BIO: Jaylin Galloway was born in Marietta, Georgia (USA) before growing up in Townsville (QLD). As a teenager he returned to the US and attended Sprayberry High School first, then Milton High School. As a senior, he averaged 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks per game. Galloway was named to the All-Region team and led Milton to a 2016 Final Four appearance. Galloway received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 2020. He spent two years year there and played for the program’s state league team (2020, 2021).

FAMILY: Jaylin’s brother, Kyrin Galloway also played 158 games in the NBL. Galloway has an American father Erin and an Australian mother Kylie, who both played collegiately at Hawaii. His mother also played professionally in Townsville.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Jaylin Galloway made his NBL debut with the Sydney Kings at 18 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

Jaylin Galloway joined the Sydney Kings as a development player in a season marked by significant roster changes after the team’s runner-up finish against Perth in the 2020 Grand Final, which concluded under COVID-19 disruptions. The Kings had to contend with the departures of All-NBL First Team forward Jae’Sean Tate and head coach Will Weaver, who both signed with the NBA’s Houston Rockets. Additionally, veterans Kevin Lisch, Andrew Bogut, and Lucas Walker retired, leaving a sizeable gap in leadership and experience.

With assistant coach Adam Forde stepping up as head coach after joining the Kings in 2019, the team aimed to rebuild around new import Jarell Martin and rookie Dejan Vasiljevic (via college). As the preseason unfolded, Sydney faced an early setback when promising forward Xavier Cooks suffered a foot injury. The Kings signed Tom Vodanovich (via New Zealand) as an injury replacement just before the season opener, only to encounter more misfortune when Angus Glover tore his ACL, sidelining him for all but two games.

The Kings’ season began with a rocky start, as the team’s young core struggled to fill the void left by departed veterans. Sydney lost three of their first four games, finding themselves at the bottom of the standings in seventh place. Midway through the season, the league relocated all teams to Melbourne for the NBL Cup, an in-season tournament designed to mitigate COVID-related travel issues. The Kings found a measure of consistency here, splitting their Cup games with a 4-4 record, and a subsequent pair of home victories lifted Sydney to the top four by round 12.

Co-captain Casper Ware (17.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists) and Jarell Martin (17.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists) emerged as the offensive leaders. Martin’s standout game came against New Zealand, where he tallied 29 points. Vasiljevic (15.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists) and center Jordan Hunter (9.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks) also became integral to the Kings’ rotation, with Hunter finishing as runner-up for the Most Improved Player award and Vasiljevic claiming the Rookie of the Year title. Meanwhile, Cooks (10.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.0 blocks) demonstrated his impact potential during the Kings’ late-season surge, highlighted by a career-high 19 points and 11 rebounds against the Illawarra Hawks in Round 21.

Despite these efforts, Sydney’s weaknesses were evident, particularly their perimeter shooting, where they were tied for the league’s worst three-point percentage (33.4%, on par with Illawarra). Road games also proved challenging, with the team losing half of its away matchups. As the season neared its conclusion, Sydney was firmly in the top four but stumbled in a critical stretch, dropping five of seven games, including two losses by margins exceeding 20 points. Although the Kings ended the season on a three-game winning streak, their final record of 19-17 left them in fifth place, narrowly missing a playoff berth.

Galloway, who appeared in eight games during his debut season, scored a total of two points while gaining valuable experience as part of a team in transition.

2021/22
In 2021, the Sydney Kings made a bold coaching change, replacing Adam Forde with the relatively unproven US coach Chase Buford, son of RC Buford, architect of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs dynasty. Buford inherited a solid core lineup that included Xavier Cooks, Jarell Martin, and Dejan Vasiljevic, while also adding former NBA guard Jaylen Adams and import RJ Hunter.

However, the Kings’ season got off to a challenging start, with early-season injuries impacting their new lineup. RJ Hunter was sidelined after just one NBL game, Adams missed a third of the season due to injury, and promising young big man Jordan Hunter was ruled out for the entire season. Following a tough January stretch where the team lost four consecutive games, Adams returned, and the Kings bolstered their roster by signing Ian Clark, a former NBA teammate of Kings co-owner Andrew Bogut.

