BIO: Will Magnay was born in Brisbane (QLD), where he attended Nudgee College. He began playing basketball as a junior with the the Northside Wizards basketball program and in 2015 Magnay received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra). He spent three years year there and played for the program’s SEABL team between 2015-17.

After his third year in Canberra he accepted a scholarship to attend the University of Tulsa in (2017).

Will Magnay was born in Brisbane, Queensland During his junior basketball years, he played for , developing his skills before progressing to higher levels of competition.

FAMILY: Parents are Brett and Shelley Magnay … has one brother and one sister … brother Campbell is a professional rugby player for the Queensland Reds

NBL EXPERIENCE

Will Magnay made his NBL debut with the Brisbane Bullets at 19 years of age. He scored two points in his first game.

Will Magnay began his professional basketball career by signing a three-year deal with his hometown team, the Brisbane Bullets, in October 2017 after leaving Tulsa University. Joining the team as a development player, Magnay appeared in 16 games, averaging 2.2 points and 1.5 rebounds. The Bullets finished the season in eighth place with a 9-19 record. His contributions earned him a promotion to the main roster for the following season.

2018/19
After finishing last in 2017/18 with a 9-19 record and collecting a second consecutive wooden spoon, Brisbane reshaped its roster under coach Andrej Lemanis. Daniel Kickert (to Sydney), Tom Jervis (to Perth), Mitch Young (to Cairns), Anthony Petrie (retired), Shaun Bruce and imports Travis Trice and Perrin Buford departed, while captain Adam Gibson, Stephen Holt and Reuben Te Rangi remained. Cameron Gliddon (via Cairns), Jason Cadee (via Sydney), Matthew Hodgson (via Adelaide), Mika Vukona (via New Zealand), Makoto Hiejima (via Japan) and Alonzo Gee (via Puerto Rico) were added, while Cam Bairstow returned after missing the previous season following a knee reconstruction. Hiejima joined under the NBL’s Asian Player rule, becoming the first Japanese player to sign with an NBL team, while Brisbane faced a difficult opening draw with 12 of its first 15 games against teams which had reached the previous season’s playoffs.

Will Magnay (via Tulsa) had joined his hometown Bullets in October 2017 on a three-year deal after leaving the University of Tulsa, with Mitch Young’s bout of glandular fever creating an earlier opportunity for Brisbane to bring him into the program. He began with Brisbane as a development player and appeared in six games during 2017/18, averaging 2.2 points and 1.5 rebounds, before being elevated to the full roster for 2018/19. Lemanis said, “We always had a long term vision for Will to be part of the Club, it is exciting that it is happening now.”

Magnay (1.3 points across 10 games) remained at the end of Brisbane’s frontcourt rotation, making nine regular-season appearances and one appearance during the semifinals. A preseason injury disrupted his preparation, with Nnanna Egwu brought in as injury cover while both he and Hodgson worked their way back. Magnay returned early in the season, making his first appearance against Cairns on October 13, and there was no further reported injury during the season, with his limited appearances thereafter coming through selection and Brisbane’s frontcourt rotation.

Against Illawarra on November 22, Magnay (3 points and 1 block) scored his first points of the season in less than two minutes as Brisbane defeated the Hawks 104-85. Patterson (24 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Cadee (15 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists) led Brisbane, while AJ Ogilvy (16 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 block) was Illawarra’s best.

Magnay’s best game came against Adelaide on December 15, where he played a season-high 9:18 and Magnay (4 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist) recorded his highest scoring game of the season, but Brisbane lost 101-91. Patterson (24 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) and Bairstow (20 points and 7 rebounds) led the Bullets, while Nathan Sobey (24 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) led Adelaide.

Against Illawarra on December 31, Magnay (2 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block) played almost seven minutes as Brisbane defeated the Hawks 100-74 in what was the Bullets’ biggest win of the season at that point. Patterson (18 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Gliddon (15 points and 5 rebounds) led Brisbane, while David Andersen (15 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists) was Illawarra’s best.

Brisbane continued to change its roster during the season. Gee (7.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals across 4 games) requested to return to the US for personal reasons and was released, with Patterson (17.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.3 steals across 24 games, via China) signed as his replacement. Holt (7.1 points across 11 games) was later granted a mutual release to pursue an opportunity overseas, with Jeremy Kendle (6 points across 18 games) added after training with Brisbane throughout the season. Hiejima was later released, with A.J. Davis (4.1 points across 11 games, via Prishtina) added for the remainder of the season.

