BIO: Born in the Sydney suburb of Caringbah, Isaac Humphries grew up in Cronulla and started playing basketball at the age of 12 with the Sutherland basketball program.

Humphries attended Scots College in Sydney and attended the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra before taking his game to the United States in December 2014 to play prep ball at La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana.

Humphries earned a scholarship to enrolled play at the University of Kentucky in 2015. Humphries received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 2014. He spent one year there and played for the program’s state league team.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Isaac Humphries made his NBL debut with the Sydney Kings at 19 years of age. He scored six points in his first game.

After going undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft, Isaac Humphries returned to Australia, signing with his hometown team, the Sydney Kings, on 27 July 2017. In his debut season with the Kings, Humphries averaged 6.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game, while shooting an efficient 58 percent from the field in 16 minutes per game. He made six starts across 26 appearances and was rewarded for his impressive season by being named the NBL Rookie of the Year.

The Kings finished the season with an 11-17 record, placing them in seventh on the NBL ladder.

Following his stint with the Kings, Humphries pursued opportunities in the NBA, spending time in the G-League and Europe in his continued efforts to achieve his NBA dream.

2020/21
Longtime head coach Joey Wright was released from the Adelaide 36ers at the end of the 2019/20 season, despite still being under contract. His departure followed accusations of abuse and bullying from players, among other off-court issues. Adelaide replaced Wright with former Perth assistant coach Conner Henry.

The 36ers began the season with Jack McVeigh, Obi Kyei, Brendan Teys, Daniel Dillon, and Alex Mudronja as contracted players.

On 12 March 2020, the 36ers announced the signing of Josh Giddey, who, one month earlier, had become the youngest Australian to debut for the Boomers since Ben Simmons. Giddey joined the team under the Next Stars program.

The fallout from the previous season continued with co-captain Kevin White being granted a release from his contract in April, while Harry Froling departed to sign with the Brisbane Bullets. Obi Kyei also requested a release to focus on his clothing line.

Adelaide quickly worked to rebuild their frontcourt, extending five-time club MVP Daniel Johnson’s contract for another three years. 2018 NBL Rookie of the Year Isaac Humphries, fresh from a stint in the NBA, was signed on a two-year deal, while 25-year-old Keanu Pinder, returning from Europe, also joined the team on a one-year contract.

On 22 July 2020, former Hawk Sunday Dech signed a three-year deal with the 36ers, and shortly after, the team announced import guard Donald Sloan as their first international signing. Veteran forward Tony Crocker was added as the second import to round out the roster.

In their season opener, Adelaide opted to start their young stars, Giddey (18 years) and Humphries (23 years), against Melbourne. However, they suffered a heavy loss (65-89). This prompted coach Henry to adjust the lineup for game two, bringing in Sloan to replace Giddey at the point and Pinder to swap roles with Humphries. The changes paid off with an eight-point win over South East Melbourne (116-108), earning Humphries NBL Player of the Week after his standout performance of 25 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks off the bench.

That game also saw a scary moment when Giddey fell on his head after a dunk, causing him to miss the next game as a precaution.

Adelaide’s third game saw Sloan return to the starting lineup, but the 36ers suffered another loss to South East Melbourne. Sloan was eventually sent back to the bench, with Giddey reclaiming the starting spot for the remainder of the season. Despite Sloan’s season-high 20 points off the bench in his next appearance, his dissatisfaction with the role led to a mutual release from his contract.

Despite some early promise with a 4-2 start, Adelaide’s momentum stalled when the NBL Cup, a bubble tournament in Melbourne, was introduced due to COVID-19. By the end of the NBL Cup, the 36ers had dropped from third to seventh place on the ladder.

Though the 36ers made roster adjustments, including signing former NBA player Brandon Paul and releasing Jeremy Kendle, the team’s playoff hopes dwindled after Humphries sustained an injury that ruled him out for the remainder of the season. Jack Purchase was signed as his injury replacement and stayed with the team for the remainder of the year.

Daniel Johnson (19.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists) continued to be a reliable offensive force, earning co-MVP honours with Josh Giddey, who posted 10.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 7.6 assists and was named NBL Rookie of the Year. Despite these efforts, the 36ers finished the season in a disappointing seventh place (13-23).

Humphries averaged 13.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists over the course of the season.