With a healthier roster, the Kings began to gain momentum, closing the regular season with a remarkable 13-game winning streak. Galloway, contributing in a limited role, averaged 0.9 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 0.4 assists.

In the semifinals, Sydney faced Brian Goorjian’s Illawarra Hawks and convincingly swept them in two games. Meanwhile, the Tasmania JackJumpers, a debut NBL team, made an unexpected playoff appearance by edging Melbourne United in three games. Tasmania had finished fifth in the regular season and only qualified for the playoffs by points percentage after South East Melbourne’s final-game win over Perth.

In the Grand Final series, the Kings asserted their dominance with a 95-78 victory over Tasmania in Game 1. Adams, recently awarded the NBL MVP, scored 18 points in the win but sustained a left hamstring injury that would keep him out for the remainder of the series.

Game 2 saw Tasmania’s fan-favorite Josh Adams explode for 36 points in front of a sold-out home crowd. However, the Kings held firm, with Xavier Cooks and Jarell Martin each scoring 20 points and shooting 80% from the field. Dejan Vasiljevic sealed the win with a clutch long-range shot, clinching a 90-86 victory and marking the Kings’ 12th consecutive road win — the most by any NBL team in a single season.

Dejan Vasiljevic with the 𝘿𝘼𝙂𝙂𝙀𝙍 🗡️

📺 Watch the #NBLFinals Live on ESPN pic.twitter.com/XDIgoHVKo9— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) May 8, 2022

The Kings wrapped up the series in Game 3, ending a 17-year championship drought in front of 16,000 fans at Qudos Bank Arena. Cooks and Martin combined for 45 points and 29 rebounds, securing Sydney’s 19th win in their final 21 games. Cooks was named Finals MVP, averaging 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists across the series. At just 33 years old, Buford became the fourth-youngest coach in NBL history to win a championship, joining the ranks of coaches like Bob Turner (1983), Ken Richardson (1982), and Jim Ericksen (1981).

17 years in the making 💜💛#WeTheKings #NBL22 pic.twitter.com/Wz7uIGjTr6— Sydney Kings (@SydneyKings) May 14, 2022

2022/23
After winning the 2021/22 championship, Sydney lost its star import trio of Jaylen Adams (to Belgrade), Jarell Martin (to Tel Aviv) and Ian Clark (overseas), while Makur Maker (to Washington) also left the team. With Xavier Cooks, Dejan Vasiljevic, Angus Glover and Jaylin Galloway retained, the Kings signed Derrick Walton Jr (via Detroit), Tim Soares (via Europe), former Defensive Player of the Year Justin Simon (via Illawarra) and Kouat Noi (via Cairns), while rookie Jackson Makoi was added under championship coach Chase Buford.

The Townsville product had joined Sydney as a development player in 2020 before being elevated to the full roster for NBL23. After appearing in 14 games during the previous championship season, the 20-year-old entered the campaign looking to establish a regular place in the Kings’ rotation.

He did not appear during Sydney’s opening four games before making his season debut against Brisbane on October 16, playing 2:26 as the Kings defeated the Bullets 102-85. Simon (23 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks), Vasiljevic (16 points and 5 rebounds) and Walton Jr (13 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists) led Sydney, while DJ Mitchell (20 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks), Aron Baynes (15 points and 5 rebounds) and Jason Cadee (13 points and 4 assists) led Brisbane. He also did not appear against Adelaide on October 21 or New Zealand on December 8, with no injury or public reason confirmed for any of his six absences.

Galloway (5.1 points across 30 games) more than doubled his playing time under Buford and established himself as one of Sydney’s primary perimeter defenders alongside Simon. He came off the bench in every appearance apart from one, improving his scoring, rebounding, passing and defensive production while providing athleticism within one of the league’s deepest rotations.

