rather than attend college, a move which later helped pave the way for the league’s Next Stars Program, while most experts predicted Adelaide’s young roster to finish last.

Adelaide opened the season at WIN Entertainment Centre on October 7, where Jacobsen (3 points and 5 rebounds) started in his NBL debut as the 36ers were beaten 122–88. Creek (24 points), Deng (13 points and 6 rebounds) and Randle (13 points and 3 assists) led Adelaide, while Rotnei Clarke (23 points and 6 assists) and Marvelle Harris (21 points, 7 assists, and 3 steals) led Illawarra.

Jacobsen (6.8 points and 5.9 rebounds across 31 games) played in all 28 regular-season games and all three playoff games and did not miss a game through injury. He started Adelaide’s first nine games before moving to the bench on November 24 and remained in a reserve role for the rest of the season.

With NBA scouts from a number of teams following Adelaide early in the season, Wright said of Jacobsen, “I expect to see Eric Jacobsen in a Summer League jersey next year.”

Jacobsen recorded his only double-double of the season against Melbourne at Titanium Security Arena on October 14, finishing with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 assists. Randle (20 points), Sobey (15 points and 3 assists), Ferguson (13 points) and Johnson (13 points and 9 rebounds) provided support, while Tai Wesley (18 points) and Todd Blanchfield (17 points and 5 rebounds) led Melbourne to a 98–87 win. Creek left the game after suffering a stress fracture in his right foot and was subsequently ruled out for eight weeks.

Creek (12.1 points and 5.4 rebounds across 21 games) missed nine games while recovering from the foot injury and later sat out another with general soreness, while Johnson (15.1 points and 7.1 rebounds across 29 games) missed two games with a hamstring injury. Jacobsen remained available throughout both absences.

Jacobsen’s best game of the season came against Perth at Perth Arena on November 5, where Jacobsen (14 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) made six of eight field goals as Adelaide recovered from an 18-point deficit and briefly took the lead late in the fourth quarter. Randle (40 points, 3 rebounds, and 9 assists), Drmic (17 points) and Sobey (14 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals) led the comeback, while Casey Prather (28 points and 8 assists) and Jaron Johnson (20 points) led Perth to a 106–103 win.

A week later Jacobsen (5 points, 15 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block) collected a season-high 15 rebounds against Illawarra, combining with Hodgson (18 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Sobey (16 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists) to control the glass. Clarke (13 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists), Mitchell Norton (13 points and 3 assists) and Harris (11 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals) led Illawarra to an 85–74 win.

Adelaide fell to 3–6 and last place against Brisbane on November 19, where Jacobsen (9 points and 7 rebounds), Sobey (24 points) and Johnson (20 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists) were unable to contain Torrey Craig (34 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Petrie (23 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks) as the Bullets won 105–87.

Five days later Jacobsen (4 points and 3 rebounds) moved to the bench as Randle (22 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals), Johnson (18 points and 6 rebounds) and Sobey (18 points) led Adelaide to a 101–83 road win over Brisbane, while Craig (20 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 steals) led the Bullets. The victory began an eight-game winning streak which carried Adelaide from last place to first.

Jacobsen produced another strong performance against Sydney at Titanium Security Arena on January 21, finishing with 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks off the bench as Adelaide defeated the Kings 87–73. Randle (19 points and 11 assists), Creek (17 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Sobey (13 points and 6 assists) led the 36ers, while Tom Garlepp (15 points) and Kevin Lisch (13 points and 6 rebounds) were Sydney’s best. The victory gave Adelaide 14 wins from its previous 15 games and secured first place with three rounds remaining.

Jacobsen’s highest scoring game came in Wollongong on January 28, where Jacobsen (16 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals) made seven of 10 field goals off the bench. Johnson (22 points and 5 rebounds), Sobey (16 points and 7 assists) and Randle (15 points and 5 assists) provided support, but Clarke (25 points and 3 steals), Harris (14 points and 6 rebounds) and AJ Ogilvy (10 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 blocks) led Illawarra to a 95–92 win.

Adelaide lost its final four regular-season games, including a 98–89 home loss to Cairns on February 11 where Jacobsen (6 points and 6 rebounds), Randle (24 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Creek (16 points and 9 rebounds) led the 36ers, while Travis Trice (18 points) and Cameron Gliddon (16 points and 5 assists) led the Taipans. Despite the late losing streak, Adelaide finished first with a 17–11 record, two games clear of the rest of the competition.

Randle (21.3 points and 5.4 assists across 31 games) led Adelaide in scoring and was named NBL Most Valuable Player and selected to the All-NBL First Team. Sobey (15.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists across 31 games) was selected to the All-NBL Second Team and named Most Improved Player, while Johnson joined Randle on the All-NBL First Team. Drmic (6 points and 3.2 rebounds across 30 games) was named Rookie of the Year, Hodgson (5.6 points and 5.7 rebounds across 31 games) provided another consistent presence inside and Wright was named Coach of the Year.

Adelaide opened its semifinal series against fourth-placed Illawarra at Titanium Security Arena, where Jacobsen (2 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block) provided minutes off the bench and rejected AJ Ogilvy at the rim, while Randle (26 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals), Sobey (16 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists), Johnson (16 points and 7 rebounds) and Creek (11 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 steals) led the 36ers. Tim Coenraad (26 points and 4 rebounds) was Illawarra’s best as Adelaide won 93–78 and took a 1–0 series lead. Jacobsen was later cited for striking Michael Holyfield with 19 seconds remaining, accepted an early guilty plea and received a $375 fine without missing a game.

Game two moved to WIN Entertainment Centre, where Jacobsen (12 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks), Randle (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists) and Johnson (17 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led Adelaide, while Coenraad (17 points and 10 rebounds), Norton (17 points) and Clarke (15 points) led Illawarra. Ogilvy was later cited for tripping Jacobsen late in the game as the Hawks won 100–94 and levelled the series.

The deciding game returned to Titanium Security Arena, where Jacobsen (4 points and 5 rebounds), Randle (26 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Sobey (22 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) helped Adelaide fight back after Illawarra had built a 21-point lead, but Clarke (20 points) and Harris (17 points) steadied the Hawks as Illawarra won 106–98 and eliminated Adelaide 2–1.

Eric Jacobsen played one season in the NBL. He averaged 6.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 31 NBL games.