Patterson was named to the All-NBL First Team and won Brisbane’s club MVP award, while Gliddon (13.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals across 29 games), Bairstow (11.6 points and 5.8 rebounds across 29 games), Te Rangi (9.9 points and 3.1 rebounds across 30 games), Hodgson (9.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks across 29 games), Cadee (8.3 points and 4.1 assists across 30 games), Vukona (6.7 points and 4.4 rebounds across 28 games) and Gibson (6.2 points across 30 games) provided Brisbane’s other major contributions. Te Rangi was named both the NBL’s Most Improved Player and Sixth Man of the Year as Brisbane finished fourth with a 14-14 record and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

There was no exit for Magnay at the end of the season, with the second-year big man remaining under the three-year contract he had signed in 2017 and returning to Brisbane’s full roster for 2019/20.

Perth opened the semifinals at RAC Arena on February 28 with an 89-59 win over Brisbane behind Bryce Cotton (22 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists), Terrico White (19 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Nick Kay (18 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks). Gliddon (18 points and 4 rebounds), Hodgson (10 points and 7 rebounds) and Patterson (9 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists) led Brisbane, while Magnay (0 points and 0 rebounds) played 2:07 off the bench.

Game two moved to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, where Magnay did not play and Patterson (19 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals), Hodgson (15 points and 2 blocks) and Bairstow (12 points and 7 rebounds) led Brisbane, while White (24 points), Cotton (19 points and 10 assists) and Kay (16 points and 15 rebounds) led Perth to an 84-79 victory to complete the 2-0 sweep.

2019/20
After returning to the playoffs with a 14-14 record before losing to Perth in the semifinals, Brisbane entered 2019/20 without Adam Gibson (to South East Melbourne), Cameron Bairstow (to Rytas Vilnius), Makoto Hiejima (to Link Tochigi Brex), Nnanna Egwu (to Earth Friends Tokyo Z) and Stephen Holt (to Sixt Primorska). Head coach Andrej Lemanis added Nathan Sobey (via Adelaide), Taylor Braun (via Hapoel Be’er Sheva), EJ Singler (via Panionios) and Callum Dalton (via Gold Coast), while Lamar Patterson re-signed with the club.

An ankle injury ruled Will Magnay out of Brisbane’s opening-round 90-81 win over Illawarra, his only missed game of the season.

Magnay (8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks across 27 games) returned for Brisbane’s second game and played every remaining game, developing from a player who had averaged just 1.3 points the previous season into one of the Bullets’ key players. After beginning the season from the bench, Magnay was elevated into the starting lineup in December and started Brisbane’s final 13 games, with his defensive presence, shot-blocking ability and improved offensive game becoming an important part of the Bullets’ late-season improvement.

Magnay’s first appearance came against Cairns at Nissan Arena on October 11, where Magnay (9 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) provided an immediate lift from the bench as Brisbane defeated the Taipans 90-74. Sobey (21 points and 5 assists) and Matthew Hodgson (14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocks) led Brisbane, while Scott Machado (16 points and 10 assists) was Cairns’ best.

Magnay’s best game of the season came against league-leading Sydney at Nissan Arena on December 21, where he made his first start of the season and finished with 23 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 blocks as Brisbane defeated the Kings 87-80. Patterson (15 points) and Cameron Gliddon (13 points and 5 rebounds) provided support, while Casper Ware (26 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Sydney. The victory ended Brisbane’s nine-game losing streak against the Kings and Magnay remained in the starting lineup for the rest of the season.

Magnay continued to establish himself as one of the league’s premier shot-blockers during Brisbane’s late-season run, with one of his best defensive performances coming against South East Melbourne on January 23. Magnay (19 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 blocks) produced his second-highest scoring game of the season while setting an NBL season-high for blocks as Brisbane defeated the Phoenix 108-101 for its fourth consecutive win. Patterson (27 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals) and Sobey (14 points) provided support, while John Roberson (26 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals) led South East Melbourne.