His first major contribution came against Cairns on October 29, where he made five of seven field-goal attempts and finished with 10 points and 1 assist in 14:13. Sydney appeared headed towards a third consecutive home loss before Noi (13 points and 4 rebounds) made a three-pointer at the buzzer to complete a 106-103 victory, with Cooks (18 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists) falling two assists short of a triple-double and Shaun Bruce (17 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) helping the Kings improve to 8-2. DJ Hogg (27 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks), Sam Waardenburg (20 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) and Keanu Pinder (18 points and 7 rebounds) led Cairns.

The Kings returned to the top of the ladder after defeating New Zealand 81-77 at Spark Arena, extending their NBL-record road winning streak to 17 games. Galloway (7 points and 1 assist), Simon (13 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals), Cooks (13 points and 4 rebounds) and Soares (11 points and 8 rebounds) led Sydney, while Barry Brown Jr (22 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals), Izayah Le’afa (15 points and 4 assists) and Dererk Pardon (11 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks) led New Zealand. Cooks injured his ankle during the second quarter and was ruled out for between two and four weeks.

With Cooks sidelined, Galloway (3 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists) was elevated into the starting lineup against Illawarra as Sydney escaped with an 83-82 victory after Bruce (8 points) made a three-pointer at the buzzer. Glover (13 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists), Walton Jr (12 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals), Soares (12 points and 4 rebounds), Simon (10 points and 8 rebounds), Vasiljevic (10 points and 5 rebounds) and Noi (10 points and 4 rebounds) helped Sydney recover after trailing by four points with 10 seconds remaining, while Tyler Harvey (32 points and 5 rebounds) and Sam Froling (17 points and 8 rebounds) led Illawarra.

Galloway produced one of his best all-round games during Sydney’s double-overtime loss against South East Melbourne on December 18, finishing with 8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks while playing a season-high 32:07. Walton Jr (45 points, 4 rebounds, and 10 assists), Noi (12 points and 7 rebounds) and Soares (12 points) also contributed, but Mitch Creek (46 points and 10 rebounds) and Trey Kell III (21 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists) led the Phoenix to a 113-112 victory. Cooks aggravated his ankle during the opening quarter and did not return, forcing Sydney to rely heavily on its bench throughout the two overtime periods.

This is incredible 🔥

We’re heading to DOUBLE OT!

Watch #NBL23 live and free on 10 Peach and 10play | live on Fox Sports 506 via Kayo Sports + Foxtel pic.twitter.com/vEiWosqCaG

— NBL (@NBL) December 18, 2022

Sydney hosted the first professional sporting fixture played in Australia on Christmas Day, defeating Melbourne 101-80 in front of 7,012 fans at Qudos Bank Arena. Galloway (7 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals) provided defensive energy from the bench, while Cooks (24 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals), Jordan Hunter (14 points and 4 rebounds) and Simon (12 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals) led the Kings. Rayjon Tucker (31 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists), Isaac Humphries (16 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 blocks) and David Okwera (13 points and 12 rebounds) led Melbourne.

He was listed as a game-time decision with shoulder soreness before Sydney faced Perth on January 7 but remained in the lineup, finishing with 3 points, 1 rebound, and 3 assists in 15:19. Cooks (24 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, and 1 steal), Walton Jr (16 points and 3 assists) and Glover (13 points and 3 rebounds) led the Kings to a 108-87 victory, while Bryce Cotton (22 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals) and Corey Webster (22 points and 3 assists) led Perth.

Sydney produced its biggest victory of the season four days later, defeating Brisbane 116-67 and recording the largest winning margin of the NBL’s 40-minute era. Galloway (2 points and 6 rebounds) grabbed his season-high for rebounds and finished with a plus-27 rating in 20:19, while Cooks (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists), Soares (20 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks), Walton Jr (18 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists), Glover (14 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Simon (11 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led Sydney. Nathan Sobey (14 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Tyler Johnson (13 points and 4 rebounds) were Brisbane’s leading scorers.

