BIO: Isaac White was born in Adelaide (SA) and attended Sacred Heart College in his hometown of Adelaide. He began playing basketball as a junior with the Sturt Sabres basketball team before receiving a scholarship to play with Stanford University in 2017.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Isaac White made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks at 22 years of age. He scored five points in his first game.

Isaac White joined the Illawarra Hawks during a transformative season for the club, marked by a new ownership group and the appointment of legendary coach Brian Goorjian. The Hawks rebuilt their roster, with White joining key recruits Tyler Harvey, Justin Simon, Deng Adel, and Next Star Justinian Jessup. This season was pivotal for White, as he transitioned into professional basketball and showcased his potential in the NBL.

White appeared in 31 games during his rookie campaign, averaging 4.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.5 assists. His standout performance came in Round 19, when he scored a season-high 16 points against the Adelaide 36ers in his hometown, demonstrating his ability to contribute in key moments. Despite limited opportunities in a guard-heavy roster, White made the most of his minutes and began establishing himself as a reliable shooter and role player.

The Hawks overcame numerous challenges, including off-court drama, player injuries, and mid-season roster adjustments, to finish in third place with a 20-16 record. They returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2017, defeating the defending champions Perth Wildcats in Game 1 of the semifinals. Unfortunately, Illawarra fell short in Games 2 and 3, ending their season.

2021/22
In his second season, White faced stiff competition for minutes in a talented Hawks backcourt featuring Tyler Harvey, Antonius Cleveland, Justinian Jessup, and Xavier Rathan-Mayes. Despite limited opportunities, White averaged 2.7 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.5 assists across 24 games, while shooting 40% from the field, 33% from beyond the arc, and 83% from the free-throw line.

White’s contributions often came as a sharpshooter off the bench, providing valuable spacing for a team that finished the regular season with a strong 19-9 record, earning second place on the ladder. Illawarra relied on the stellar play of Duop Reath (15.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks), who won the Hawks’ MVP award, and Antonius Cleveland (14.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks), who claimed the Damian Martin Trophy for Defensive Player of the Year.

Despite finishing the regular season on a high, the Hawks were eliminated in the semifinals by the Sydney Kings in straight games. While White’s role remained limited, his reputation as a capable shooter and reliable team player solidified further during the season.

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS
2022/23
After spending his first two seasons as a Development Player with the Illawarra Hawks, White joined the Tasmania JackJumpers as an injury replacement player for Clint Steindl prior to the 2022-23 season.

THE WHITE FIT 👌

The @JackJumpers have found the sharpshooting injury replacement they were after in former Hawk, @IsaacLewisWhite

Full details at https://t.co/6zbyYzbQ6G #NBL23 pic.twitter.com/XzSFA50tqN— The NBL (@NBL) August 3, 2022

There he averaged 5.3 points, 2 rebounds, and 0.6 assists and averaged a efficient 48.4% from beyond the arc. He scored a season high of 18 points on two occasions and helped the JackJumpers finish in fourth place finish (16-12).

BRISBANE BULLETS
2023/24
At hotly pursued free agent during the 2023 off-season. White was offering spots on at least six different NBL team’s but chose to sign a two-year deal with the Brisbane Bullets on 31 March 2023.

“Isaac has shown he is a impact player in the competition and that’s exactly what we want from him,” head coach Justin Shueller said upon his signing.

“He is a high character guy, who is a relentless competitor and helps add depth at both ends of the floor to our roster build.”

2024/25
Head coach Justin Schueller entered his second season with a renewed roster focused on returning to playoff contention. Brisbane’s offseason began with the surprise jettisoning of face of the franchise Nathan Sobey, who had been with the club for seven seasons. Despite delivering one of the best years of his career in NBL24.

“Really this decision wasn’t about Nathan, but how we can continue to move forward as a club and build a true contender,” Schueller said . “We needed to lean more into our culture and bring in winners who can help us grow. We can’t shy away from Nathan’s production, but we also know there’s other areas we must improve if we want to win a championship.”