Magnay’s emergence attracted the attention of multiple NBA scouts who were in Australia evaluating high-profile prospects LaMelo Ball and RJ Hampton, with his athleticism, rim protection and developing offensive game placing him firmly on their radar and establishing his reputation as an elite defensive talent. Magnay finished the regular season with 56 blocks, breaking Brisbane’s club record set by Leroy Loggins in 1985, and was named the NBL Most Improved Player with 53 votes. He also finished second behind DJ Newbill in Defensive Player of the Year voting and third in voting for the Sixth Man award.

Patterson (21 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.2 steals) remained Brisbane’s leading offensive player and was named to the All-NBL First Team while finishing third in MVP voting, while Sobey (16 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists) was the team’s second-leading scorer. Jason Cadee (11 points) won the NBL Sixth Man award, while Hodgson (10.3 points and 6.4 rebounds), Singler (7.8 points and 4.1 rebounds), Gliddon (6.9 points) and Braun (6.7 points) completed the main rotation. Brisbane recovered from an inconsistent start to win six consecutive games late in the season and move into fourth place before losses to New Zealand and Perth left its playoff hopes hanging by a thread.

Magnay’s breakout season also put his future in Brisbane under the spotlight. On February 19, four days after Brisbane’s final regular-season game, he re-signed with the Bullets on a two-year contract, but the NBA interest continued throughout 2020. “I had a few US teams that I was going to go visit, obviously when COVID struck, the NBA shut down,” Magnay said. Brisbane eventually released him to pursue an NBA opportunity and he secured a two-way contract with the New Orleans Pelicans. “It’s a dream come true and I’m very thankful for the opportunity they’ve given me,” Magnay said.

Brisbane entered its final game against Cairns needing to win by at least 33 points to remain alive in the playoff race. Magnay (4 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 blocks) started as the Bullets defeated the Taipans 124-88 at Nissan Arena, with Sobey (30 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals), Gliddon (25 points, 3 assists, and 4 steals) and Singler (21 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) leading Brisbane, while Majok Deng (20 points and 7 rebounds) led Cairns. The 36-point victory kept Brisbane alive overnight, but Melbourne defeated South East Melbourne 109-90 the following day to claim fourth place, leaving Brisbane fifth with a 15-13 record.

PERTH WILDCATS
2020/21
Coming off a second consecutive championship after Sydney withdrew from the remaining games of the previous Grand Final series amid COVID-19 concerns, Perth entered NBL21 looking to win a third straight title under coach Trevor Gleeson. Damian Martin (retired), Terrico White (to Puerto Rico), Nick Kay (to Spain) and Rhys Vague (to Japan) departed, while the NBL’s decision to reduce import spots from three to two prevented Perth from retaining Miles Plumlee. Gleeson added John Mooney (via Notre Dame), Todd Blanchfield (via Illawarra) and Kevin White (via Adelaide), while Tom Jervis returned from retirement and Corey Shervill and Andrew Ferguson joined as development players. Majok Majok was ruled out for the season after rupturing his Achilles before the campaign began, with Jarred Bairstow signed as his injury replacement. Numerous delays and COVID-19 border restrictions resulted in the season beginning without a fixed schedule.

Perth struggled early and sat seventh after five rounds before relocating to Melbourne for the NBL Cup, where the Wildcats won seven of their eight games to claim the inaugural tournament. The Wildcats returned to Perth as championship contenders and were battling Melbourne for top spot when they strengthened their frontcourt late in the season.

On May 6, Magnay (via New Orleans) joined Perth for the remainder of the season as a Nominated Replacement Player after returning from his stint with the New Orleans Pelicans and Erie BayHawks. His signing meant Bairstow could no longer remain active unless another Perth player was injured. Having won the NBL’s Most Improved Player award with Brisbane the previous season before earning an NBA two-way contract with New Orleans, Magnay joined Perth specifically looking to help the Wildcats complete a three-peat. “I want to win, there’s a culture there of winning. Stats or awards don’t mean anything if you don’t get that championship,” said Magnay.

Standing at 208cm tall, Will Magnay is a shot-blocking MACHINE. ? pic.twitter.com/uF5qapztRU

— Perth Wildcats (@PerthWildcats) May 6, 2021

Magnay (4.7 points and 4.3 rebounds across 15 games) returned to Australia with a foot injury which had raised fears he would require surgery, but those concerns proved unfounded. He completed hotel quarantine immediately before Perth’s May 9 game against New Zealand and suited up but did not enter the game, with Gleeson deciding his conditioning wasn’t ready after only one day out of quarantine. Magnay made his Wildcats debut four days later and played every remaining Perth game through the Grand Final.