His best regular-season scoring game came against Illawarra on January 15, where he made four of seven field-goal attempts, two of three three-pointers and all three free throws to finish with 13 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. Galloway caught a lob from Bruce for a dunk which put Sydney ahead by 13 points before making two free throws during the final seconds to complete an 84-79 victory. Walton Jr (19 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists), Soares (15 points and 6 rebounds) and Noi (12 points) supported him, while Harvey (24 points and 2 steals), Lachlan Dent (15 points) and Froling (14 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists) led Illawarra as Sydney collected its sixth consecutive victory.

Galloway matched his season-high against Tasmania on January 27, making five of six field-goal attempts and finishing with 13 points and 1 assist in 18:08. Vasiljevic (24 points and 5 rebounds), Walton Jr (16 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals), Cooks (12 points and 6 rebounds) and Simon (11 points) led Sydney to a 91-77 victory at MyState Bank Arena, while Isaac White (11 points) and Rashard Kelly (10 points and 6 rebounds) were Tasmania’s leading scorers. The win improved the Kings to 18-7 and gave them a two-game advantage on top of the ladder.

With first place and home-court advantage already secured, Galloway produced his third-highest scoring game during Sydney’s 115-108 loss to Adelaide on February 3. He made four of five field-goal attempts and finished with 11 points, 1 rebound, and 1 steal, while Soares (24 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals), Vasiljevic (18 points and 4 rebounds), Simon (15 points and 7 rebounds) and Noi (13 points and 5 rebounds) led the Kings without the rested Cooks. Antonius Cleveland (23 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block), Robert Franks (19 points and 5 rebounds) and Clark (18 points and 2 steals) led Adelaide.

The regular season ended at RAC Arena, where Galloway (7 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal), Vasiljevic (18 points and 7 rebounds) and Cooks (15 points) led Sydney, but Webster (26 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals), Luke Travers (22 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 block) and Brady Manek (21 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 steals) led Perth to a 96-84 victory. Sydney lost its final two games but finished first with a 19-9 record and secured home-court advantage throughout the postseason.

Cooks (15 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists across 33 games) was named the NBL’s Most Valuable Player and selected to the All-NBL First Team, while Walton Jr (15.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 6.2 assists across 33 games) joined him in the All-NBL First Team. Vasiljevic (13.6 points and 4.3 rebounds across 35 games), Simon (10.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.5 steals across 35 games), Soares (9.4 points and 4.8 rebounds across 35 games), Noi (8 points and 3.7 rebounds across 34 games), Glover (7.1 points across 31 games), Hunter (5.8 points and 3.2 rebounds across 35 games) and Bruce (4.3 points across 35 games) completed Sydney’s main rotation.

His improvement was rewarded after the season when Sydney replaced the team option remaining on his contract with a new three-year deal, with the final season remaining a club option. “I thought [re-signing with the Kings] was the best decision for me,” Galloway said. “There really isn’t another club I want to play for, especially coming off such an awesome and unforgettable season with the Kings. The club is super special to me, being the first-ever professional team I played for and that means a lot to me.”

“Being with the Kings made me a more physical player, while also helping me gain more confidence on the court,” he said. “I want to improve even more next year and win the NBL’s Next Generation Award, while also helping the club secure its second-ever three-peat.”

After Cairns defeated Perth in the Play-In Tournament, Sydney opened the semifinals at Qudos Bank Arena with a 95-87 victory. Galloway (4 points and 1 rebound) played 14:45, while Cooks (27 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block), Walton Jr (21 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists), Soares (14 points and 4 rebounds) and Simon (10 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists) led the Kings. Hogg (24 points), Jonah Antonio (20 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 block) and Shannon Scott (13 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists) led Cairns.

Game two moved to the Cairns Convention Centre, where Galloway (6 points and 1 rebound) made both of his three-point attempts in 13:48, while Walton Jr (22 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals), Simon (19 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 steals) and Noi (12 points and 4 rebounds) led Sydney. Hogg (25 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block), Tahjere McCall (20 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals) and Waardenburg (15 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks) led Cairns to a 93-82 victory. Cooks rolled his ankle after landing on Hogg’s foot, Buford was ejected and Soares was later fined for striking Waardenburg during the physical contest.

