BIO: Jameel Mckay was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA).

NBL EXPERIENCE

Jameel Mckay made his NBL debut with the Perth Wildcats at 24 years of age. He scored 18 points in his first game.

After defeating New Zealand 2-1 in the 2016 Grand Final to claim its seventh championship, Perth entered the season attempting to win back-to-back titles for the first time since 1991. Nathan Jawai (to Cairns), Tom Jervis (to Brisbane) and Jermaine Beal (to Brisbane) departed, with Trevor Gleeson adding Angus Brandt (via Sydney), Jaron Johnson (via Rio Grande Valley) and promoting Dexter Kernich-Drew from the training squad. Matthew Knight had undergone left shoulder stabilisation surgery during the off-season before suffering a right shoulder subluxation during the preseason and being ruled out for two months, leading Perth to add Lucas Walker (via Adelaide) as an injury replacement.

Perth completed its roster on August 2 by signing Jameel McKay (via Iowa State) as its third and final import after he went undrafted in the NBA Draft and played for New Orleans during NBA Summer League. “I always like to play with the best, and Perth’s history speaks for itself. I’m very grateful,” he said.

Perth opened the season against Brisbane on October 6, where McKay (18 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks) made seven of ten shots and led the Wildcats, with Casey Prather (9 points and 3 rebounds) and Jesse Wagstaff (7 points and 6 rebounds) providing support. Torrey Craig (16 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals) led Brisbane to a 72-65 victory in the Bullets’ first NBL game since 2008.

McKay (7.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks across 33 games) started 30 games and played in all 28 regular-season games and all five playoff games, meaning he did not miss a game through injury or illness. He did have several injury scares, with contact from Melbourne forward Tai Wesley in October chipping one of his teeth, while a right shoulder injury during training in December forced him from the session and initially left him in doubt for Perth’s next game. The shoulder was cleared structurally and he was available two days later, while an illness which caused him to miss training immediately before the semifinals also did not prevent him from playing.

Perth started 4-1 before injuries and a lack of consistency sent the defending champions tumbling down the ladder. Johnson (13.1 points and 4.6 rebounds across 14 games) was deactivated after only three games when the Wildcats decided they needed more outside shooting and was replaced by Andre Ingram (8.5 points across 2 games) (via Los Angeles D-Fenders). Ingram left Perth after only two games and returned to the United States citing mental health reasons, while injuries throughout the backcourt led the Wildcats to reactivate Johnson only ten days after releasing him.

Two days after injuring his shoulder at training, McKay (5 points and 3 rebounds) was cleared to play against Melbourne on December 9 as Perth snapped a four-game losing streak with a 92-89 win. Prather (39 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists) produced a career-high scoring performance and Johnson (11 points and 4 rebounds) provided support, while Casper Ware (38 points and 5 assists) led Melbourne.

Perth continued to struggle and had fallen to last place with a 7-9 record when Johnson was released for a second time on December 23, with the club saying the decision was made to improve team balance. Former NBA guard Bryce Cotton (via Anadolu Efes) was signed as his replacement in early January, while Wildcats great Shawn Redhage announced the season would be his last in the NBL.

Cotton (23.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 steals across 16 games) gave Perth the offensive creator it had been missing and led the NBL in scoring. The Wildcats won eight of their final 12 regular-season games after sitting 7-9, with Cotton appearing in the final 11 and Perth going 7-4 during those games before winning all five playoff games, giving the Wildcats a 12-4 record in his 16 appearances.

McKay’s best scoring game came in Sydney on January 7, where McKay (19 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks) made eight of 12 shots as Perth defeated the Kings 80-74. Cotton (26 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 steal) set a Wildcats record for points on debut, while captain Damian Martin (2 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals) returned from the knee injury which had kept him sidelined since November. Jason Cadee (15 points) was Sydney’s leading scorer as Perth continued its climb back into playoff contention.

Prather (19.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.6 steals across 32 games) carried much of Perth’s offensive load before Cotton arrived, finished second in NBL MVP voting behind Jerome Randle and was named to the All-NBL First Team. Knight (9.4 points and 6.1 rebounds across 27 games), Wagstaff (9 points across 33 games) and Brandt (6 points across 33 games) provided Perth’s other major contributions, while Martin (4.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.7 steals across 22 games) remained the team’s defensive leader. Prather won the Gordon Ellis Medal as Wildcats MVP for a second consecutive season as well as the Players’ Player and Members MVP awards, Martin received the Andrew Vlahov Best Defensive Player award, Brandt was named Most Improved Player and Walker (1 point across 2 games) received the Coaches Award.

Perth entered the final weekend needing to win both games to guarantee its 31st consecutive playoff appearance. Against Sydney on February 10, McKay (7 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) came from the bench as Prather (29 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) and Cotton (21 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) led the Wildcats to a 101-74 victory, while Brad Newley (19 points) was Sydney’s leading scorer.

Two days later against Melbourne, McKay (14 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 assists) produced his only double-double of the season as Perth completed its late-season recovery with a 96-94 win. Prather (26 points, 2 rebounds, and 11 assists) and Cotton (19 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) led the Wildcats, while Josh Boone (27 points and 11 rebounds) was Melbourne’s best as Perth finished third with a 15-13 record and extended its playoff streak to 31 consecutive seasons.

Perth opened its semifinal series in Cairns, where McKay (2 points and 5 rebounds) helped the Wildcats overwhelm the Taipans 91-69. Cotton (34 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals) and Prather (22 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals) led Perth, while Travis Trice (15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) was Cairns’ leading scorer.

Game two moved to Perth, where McKay (3 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks) helped the Wildcats complete the sweep with a 74-66 victory. Prather (24 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Wagstaff (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals) led Perth, while Trice (22 points and 5 assists) and Tony Mitchell (17 points and 5 rebounds) carried Cairns as the Wildcats advanced to a second consecutive Grand Final.

Perth opened the Grand Final against Illawarra at Perth Arena, where McKay (7 points and 6 rebounds) contributed inside as Prather (22 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals), Knight (18 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) and Cotton (18 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists) led the Wildcats to an 89-77 victory. Cody Ellis (12 points and 4 rebounds) was Illawarra’s leading scorer, with Rotnei Clarke (11 points and 6 assists) directing the Hawks’ backcourt.

Game two moved to Wollongong, where McKay (4 points, 9 rebounds, and 1 block) helped Perth control the glass during another 89-77 win. Cotton (20 points and 3 steals), Prather (18 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals), Brandt (15 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Martin (12 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) gave the Wildcats five double-figure scorers, while AJ Ogilvy (21 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks) and Clarke (21 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Illawarra. Knight (4 points and 3 rebounds) suffered a concussion during the third quarter and was ruled out of game three.

Game three returned to Perth Arena, where McKay (8 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists) helped the Wildcats complete the sweep as Cotton (45 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) made seven three-pointers and produced the highest-scoring Grand Final game of the 40-minute era. Prather (17 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) provided support, while Clarke (30 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Illawarra as Perth won 95-86. Cotton was named Grand Final MVP after averaging 27.7 points across the series, while Perth completed a 5-0 postseason and claimed its eighth championship and first back-to-back titles since 1991.

Jameel Mckay played one season in the NBL. He averaged 7.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1 assists in 33 NBL games.