Magnay’s first appearance came against Melbourne at RAC Arena on May 13, where he finished with 0 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block in 12 minutes as United won 99-91. Cotton (24 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) and Mooney (24 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) led Perth, while Chris Goulding (26 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) was Melbourne’s leading scorer.

Four days later against Cairns, Magnay (7 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block) produced his first significant offensive contribution for Perth as the Wildcats won 89-78. Cotton (24 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals) and Mooney (11 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) led Perth, while Nathan Jawai (20 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks) was Cairns’ best.

Magnay’s season-high scoring performance came against former team Brisbane on May 19, where he finished with 11 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, and 1 steal in 20 minutes as the Wildcats surrendered an 18-point lead and lost 91-88. Steindl (25 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Mooney (18 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Perth, while Lamar Patterson (23 points and 5 rebounds) was Brisbane’s leading scorer. Cotton (10 points, 2 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals) also suffered a haematoma to his left quadriceps during the game, although he remained on court and played again two days later before swelling and pain led to emergency surgery on May 23, ruling him out for Perth’s final four regular-season games and the entire postseason.

Magnay’s best game of the season came in Perth’s final regular-season game against Melbourne on June 4, where he made four of five shots to finish with 10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block in 17 minutes. Blanchfield (15 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists) and Travers (10 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) also contributed, while Jo Lual-Acuil (16 points and 2 blocks) led Melbourne to a 78-64 win. United finished first with a 28-8 record, while Perth finished second at 25-11.

Cotton (23.5 points, 5.7 assists, and 1.5 steals across 32 games) was named NBL MVP, Scoring Champion, Fans MVP and to the All-NBL First Team, while Mooney (16.9 points and 11.4 rebounds across 42 games) joined him on the All-NBL First Team and later won Perth’s Gordon Ellis Medal as club MVP. Blanchfield (15.2 points and 4.1 rebounds across 41 games) set a Wildcats record for most three-pointers made in a season, while Norton (8.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists across 41 games), Wagstaff (6.7 points and 3.8 rebounds across 41 games) and Steindl (6.4 points across 38 games) were other key contributors. Travers (4.9 points and 3.2 rebounds across 40 games) was named Perth’s Most Improved Player, Norton won the Best Defensive Player and Players’ Player awards and Gleeson was named NBL Coach of the Year.

Without Cotton, Perth opened the semifinals against Illawarra at RAC Arena with a 74-72 loss, where Magnay (2 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists), Blanchfield (24 points and 3 rebounds) and Mooney (13 points, 15 rebounds, and 1 steal) led the Wildcats, while Justinian Jessup (17 points and 4 rebounds) and Justin Simon (16 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led the Hawks.

Game two moved to WIN Entertainment Centre, where Magnay (7 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist) provided stronger minutes inside and made both of his three-point attempts as Perth defeated Illawarra 79-71. Mooney (18 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 assists) and Travers (13 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block) led Perth, while Tyler Harvey (24 points and 4 steals) and Jessup (11 points and 1 block) were Illawarra’s best.

Game three returned to RAC Arena, where Magnay (0 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists) played 11 minutes as Blanchfield (24 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals), Mooney (16 points, 15 rebounds, and 1 block) and Norton (15 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals) carried Perth to another 79-71 win. Sam Froling (14 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks) and Simon (9 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Illawarra as the Wildcats advanced to the Grand Final.

Perth faced first-placed Melbourne United in the Grand Final, with COVID-19 restrictions resulting in the opening two games being played at RAC Arena. Magnay (5 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block) started game one and played almost 26 minutes, while Blanchfield (27 points and 7 rebounds) and White (10 points and 5 rebounds) led the Wildcats. Goulding (23 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Jock Landale (17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) led Melbourne to a 73-70 win.

Magnay (9 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block) increased his scoring in game two, with Mooney (17 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Blanchfield (13 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 steal) leading Perth, while Goulding (21 points), Yudai Baba (15 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) and Landale (12 points, 17 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block) helped Melbourne win 83-74 and take a 2-0 series lead.