Sydney recovered in the deciding game, with Galloway (3 points) playing 12:24 as the Kings defeated Cairns 79-64. Vasiljevic (15 points and 5 rebounds), Cooks (11 points and 11 rebounds), Noi (11 points and 11 rebounds) and Walton Jr (10 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, and 1 steal) led Sydney, while Ben Ayre (20 points and 4 assists) and Waardenburg (17 points and 12 rebounds) led the Taipans before the Kings advanced to the Championship Series.

New Zealand opened the Championship Series by defeating Sydney 95-87 at Qudos Bank Arena. Galloway (4 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists) played 13:09, while Simon (18 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks), Hunter (15 points and 4 rebounds) and Walton Jr (12 points and 6 assists) led the Kings. William McDowell-White (19 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals), Brown Jr (19 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Jarrell Brantley (16 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals) led New Zealand, while Walton Jr suffered severe cramp and Cooks left the court with leg corks during the fourth quarter.

Game two moved to Spark Arena, where Galloway (5 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals) helped Sydney recover after Walton Jr (2 rebounds in 4:50) and Cooks (2 points and 4 rebounds in 9:05) were unable to continue because of their leg problems. Noi (20 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals), Vasiljevic (16 points and 4 rebounds), Simon (12 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 steals) and Glover (12 points) led the undermanned Kings to an 81-74 victory, while Brown Jr (21 points and 3 rebounds), Brantley (20 points and 6 rebounds) and Le’afa (14 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) led New Zealand.

Back in Sydney, Galloway produced his best game of the Championship Series, making both field-goal attempts, his only three-pointer and all four free throws to finish with 9 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist in 12:54. Vasiljevic (15 points and 4 rebounds), Soares (14 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks), Simon (13 points, 6 assists, and 2 blocks), Walton Jr (12 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists) and Cooks (10 points and 8 rebounds) led the Kings to a 91-68 victory in front of an NBL-record crowd of 18,049. McDowell-White (11 points and 6 rebounds), Brantley (10 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals), Brown Jr (10 points and 3 assists) and Rayan Rupert (10 points and 3 rebounds) led New Zealand as Sydney moved ahead 2-1.

New Zealand forced a deciding game by defeating Sydney 80-70 at Spark Arena. Galloway (4 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists) played 15:19, while Walton Jr (18 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists), Glover (12 points and 2 steals) and Cooks (10 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block) led Sydney. Brantley (23 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block), Brown Jr (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) and McDowell-White (19 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists) combined for 62 points for the Breakers.

The Championship Series returned to Qudos Bank Arena for game five, where New Zealand led by 12 points during the first half before Sydney took control with a 14-0 run late in the fourth quarter. Galloway (1 rebound and 1 block in 10:20), Walton Jr (21 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists), Cooks (19 points and 11 rebounds), Glover (12 points and 9 rebounds) and Noi (11 points) led the Kings, while Brown Jr (22 points and 4 rebounds), Brantley (16 points and 4 rebounds) and McDowell-White (12 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists) led New Zealand. Sydney won 77-69 in front of an NBL-record crowd of 18,124, completing back-to-back championships and claiming the club’s fifth title, with Walton Jr named Championship Series MVP.

It was the last game of the season, and it delivered all sorts of drama.

Re-live the best bits thanks to @HungryJacksAU ⤵ pic.twitter.com/KxOiNZnVDW— NBL (@NBL) March 15, 2023

2023/24
Back-to-back championships had Sydney one title away from another three-peat, and Jaylin Galloway entered NBL24 with a much larger role available after the championship lineup was dismantled during the off-season. Reigning NBL MVP Xavier Cooks (to Washington) and DJ Vasiljevic (to Washington) left for NBA opportunities, Derrick Walton Jr, Justin Simon and Tim Soares headed overseas and coach Chase Buford departed before eventually joining Milwaukee, leaving Jordan Hunter as the only returning starter. G-League championship-winning coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah replaced Buford and brought former NBL MVP Jaylen Adams back to Sydney alongside DJ Hogg (via Cairns), Denzel Valentine (via Maine), Jonah Bolden and Next Star Alex Toohey.