Alongside Sobey, Brisbane also farewelled Aron Baynes (retired), Chris Smith (to Japan), Shannon Scott (to Taiwan), and DJ Mitchell (to England). Mitch Norton was elevated to captain in Sobey’s absence, and the club re-signed Isaac White, Norton, Tyrell Harrison, and import forward Casey Prather. Young forward Josh Bannan also returned for his second NBL season. To refresh the squad, Brisbane added high-scoring import duo James Batemon and dynamic wing Keandre Cook. Former NBA talent Deng Adel was given another NBL opportunity, and Tohi Smith-Milner arrived via Adelaide to bolster the frontcourt. Development players Kye Savage, Tristan Devers, and Josh Kunen rounded out the roster.

Brisbane opened the season with consecutive away losses to New Zealand and Illawarra before securing their first win in Round 4 against South East Melbourne, led by Tyrell Harrison’s dominant 21-point, 17-rebound performance. The Bullets hovered near .500 into December, thanks to key contributions from Prather, Cook, and Batemon. A historic 51-point outburst by Batemon in a November win over Perth was an early season highlight. Brisbane reached 9–8 after a strong December stretch, but a home loss to Illawarra in Round 18 signalled the beginning of an injury-riddled decline.

James Batemon suffered a season-ending hamstring injury just before Christmas. The absence of Brisbane’s starting point guard triggered a domino effect. Tyrell Harrison (concussion), Josh Bannan (concussion), Sam McDaniel (shoulder), and Jarred Bairstow (ankle) all missed stretches in January. Deng Adel was limited to 10 appearances due to hand and groin issues. After a disastrous night in Gippsland where three players were injured on a slick floor, Schueller admitted, “I don’t know if we can field a side right now.”

Brisbane turned to mid-season signings Emmett Naar and Josh Adams to steady the backcourt. Adams delivered flashes of brilliance, including a 23-point, 7-rebound effort against Melbourne, but the disruption was too great to overcome. Brisbane dropped five of their last seven games, finishing with a 12–17 record and placing eighth.

Despite the instability, Isaac White emerged as a reliable contributor off the bench. In his second season with Brisbane, White embraced his role as a scoring spark and floor spacer. He averaged 6.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists across 28 appearances while shooting 37% from long range. White’s most impactful game came in Round 15 against New Zealand, where he exploded for 18 points and hit four three-pointers to help Brisbane to a crucial win. He also scored 13 points in a Round 9 clash with Tasmania and added 12 points against Adelaide in Round 16.

White’s consistent outside shooting helped stretch defenses and open lanes for Prather and Cook to attack. His ability to play both guard spots gave Schueller added flexibility, especially as injuries forced constant reshuffling. White’s scoring often shifted momentum in second quarters, and his calm under pressure made him a trusted option during crunch time rotations.

Brisbane’s season was defined by the resilience of its core contributors. Casey Prather (21.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 steals) finished third in league scoring and was named Club MVP and to the All-NBL First Team. Keandre Cook (16.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.7 steals) led the NBL in steals and made 2.5 threes per game. James Batemon (15.5 points, 2.8 assists) was dynamic before injury. Tyrell Harrison (14.3 points, 9.7 rebounds) led the league in boards and was crowned Most Improved Player. Josh Bannan (13.2 points, 8.6 rebounds) earned NBL Youth Player of the Year honours.

Captain Mitch Norton (7.4 points, 2.9 assists) played all 29 games and was awarded Brisbane’s Defensive Player and Players’ Player of the Year. White’s scoring off the bench proved vital in tight games, while Tohi Smith-Milner (5.1 points), Rocco Zikarsky (4.6 points), and Deng Adel (4.7 points) added rotational depth when healthy.

White’s top three games of the season included 18 points on 4-of-6 from deep in Round 15 vs New Zealand, 13 points in Round 9 against Tasmania, and 12 points with multiple threes against Adelaide in Round 16. His ability to spark runs off the bench made him one of Brisbane’s most valuable second-unit players during a rollercoaster campaign.

Isaac White currently plays for the Brisbane Bullets and has played 139 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 5.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 0.8 assists since entering the league in 2021.

CURRENT CONTRACT:

Brisbane Bullets – 2 Year Deal (2025-27)

HIGHLIGHTS:

🔙 to 🔙 from behind the arc for Isaac White 🔥#NBL22 on @ESPNAusNZ + @kayosports 📺 pic.twitter.com/1jSNUKuNCd

— The NBL (@NBL) February 25, 2022

Dan Boyce (837 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.