Game three moved to John Cain Arena, where Magnay (10 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block) produced his highest-scoring playoff game. White (14 points and 3 rebounds), Mooney (14 points, 13 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) and Blanchfield (11 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 steal) led Perth, while Landale (15 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) and Goulding (14 points and 4 rebounds) led Melbourne to an 81-76 win, completing the 3-0 sweep and claiming the championship with Landale named Grand Final MVP.

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS
2021/22
The Tasmania JackJumpers entered the NBL as the league’s newest expansion side under former Perth Wildcats assistant Scott Roth, who assembled the inaugural roster around imports Josh Adams (via Bologna), Josh Magette (via Darüşşafaka) and MiKyle McIntosh (via Le Portel), alongside Jack McVeigh (via Adelaide), Clint Steindl (via Perth), Sam McDaniel (via Melbourne), Jarrad Weeks (via Sydney), Fabijan Krslovic (via Cairns), Jarred Bairstow (via Perth) and Matt Kenyon (via Ballarat). Expectations were low, with multiple betting agencies offering 400:1 odds on Tasmania winning the championship.

During the off-season, Magnay became one of the most sought-after players in the NBL, with almost every team pursuing his signature and deals with Perth and Melbourne coming close before Magnay (via Perth) signed a one-year contract with Tasmania on July 12, becoming the club’s first marquee player. He had returned to the NBL with Perth after spending time with the New Orleans Pelicans and Erie BayHawks and entered the JackJumpers’ preseason recovering from off-season foot surgery, but recovered in time for the opening round. “I’m thrilled to be joining the JackJumpers in their inaugural season,” Magnay said.

Tasmania opened its first NBL season against Brisbane at MyState Bank Arena on December 3, where Magnay (10 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 blocks) recorded the first double-double in JackJumpers history as Tasmania defeated the Bullets 83-74 in overtime in front of 4,738 fans. Adams (20 points) and Magette (19 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists) led the scoring, while Sobey (24 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Franks (19 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks) led Brisbane.

Magnay (7.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks across 11 games) started every game he played and provided Tasmania with its primary rim protection, but his season was interrupted twice. His first absence came on January 1 when COVID protocols ruled him out against Melbourne. Adams (23 points) and Magette (15 points) led Tasmania, while Lual-Acuil Jr (19 points and 7 rebounds) and Goulding (14 points) led United to a 76-72 victory.

Magnay’s best game of the season came against South East Melbourne at MyState Bank Arena on January 23, where Magnay (10 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 5 blocks) made four of seven shots and repeatedly protected the rim. Steindl (16 points) and Magette (9 points and 9 assists) provided support, while Creek (21 points) and Zhou Qi (18 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks) led the Phoenix to a 76-63 victory.

Against Sydney at MyState Bank Arena on February 4, Magnay (12 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, and 4 blocks) made four of five shots and all three free throws as Tasmania defeated the Kings 77-70 for its third consecutive victory and moved into fifth place. Magette (18 points), McVeigh (17 points and 7 rebounds) and Adams (16 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) led a balanced JackJumpers performance, while Jaylen Adams (24 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 5 steals), Cooks (18 points and 15 rebounds) and Martin (16 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) led Sydney.

Two days later, Magnay (9 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals) played through a developing knee issue against defending champion Melbourne at John Cain Arena. McVeigh (17 points and 2 steals), Adams (16 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) and McIntosh (16 points and 4 rebounds) led Tasmania, while Goulding (29 points and 2 steals) and Lual-Acuil Jr (26 points, 21 rebounds, and 2 blocks) carried United as the JackJumpers won 94-85. It proved to be Magnay’s final game of the season.

The knee problem sidelined Magnay from the following round and was later identified as bone bruising, with doctors warning that continuing to load the knee risked it developing into a fracture. “It’s pretty complicated but essentially it’s bone bruising,” Magnay said. Magnay and the JackJumpers eventually decided against attempting a late-season return and he missed the final 16 regular-season games and all six playoff games. Tasmania officially ruled him out for the season on April 7 because of the lingering knee issue.

Without Magnay, Krslovic moved into a larger role in the starting frontcourt and Roth reshaped Tasmania’s game plan, moving away from its reliance on perimeter shooting towards a more balanced approach. The JackJumpers recovered from a 2-6 start to win 10 of their final 12 games, with Adams (17.5 points and 3.3 rebounds across 34 games) leading the scoring and earning All-NBL Second Team honours, while McVeigh (12.2 points and 4.8 rebounds across 33 games), Magette (11.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.4 steals across 34 games), Steindl (9 points across 34 games) and McIntosh (8.7 points and 3.8 rebounds across 34 games) were the other major contributors. Roth was named NBL Coach of the Year and Adams later won Tasmania’s inaugural club MVP.