Before the season, Galloway, who still had a year remaining on his contract, signed a new three-year deal with the third year a team option, keeping one of Sydney’s emerging young players locked away long-term.

“I thought [re-signing with the Kings] was the best decision for me,” Galloway said.

“[To be honest] there really isn’t another club I want to play for, especially after such an unforgettable season with the Kings. The club is super special to me, being my first-ever pro team. I aim to win the NBL’s Next Generation Award and help secure a three-peat.”

Sydney opened its title defence at WIN Entertainment Centre on September 30, where Galloway (18 points and 5 steals) shot 8-of-9 from the field and made an immediate impact at both ends as the Kings defeated Illawarra 96-81. Noi (23 points and 4 rebounds) and Adams (20 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led Sydney’s scoring, while Tyler Harvey (19 points and 3 steals) was Illawarra’s leading scorer. The performance saw Abdelfattah describe Galloway as probably the best defensive player in the league as Sydney looked internally to replace the defensive presence lost with Justin Simon’s departure.

Galloway’s best all-round game came in Sydney’s first home game against Adelaide on October 8, where Galloway (11 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals) made three three-pointers without committing a turnover. Hunter (22 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Adams (16 points and 8 assists) helped Sydney storm home for a 109-100 victory, while Trey Kell III (28 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals) led Adelaide. The win came as Sydney unfurled its NBL23 championship banner in front of 14,029 fans, at the time the largest crowd for a stand-alone home opener in NBL history.

Galloway (10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 steals across 23 games) developed into one of Sydney’s most important perimeter defenders while producing career-high numbers offensively, attacking the rim off the catch and becoming a more consistent three-point threat. A shoulder injury interrupted his strong start and ruled him out for at least three weeks after October 22, with Galloway remaining sidelined until the beginning of December.

After returning from the shoulder injury, Galloway produced his best scoring game of the season in Hobart on December 17. Galloway (22 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals) came off the bench, shot 8-of-12 from the field and made two three-pointers as Sydney defeated Tasmania 90-82 at MyState Bank Arena. Adams (15 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, and 1 block) and Hunter (13 points and 4 rebounds) helped the Kings collect their ninth victory, while Jack McVeigh (23 points and 7 rebounds) led Tasmania. The career-high 22 points helped Sydney improve to 9-6 and move back inside the top two.

Sydney was unable to maintain that position, with its season falling away after a 7-3 start and the Kings conceding 100 points on nine occasions as their defence struggled. Adams (19.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists) led the offence, with Hogg (14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.3 blocks), Valentine (12.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists), Hunter (10.3 points and 7 rebounds), Noi (10 points and 4.5 rebounds), Bolden (8.5 points and 6.4 rebounds), Toohey (8 points and 4 rebounds) and Glover (5.3 points) the other main contributors. Galloway’s improvement saw him finish as one of three finalists for the NBL’s Most Improved Player Award. Adams was named Kings MVP and Players’ Player, Hunter received Defensive Player of the Year and Members’ MVP honours, Toohey won the Michael Wrublewski Coaches’ Award and Bruce (4.1 points across 29 games) received the Hard Yakka Hard Work Award as Sydney finished fifth with a 13-15 record.

Sydney hosted New Zealand in the sudden-death Play-In Qualifier at Qudos Bank Arena, where Galloway (2 points and 1 steal) played just under ten minutes off the bench. Adams (18 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) and Hogg (17 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) led Sydney, while Parker Jackson-Cartwright (34 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal) and Zylan Cheatham (18 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals) carried New Zealand to an 83-76 victory, ending Sydney’s three-peat attempt.