2021/22
Adelaide began the season by adding Mitch McCarron (from Melbourne), Filipino NBA prospect Kai Sotto, and Cairns backup guards Tad Dufelmeier and Mojave King, the latter leaving the Taipans due to concerns about his playing time affecting his NBA aspirations. Imports Dusty Hannahs and Todd Withers were also brought in to complete the core roster. In a surprising move, Adelaide released coach Conner Henry, despite him having a year left on his contract, and replaced him with CJ Bruton, who had narrowly missed out on the Brisbane Bullets head coaching position. Bruton, just weeks before the season began, added Hyrum Harris (also from Cairns) and Cam Bairstow, a player who had received no other NBL offers after multiple injury-plagued seasons. Having worked closely with Bairstow in Brisbane, Bruton convinced the big man to join Adelaide to revive his career.

McCarron (7.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.9 steals) was named the new 36ers captain, becoming the team’s franchise player moving forward. Adelaide started winless in the first round, losing to Perth (85-73) and Illawarra (71-81), but they bounced back in round two with victories over Tasmania (83-80) and New Zealand (98-85), briefly climbing to sixth place (2-2), their highest ranking for the season.

However, the 36ers were dealt a major blow when Isaac Humphries (7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds in 17.7 minutes) suffered a knee injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the season after only six games. With Humphries out, a rejuvenated Bairstow (11.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists) delivered the best season of his NBL career before a late-season ankle injury ultimately ended his career.

As the season wound down, the 36ers faced underwhelming performances from imports Dusty Hannahs (13.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists) and Todd Withers (8.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists). Despite showing signs of improvement, the team (7-17) missed the playoffs once again. Adelaide closed the season just shy of four consecutive away wins, losing a tight game to the Phoenix (91-94), and finished in seventh place for the third straight year (10-18).

Daniel Johnson (16.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists) led the team in scoring, earning his second consecutive Mark Davis Award as the club’s MVP. Bright spots included Hyrum Harris (4.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists), who was named the team’s Most Improved Player, and Sunday Dech (12.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists), who became a key contributor in his second year with the 36ers.

Humphries, who only played in six games due to his knee injury, averaged 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 0.3 assists in a season marred by both his and Bairstow’s injuries, along with a lack of consistent production from imports Hannahs and Withers, resulting in a disappointing finish for the 36ers.

MELBOURNE UNITED
2022/23
Melbourne United entered the 2022/23 season as one of the favourites to contend for the championship after finishing atop the ladder the previous season. However, an early playoff exit due to Chris Goulding’s injury left the team with something to prove. Unfortunately, United’s roster took a significant hit before the season even began, with several key players either leaving for better opportunities overseas or due to injuries.

Jo Lual-Acuil, United’s leading scorer, had intended to stay with the team but received an offer from China that was too lucrative to pass up. Meanwhile, Matthew Dellavedova and Jack White, who were both under contract, secured late NBA deals with Sacramento and Denver, respectively, just weeks before the season tipped off. With the global basketball market largely settled by then, Melbourne found themselves scrambling to replace them.

To bolster their depleted roster, United signed Isaac Humphries (from Adelaide), Xavier Rathan-Mayes (from Illawarra), and imports Rayjon Tucker and Jordan Caroline. David Barlow, who had retired, was brought back to help with the team’s lack of depth, particularly in the frontcourt.

Melbourne’s injury woes only worsened when Next Star Ariel Hukporti, expected to play a key role as starting centre, suffered a season-ending Achilles injury during the NBL Blitz. With Hukporti sidelined, Humphries, who was returning from significant knee issues, was thrust into a larger role than initially planned. The team’s lack of a true backup centre meant that forwards like Barlow, Brad Newley, and Jordan Caroline had to log minutes at centre, further complicating Melbourne’s season.

Despite the setbacks, United started the season with a promising overtime win over New Zealand (101-97), thanks to a huge performance from Rathan-Mayes (33 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists). Rathan-Mayes (14.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists) had initially been signed to lead the second unit but was forced into the starting lineup after Shea Ili (8.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists) missed large portions of the season due to concussion. Ili’s absence caused significant disruptions, with Tucker (17.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists) having to play out of position at times to cover for the missing playmaker.

Melbourne struggled early on, hovering at 5-6 and drawing criticism from the media, with calls for an import change. While Tucker, who had boldly claimed he would be the best first-year import, hadn’t lived up to that declaration yet, it was Jordan Caroline (5.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists) who ultimately lost his spot on the roster due to underwhelming performances as an undersized centre.