Despite his season being over, Magnay re-signed with Tasmania on a new two-year deal in April. The JackJumpers completed their regular-season schedule with a 17-11 record but remained fifth until South East Melbourne defeated Perth 102-100 in overtime in the Wildcats’ final game, allowing Tasmania to move into fourth place on points percentage and ending Perth’s 35-year playoff streak.

With Magnay remaining sidelined, game one of the semifinals moved to John Cain Arena, where Adams (16 points and 5 rebounds) and McVeigh (15 points and 4 rebounds) led Tasmania, while Agada (16 points and 7 rebounds) and Lual-Acuil Jr (15 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 blocks) led defending champion Melbourne to a 74-63 victory.

Game two returned to MyState Bank Arena, where McVeigh (15 points), McIntosh (13 points) and Magette (12 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals) led Tasmania, while Goulding (18 points), Agada (14 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Lual-Acuil Jr (13 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks) led Melbourne. Tasmania won 79-72 to force a deciding game three and became the first expansion club to win a finals game during its inaugural season.

Game three returned to John Cain Arena, where Melbourne captain Chris Goulding suffered a calf injury during warmups and was ruled out. Adams (30 points), McVeigh (16 points) and Magette (9 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals) led Tasmania, while Ili (18 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists), Lual-Acuil Jr (16 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and White (14 points and 15 rebounds) led Melbourne. Tasmania won 76-73 and advanced to the Grand Final in its first NBL season.

The Grand Final series opened at Qudos Bank Arena, where McIntosh (14 points and 4 rebounds), McVeigh (14 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals), Adams (13 points and 8 rebounds) and Magette (10 points, 10 assists, and 2 blocks) led Tasmania, while Jaylen Adams (18 points), Clark (17 points and 2 steals) and Cooks (14 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists) led Sydney to a 95-78 victory. Jaylen Adams suffered a left hamstring injury during the fourth quarter and was ruled out for the remainder of the series.

Game two moved to MyState Bank Arena for the first NBL Grand Final game played in Hobart, where Adams (36 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) delivered his best game of the season, with Weeks (11 points) and Magette (10 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists) providing support. Cooks (20 points and 11 rebounds), Martin (20 points and 10 rebounds) and Vasiljevic (20 points and 5 rebounds) led Sydney before Vasiljevic hit a long-range three-pointer with eight seconds remaining to secure a 90-86 victory. The result was Sydney’s 12th consecutive road victory, the most away wins by a team during a single NBL season.

Dejan Vasiljevic with the 𝘿𝘼𝙂𝙂𝙀𝙍 🗡️

📺 Watch the #NBLFinals Live on ESPN pic.twitter.com/XDIgoHVKo9

— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) May 8, 2022

Game three returned to Qudos Bank Arena, where Adams (27 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals), McIntosh (14 points and 8 rebounds) and Magette (12 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, and 6 steals) led Tasmania, while Cooks (23 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks), Martin (22 points, 17 rebounds, and 1 block) and Clark (22 points and 3 assists) led Sydney to a 97-88 victory in front of an NBL Grand Final record crowd of 16,149. The Kings completed the 3-0 sweep for their first championship in 17 years and their 19th win from their final 21 games, with Cooks named Grand Final MVP. Cooks and Martin combined for 45 points and 30 rebounds.

2022/23
After reaching the Championship Series during their inaugural campaign, Tasmania entered Scott Roth’s second season with most of its roster secured on multi-year deals. The departure of leading scorer Josh Adams (to Ljubljana) disappointed supporters, while MiKyle McIntosh (to Saga), Sejr Deans (to Jacksonville) and Jock Perry (to Casey) also moved on. Roth replaced the import duo with Milton Doyle (via Gaziantep) and Rashard Kelly (via Dijon), while Isaac White (via Illawarra) and Tristan Forsyth (via South East Melbourne) were brought in as injury cover and development players Josh Tomasi (via St Cloud State) and Walter Brown (via Canterbury) joined the roster.