Following the season, Galloway signed his first NBA contract, agreeing to a two-year, two-way deal with the Milwaukee Bucks that allowed him to split time between Milwaukee and its G-League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd. As part of his release, Sydney also renegotiated Galloway’s contract through the 2026/27 season, retaining his NBL rights if he returned to Australia.

2025/26
Sydney’s 2024/25 campaign ended in fifth place with a 16-13 record before Adelaide eliminated the Kings 95-88 in the play-in, leaving Brian Goorjian to reshape the roster during his second season back at the club. Jaylen Adams (to Brisbane), Izayah Le’Afa (to New Zealand), Alex Toohey (to Golden State) and Cameron Oliver exited the team, while Matthew Dellavedova (via Melbourne), Kendric Davis (via Adelaide) and Tim Soares (via Japan) joined Xavier Cooks, Bul Kuol, Kouat Noi, Jaylin Galloway, Makuach Maluach, Shaun Bruce and Tyler Robertson. Hunter Goodrick (via Norths) was also added as a nominated replacement after Keli Leaupepe and Jason Spurgin suffered long-term injuries.

Sydney opened the season against Cairns at Qudos Bank Arena on September 28, where Galloway (3 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist) started but the Taipans defeated the Kings 77-74. Davis (21 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals) and Soares (12 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 steal) led Sydney, while Jack McVeigh (24 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block) was Cairns’ best.

Galloway (9.7 points, 3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists across 39 games) returned after right shoulder surgery restricted him to 10 appearances the previous season. He rebuilt his form with Bankstown in NBL1 East before being named MVP of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup as Australia won the tournament, and Goorjian challenged him to fill the role that would normally belong to Sydney’s third import. Galloway started 25 games across the regular season and playoffs, providing athleticism, outside shooting and the ability to defend several positions.

Galloway’s first major performance came against Tasmania at Qudos Bank Arena on October 26, where he made seven of his 10 field-goal attempts and finished with 18 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals. Davis (22 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Soares (13 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists) helped Sydney build a 16-point fourth-quarter lead, but Josh Bannan (18 points and 9 rebounds) led Tasmania’s comeback before Nick Marshall scored the winning lay-up as the JackJumpers finished with the final 12 points and won 90-89. The collapse left Sydney with a 3-5 record and increased the pressure surrounding the expensive roster, with media and supporters questioning whether the 72-year-old Goorjian was too old or whether the game had passed him by.

Six days later, Galloway (16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks) helped Sydney respond with its most complete performance of the season as the Kings defeated Brisbane 116-79 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Cooks (24 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Davis (19 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists) led Sydney, while Casey Prather (24 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals) was Brisbane’s best as the Kings improved to 4-5.

His best scoring game came against Melbourne at Qudos Bank Arena on January 11, where Galloway (27 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) made 10 of his 11 field-goal attempts and all five three-pointers as Sydney won 97-94 and moved into third place. Davis (23 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Dellavedova (11 points) provided support, although Dellavedova left during the second quarter with concussion symptoms, while Jesse Edwards (23 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) led United. The performance came with Cooks and Kuol already unavailable and established a new career high for Galloway.

Kuol (6.7 points and 4.2 rebounds across 20 games) suffered a season-ending ACL injury against Adelaide on January 2, leading Sydney to sign Torrey Craig (via Boston) as his replacement. Craig (12.3 points and 6.3 rebounds across 15 games) moved into the starting lineup, while Galloway also received greater responsibility on the wing and started Sydney’s final 11 regular-season games in which he was available and every game of the playoffs.

Davis (25.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 7.1 assists) carried Sydney’s offence, won the club MVP and earned All-NBL First Team honours after finishing two votes behind Bryce Cotton for league MVP. Cooks (13.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks) was selected to the All-NBL Second Team, while Soares (11.4 points and 5.8 rebounds), Noi (10 points and 3.7 rebounds), Dellavedova (8.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists), Maluach (8.3 points and 3.1 rebounds) and Robertson (6 points) completed Sydney’s main rotation. Kuol received the club’s Defensive Player award, Dellavedova won the Coaches Award, Robertson was named Players’ Player and Maluach collected the Members’ Award, while Goorjian was named Coach of the Year for the seventh time.