Melbourne responded by signing Marcus Lee (9.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks), who brought much-needed size and defence, which sparked a turnaround for United. With the return of Ili and Tucker finding his form, Melbourne’s fortunes improved. Their lowest point came with a loss to Illawarra (93-79), a team that had only one win at the time. The following game, Melbourne bounced back with a 16-point win over Brisbane (104-88), with strong contributions from Goulding (20 points), Tucker (20 points), Lee (18 points), Ili (15 points), and Rathan-Mayes (8 points and 10 rebounds). From there, United went on an 11-3 run to close the season.

Melbourne’s late-season surge gave them a chance to sneak into the Play-In Qualifier on the final day of the regular season. Despite a strong performance from Tucker (31 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) in a win over Adelaide (116-107), Perth’s victory over Sydney meant Melbourne missed out on the playoffs due to points percentage.

Despite their struggles, Melbourne participated in some historic moments during the season. They faced Sydney on Christmas Day in a game that drew more than 300,000 TV viewers, starting a new tradition for the league. Tucker led all scorers with 31 points, but United suffered a heavy 21-point loss (101-80). Isaac Humphries (9.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks) also made headlines by publicly coming out as gay, helping to spearhead the NBL’s inaugural pride round, which celebrated the LGBTQ+ community.

ADELAIDE 36ERS
2023/24
Adelaide entered NBL24 after finishing eighth with a 13-15 record and missing the postseason for a second straight year under coach CJ Bruton. Although imports Robert Franks and Antonius Cleveland were contracted for another season, both were released to pursue opportunities overseas. Anthony Drmic (to Tasmania), Ian Clark (to Melbourne) and Kai Sotto (to Japan) also departed, while Daniel Johnson was not re-signed after 13 years with the club.

Bruton brought back Jason Cadee (via Brisbane) and Jacob Wiley, while adding Next Star Trentyn Flowers, AFL-to-NBL convert Alex Starling and imports Trey Kell III (via South East Melbourne) and Jamaal Franklin. Franklin was released during the NBL Blitz before playing a regular-season game.

Isaac Humphries (via Melbourne) returned to Adelaide on a one-year deal after spending NBL23 with Melbourne United, where he led the league with 1.7 blocks per game. “Super excited to get Isaac back with us and this is huge for this club,” Bruton said, with his size, defence and rim protection viewed as an important part of the rebuilt frontcourt.

Adelaide opened its season at Nissan Arena on September 29, where Humphries (17 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) led the 36ers, but Brisbane won 86-71. Wiley (15 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 block) and Dech (13 points and 6 rebounds) provided support, while Nathan Sobey (18 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) led the Bullets.

Humphries (15.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks across 28 games) started every game, shot 56 per cent from the field and produced the most productive season of his NBL career after several injury-affected campaigns. Adelaide opened 1-4 before adding DJ Vasiljevic (via Washington), with Vasiljevic (19.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists across 23 games) providing another major scoring option alongside Humphries and Kell III.

The season’s low point came in Hobart on December 2, where Humphries (9 points and 6 rebounds), Vasiljevic (15 points) and Wiley (14 points and 6 rebounds) led Adelaide, but Milton Doyle (20 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists) carried Tasmania to a 94-59 win. The 36ers shot 29 per cent from the field and made only two of 11 three-pointers, with the loss leaving Adelaide at 4-9 before Bruton was dismissed and assistant Scott Ninnis took over.

Humphries’ best game came at the Cairns Convention Centre on January 13, where he finished with 28 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block, but Cairns defeated Adelaide 111-101 in overtime. Kell III (25 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) and Vasiljevic (19 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) supported Humphries, while Tahjere McCall (30 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) led the Taipans. The performance earned Humphries a Fans MVP nomination, with Ninnis declaring, “He’s the best big guy in the competition, and I don’t think that’s biased on my behalf.”

That two man game 🤌

Isaac Humphries and Dejan Vasiljevic connect on back to back plays and the 36ers have blown this game open!

Watch the #NBL live on ESPN! 📺 pic.twitter.com/Yj1kIB9zNl

— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) January 13, 2024

Kell III (17.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists across 25 games) and Vasiljevic led Adelaide in scoring, while Wiley (10.5 points and 7.2 rebounds across 26 games), Kyrin Galloway (5.7 points and 3.4 rebounds across 27 games), Cadee (5.5 points across 26 games) and Flowers (5.2 points across 18 games) completed the main rotation. Adelaide finished second in the NBL for rebounding at 43.5 per game but ranked last in three-point shooting at 29.9 per cent.

Humphries received the Mark Davis Trophy as Adelaide’s club MVP, with Ninnis labelling his omission from the All-NBL nominated teams “disgraceful.” After being pursued by Sydney and drawing interest from several clubs, Humphries signed a three-year extension to remain with Adelaide through the 2026/27 season. “I decided to come back to Adelaide to build on what we have been doing in the back half of the season,” Humphries said.

Adelaide finished ninth with a 12-16 record, one win and percentage short of the Play-In Tournament, before closing the season with a 76-70 win over New Zealand at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on February 18. Vasiljevic (25 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Marshall (8 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block) provided support, while Parker Jackson-Cartwright (24 points, 2 assists, and 1 steal) led the Breakers, and Humphries (15 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block) played 29:35 minutes in the win.

2024/25
After finishing ninth with a 12–16 record and missing the postseason in 2023/24, Adelaide completed another major off-season overhaul. Former captain Mitch McCarron (to New Zealand), Trentyn Flowers (to Los Angeles Clippers), Jacob Wiley (to Spain), Tohi Smith-Milner (to Brisbane), Kyrin Galloway (to Cairns), Trey Kell III (to Illawarra), and Akech Aliir (to Melbourne) all departed, while Scott Ninnis was replaced by Mike Wells as head coach before the season.

Dejan Vasiljevic re-signed on a three-year deal and was appointed captain, with Fiston Ipassou, Keanu Rasmussen and Jacob Rigoni also retained. Wells added Kendric Davis (via Santa Cruz), Lat Mayen (via Cairns), Ben Griscti (via UC Riverside), Patrick D’Arcy (via Sturt), Jarell Martin (via Galatasaray), and Tom Kubank (via South Adelaide). Martin’s pre-season foot injury led to Montrezl Harrell (via Philadelphia) joining as a nominated replacement player before his contract was extended for the remainder of the season.

Humphries signed a new three-year deal in March after seriously considering a return to Sydney, committing to Adelaide through the 2026/27 season after deciding the city and the direction of the club were the best fit for the next stage of his career.

Adelaide opened the season against Sydney at HoopsFest in Perth on September 22, where Humphries (2 points, 1 rebound, and 3 assists) started but the Kings won 102–94. Mayen (23 points and 4 rebounds) and Vasiljevic (23 points and 3 rebounds) led the 36ers, while Adams (25 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) was Sydney’s best.

Humphries (12.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks across 28 games) started every appearance and remained Adelaide’s primary rim protector while sharing the frontcourt with Harrell and Martin. His minutes and offensive involvement fluctuated as Wells balanced the three big men, but Humphries led the 36ers in blocks and remained an efficient scoring option around the basket.

During Adelaide’s club-record run of three consecutive defeats by at least 20 points in December, Humphries openly acknowledged that injuries, suspensions and uncertainty surrounding player roles had damaged the group’s continuity. He also questioned why his minutes had been reduced as the 36ers lost seven of eight games and slipped to eighth place.

Humphries’ best scoring game came at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on December 8, where he made 11-of-12 shots and finished with 25 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block, but Perth defeated Adelaide 115–105. Davis (37 points, 5 rebounds, and 11 assists) and Dech (13 points) supported Humphries, while Cotton (49 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) carried the Wildcats.

His best all-round game came in Hobart on January 10, where Humphries (21 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) helped Adelaide take Tasmania to overtime. Davis (39 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Harrell (19 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 blocks) also starred, while Deng (26 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 steals) led Tasmania before Doyle (22 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists) scored from an offensive rebound at the buzzer to give the JackJumpers a 104–103 win.

Humphries produced one of his strongest defensive performances at Qudos Bank Arena on January 24, finishing with 19 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 4 blocks as Adelaide defeated Sydney 105–96 and moved into sixth place. Davis (30 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Harrell (23 points and 11 rebounds) helped the 36ers dominate the paint, while Adams (43 points and 7 assists) led the Kings.

Davis (25.6 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, and 1.3 steals across 27 games) led Adelaide in scoring and assists, earned All-NBL First Team honours and won the Mark Davis Trophy as club MVP. Harrell (20.7 points and 9.2 rebounds across 26 games) was selected to the All-NBL Second Team, while captain Vasiljevic (18.1 points and 4.2 rebounds across 24 games) remained the leading local scorer. Martin (8.1 points and 4.1 rebounds across 20 games), Dech (5.8 points across 22 games), and Mayen (5.6 points and 3.8 rebounds across 28 games) completed the main rotation, with Mayen receiving Adelaide’s Most Improved Player award, Dech named Best Defensive Player and Cadee (3.8 points across 29 games) receiving the Coaches’ Award.