A shoulder injury kept Galloway out of Sydney’s final regular-season game against Brisbane on February 20, where Davis (31 points and 8 assists) and Maluach (15 points and 3 rebounds) led the Kings to a 117-77 victory. Hunter Maldonado (16 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists) was Brisbane’s best as Sydney completed an 11-game winning streak and finished first with a 24-9 record.

Galloway returned for the opening game of the semifinals against Perth at Qudos Bank Arena, finishing with 8 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, and 2 steals as Sydney held on for a 105-104 win. Davis (35 points, 6 assists, and 2 steals) and Craig (20 points and 9 rebounds) led the Kings, while Kristian Doolittle (31 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists) and David Duke Jr (20 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists) were best for Perth before Doolittle missed the potential winning shot.

Game two moved to RAC Arena, where Galloway (5 points, 1 rebound, and 1 steal), 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 to an 89-75 win. Ben Henshall (20 points and 6 rebounds) and Doolittle (15 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists) were Perth’s best as the Kings completed the sweep and advanced to the Championship Series.

The Championship Series opened at Qudos Bank Arena, where Galloway (15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block) made three three-pointers as Sydney defeated Adelaide 112-68. Davis (25 points and 7 assists) and Soares (22 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists) led the Kings, while Isaac White (11 points) and Cotton (10 points and 7 assists) were Adelaide’s leading scorers in the largest winning margin in Championship Series history. Galloway aggravated his shoulder during a late rebounding contest with Matt Kenyon and left the game immediately but was cleared to continue playing through the injury.

Game two moved to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, where Galloway (8 points) played through the shoulder injury as Sydney built a 14-point lead. Davis (20 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists), Cooks (18 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Craig (17 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks) led the Kings, while Cotton (28 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) and Flynn Cameron (17 points and 5 rebounds) sparked Adelaide’s comeback before Cotton scored in transition at the buzzer to give the 36ers a 91-89 win.

Sydney regained control in game three at Qudos Bank Arena, where Galloway (17 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) made five of his eight three-point attempts. Davis (34 points and 15 assists), Cooks (18 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks) and Soares (12 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 block) led the Kings to a 106-93 win, while John Jenkins (22 points), Zylan Cheatham (17 points and 10 rebounds) and Cotton (15 points and 12 assists) were Adelaide’s best. Davis became the first player in NBL history to record at least 34 points and 15 assists without committing a turnover.

Adelaide forced a deciding game with a 92-91 win at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, despite Galloway (20 points, 1 assist, and 1 steal) making five three-pointers and leading all players with 14 points during the first half. Davis (22 points, 4 rebounds, and 10 assists), Cooks (16 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 blocks) and Soares (10 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks) led Sydney, while Cheatham (23 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals), Cotton (19 points, 5 rebounds, and 12 assists) and Dejan Vasiljevic (19 points and 4 rebounds) were Adelaide’s best before Craig split two free throws with 2.8 seconds remaining.

Game five returned to Qudos Bank Arena in front of an NBL record crowd of 18,589, where Soares (20 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals) grabbed an offensive rebound and scored with 4.6 seconds remaining to force overtime. Davis (35 points and 14 assists) and Cooks (19 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals) helped Sydney outscore Adelaide 18-6 in the extra period, while Cotton (35 points, 4 rebounds, and 9 assists), Cheatham (15 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Isaac Humphries (14 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks) led the 36ers as the Kings won 113-101 to claim their sixth championship and third in five seasons. Davis was named Championship Series MVP, while Galloway averaged more than 15 points and made 18 of his 32 three-point attempts during the five-game series to secure his third NBL championship. Galloway (16 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists) played 34:18 minutes in the win.

Jaylin Galloway currently plays for the Sydney Kings and has played 124 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 6.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists since entering the league in 2021.

CURRENT CONTRACT:

Sydney Kings – 3 Year Deal (2024-27)