Adelaide closed the regular season in Perth on February 7, where Humphries (6 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block) played 30:15 minutes as the Wildcats won 112–104 behind Cotton (49 points and 7 assists), despite Davis (34 points and 8 assists) and Harrell (24 points and 6 rebounds) leading the 36ers. The loss left Adelaide sixth with a 13–16 record and secured the club’s first postseason appearance since 2018.

The 36ers opened the Play-In Tournament at Qudos Bank Arena on February 13, where Humphries (8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals) helped Adelaide eliminate Sydney 95–88. Vasiljevic (25 points and 2 steals), Davis (24 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals), and Harrell (18 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 blocks) led Adelaide, while Adams (30 points and 10 assists) and Oliver (19 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks) were best for the Kings.

The final qualifier moved to John Cain Arena on February 16, where South East Melbourne recovered from a 21-point deficit and outscored Adelaide 59–30 after half-time to win 85–75 behind Hurt (25 points and 9 rebounds) and Ayre (17 points), while Davis (26 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Harrell (17 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 blocks) led the 36ers and Humphries (4 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) played 11:26 minutes.

2025/26After finishing sixth with a 13-15 record, defeating Sydney 95-88 in the Play-In Qualifier and then losing 85-75 to South East Melbourne, Adelaide entered Mike Wells’ second season without Kendric Davis (to Sydney), Sunday Dech (to Perth), Lat Mayen (to Perth), Nick Marshall (to Tasmania) and Jason Cadee (retired), while Dejan Vasiljevic, Isaac Humphries, Keanu Rasmussen and Ben Griscti returned from the previous season’s group.

Wells added Bryce Cotton (via Perth), Flynn Cameron (via Melbourne), Isaac White (via Brisbane), Michael Harris (via Perth), Matt Kenyon (via South East Melbourne), Zylan Cheatham (via Nagoya) and Nick Rakocevic (via Puerto Rico) as Adelaide reshaped the roster around a deeper and more experienced rotation.

Humphries entered the second season of the three-year extension he signed with Adelaide in March 2024 and was appointed co-captain alongside Vasiljevic and Cotton, marking the first time the 36ers had used three captains during the same season.

Adelaide opened the season at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on September 28, where Humphries (13 points and 6 rebounds) made all four field-goal attempts and all five free throws as the 36ers defeated Brisbane 87-80, with Cotton (39 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal) and Cheatham (8 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals) leading the home side, while Tyrell Harrison (17 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) was Brisbane’s best.

Humphries (12.6 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks across 42 games) started every game and remained Adelaide’s main interior scorer and rim protector, finishing efficiently around the basket while sharing the centre minutes with Rakocevic. His 61 blocks across the NBL season set a new Adelaide record for the modern 40-minute era.

His best all-round game came against South East Melbourne on October 16, where Humphries (21 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 blocks) controlled the paint as Adelaide recovered from its first loss of the season to defeat the Phoenix 88-71 at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, with Cotton (28 points and 6 assists) and Cheatham (8 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 assists) providing support, while Jordan Hunter (16 points and 7 rebounds) led South East Melbourne.

Humphries produced his highest-scoring game at RAC Arena on December 7, making 13 of 15 field goals and finishing with 28 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 3 blocks as Adelaide completed a 21-point comeback to defeat Perth 95-94. Cotton (21 points and 12 assists) and Cheatham (20 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals) led the fightback before Humphries blocked David Duke Jr and Cameron (8 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists) made the winning lay-up, while Kristian Doolittle (17 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists) was Perth’s best as Adelaide collected its sixth consecutive win and improved to 13-3.

Away from the court, Humphries continued to use his position to support the NBL’s Pride Round, speaking about visibility, inclusion and the importance of creating an environment where players and supporters could live authentically without judgement.

Troy Brown Jnr (4.6 points and 4.5 rebounds across 13 games; via Puerto Rico) joined as Adelaide’s third import in November before leaving in January for personal reasons, with John Jenkins (9.7 points across 18 games) initially signed as an injury replacement for Griscti before filling the vacant import position.

Cotton (25.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 7.6 assists, and 1.6 steals across 41 games) led Adelaide in scoring and playmaking, won his sixth Andrew Gaze Trophy and earned All-NBL First Team selection. Cheatham (12 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists across 42 games), Cameron (11.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists across 42 games), Vasiljevic (10.7 points across 42 games) and Rakocevic (8.8 points and 6.5 rebounds across 39 games) formed the remainder of Adelaide’s main rotation.

Cheatham earned All-NBL Second Team selection and Adelaide’s Defensive Award, Cameron was named the NBL’s Most Improved Player and received the club’s Most Improved award, Rakocevic claimed the Chairman’s Award and Humphries received the Coaches Award, while Cotton also collected the Mark Davis club MVP and Members’ Choice awards.

Adelaide closed the regular season at RAC Arena on February 20, where Humphries (5 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist) played 15:05 minutes, but Perth defeated the 36ers 86-74 behind Elijah Pepper (22 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists), while Rakocevic (18 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 blocks) and Cheatham (11 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 assist) were Adelaide’s best as the team finished second with a 23-10 record.

The Ignite Cup Final followed two days later, where Humphries (10 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 4 blocks), Cotton (34 points, 3 rebounds, and 9 assists) and Rakocevic (21 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 assists) led Adelaide, but Parker Jackson-Cartwright (29 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) guided New Zealand to a 111-107 win and was named Ignite Cup MVP after delivering the Breakers the inaugural title.

Adelaide opened the semifinals at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre with a 104-97 win over South East Melbourne, taking control of the series behind Cotton (42 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists), Vasiljevic (17 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, and 1 steal), Rakocevic (14 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 block) and Humphries (7 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks), while Nathan Sobey (23 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals) and Angus Glover (14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) led the Phoenix.

Game two moved to John Cain Arena, where Humphries (4 points and 1 rebound), Cotton (29 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) and Rakocevic (18 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) contributed for Adelaide, but Sobey (41 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) made eight three-pointers and John Brown III (12 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) helped South East Melbourne recover from an 18-point deficit to win 101-92 and force a deciding game.

Game three returned to Adelaide, where Humphries (13 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks), Cotton (38 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists), Vasiljevic (27 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Rakocevic (14 points, 12 rebounds, and 1 block) led the 36ers to a 108-96 win, while Ian Clark (32 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals) and Sobey (17 points, 2 rebounds, 8 assists, and 1 steal) led the Phoenix as Adelaide advanced to its first Championship Series in eight years.

The Championship Series opened at Qudos Bank Arena, where Humphries (10 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist), White (11 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist) and Cotton (10 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals) led Adelaide, but Davis (25 points, 1 rebound, 7 assists, and 1 steal) and Tim Soares (22 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists) carried Sydney to a 112-68 win, the largest margin in Championship Series history.

Game two moved to Adelaide, where Humphries (6 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 blocks) tied the most blocks by an NBL player in a finals game since 2010, while Cotton (28 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) and Cameron (17 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) led the 36ers. Davis (20 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) and Xavier Cooks (18 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) led Sydney before Cotton made a left-handed lay-up at the buzzer to give Adelaide a 91-89 win and end the Kings’ 14-game winning streak.

Game three returned to Sydney, where Humphries (12 points and 3 rebounds), Jenkins (22 points, 1 rebound, and 2 assists) and Cheatham (17 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) led Adelaide, but Davis (34 points, 2 rebounds, and 15 assists) controlled the game without committing a turnover and Cooks (18 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks) helped the Kings win 106-93.

Game four moved back to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, where Humphries (10 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal), Cheatham (23 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals) and Cotton (19 points, 5 rebounds, and 12 assists) led the 36ers, while Davis (22 points, 4 rebounds, and 10 assists) and Jaylin Galloway (20 points and 1 assist) kept Sydney close. Cotton made two free throws to put Adelaide ahead before Torrey Craig split his attempts with 2.8 seconds remaining, with Humphries collecting the rebound as the 36ers held on 92-91 and forced a deciding game.

Game five was played at Qudos Bank Arena, where Soares (20 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals) grabbed the offensive rebound and made the tying putback with 4.6 seconds remaining before Sydney outscored Adelaide 18-6 in overtime and won 113-101 in front of 18,589 fans. Davis (35 points, 1 rebound, 14 assists, and 1 steal) was named Championship Series MVP, with Cooks (19 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) also starring, while Cotton (35 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block), Cheatham (15 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal) and Rakocevic (11 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 assists) led Adelaide as Sydney claimed the series 3-2. Humphries (14 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) played 27:50 minutes in the loss.

Isaac Humphries currently plays for the Adelaide 36ers and has played 171 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 11.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 0.9 assists since entering the league in 2017.

CURRENT CONTRACT:

Adelaide 36ers – 3 Year Deal (2024-27)

CAREER RANKINGS:
– 36th in total blocks