Magnay had committed to Tasmania before the club’s inaugural playoff run, signing a new two-year deal in April. “I’ve loved my time here, I love where I live and the fans have been great… I don’t want to be anywhere else.” He entered the pre-season continuing to recover from bone bruising in his knee, which had ended his first JackJumpers campaign after 11 games and kept him out of the team’s run to the Grand Final. Captain Clint Steindl was also sidelined after suffering a knee injury while representing Australia at the FIBA Asia Cup.

The centre missed Tasmania’s first 10 games while completing his rehabilitation. The JackJumpers opened the season with three consecutive losses before responding with four straight wins, returning to playoff contention while he remained unavailable. He rejoined the rotation in mid-November and started all but his first appearance for the remainder of the campaign.

Magnay (5.9 points and 4.1 rebounds across 22 games) continued to have his minutes managed but reclaimed the starting centre position, shooting 57 per cent from the field and leading Tasmania with 22 blocks. His mobility and rim protection remained valuable to Roth’s defensive system, with the JackJumpers conceding the second-fewest points in the league.

His best all-round game came against New Zealand at MyState Bank Arena on December 26, where Magnay (9 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks) helped Tasmania defeat the Breakers 93-82. Magette (16 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 steals) and Krslovic (14 points and 5 rebounds) provided support, while Izayah Le’afa (21 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) led New Zealand.

Magnay’s best scoring game came in Wollongong on February 4, where he made all six of his field-goal attempts and finished with 13 points and 3 rebounds as Tasmania defeated Illawarra 87-63 and secured fourth place with a 16-12 record. Doyle (20 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists) and McVeigh (14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led the JackJumpers, while Tyler Harvey (13 points) was Illawarra’s leading scorer. Magnay suffered a knock to the mouth but was cleared for the postseason, while Magette (5 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) required surgery for a broken cheekbone and fractured eye socket and was ruled out for the finals.

Doyle (17.2 points, 5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.7 steals across 31 games) led Tasmania in scoring and became the first JackJumpers player selected to the All-NBL First Team. McVeigh (14.8 points and 4.6 rebounds across 32 games), Kelly (12.1 points and 6.2 rebounds across 31 games) and Magette (10.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2 steals across 28 games) were the other leading contributors, with MacDonald (6.3 points across 32 games), White (5.3 points across 28 games) and Krslovic (5.2 points and 3.2 rebounds across 32 games) providing support. Steindl (4.6 points across 19 games) returned from his knee injury and signed a new two-year deal during the season. Tasmania conceded only 81.7 points per game but finished 7-7 at home. Doyle was named club MVP, MacDonald received the Coaches Award, White won the Players Award, McVeigh was voted Fan Favourite and Magnay received the club’s Defensive Player Award.

Without Magette, Tasmania travelled to Cairns for the Seeding Qualifier, where Magnay (2 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 block) returned after his mouth injury as the JackJumpers defeated the Taipans 87-79. Doyle (25 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals), White (18 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Kelly (11 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Tasmania, while Tahjere McCall (24 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals), Shannon Scott (17 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) and DJ Hogg (13 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists) were Cairns’ best.

Game one of the semifinals moved to Spark Arena, where Magnay (3 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block), Kelly (12 points and 4 rebounds) and Doyle (10 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals) were Tasmania’s leading contributors. Dererk Pardon (15 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks), Will McDowell-White (13 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists) and Barry Brown Jr (11 points) led New Zealand to an 88-68 win.

Game two returned to MyState Bank Arena, where Magnay (4 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 block), Doyle (23 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals), McVeigh (16 points) and Kenyon (11 points and 6 rebounds) helped Tasmania level the series with an 89-78 victory. Brown Jr (19 points and 3 steals), Jarrell Brantley (17 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks) and Pardon (15 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 steals) led the Breakers.

The deciding game returned to Spark Arena, where Magnay (5 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist), McVeigh (22 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 block), Kelly (16 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 block) and MacDonald (14 points) led Tasmania, while Brown Jr (32 points and 3 steals), Pardon (15 points, 14 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Brantley (14 points and 7 rebounds) powered New Zealand. The Breakers outscored Tasmania 25-13 in the fourth quarter to win 92-77.

2024/25
After defeating Melbourne United 3-2 to win the first championship in club history, Tasmania began its title defence under Scott Roth without Grand Final MVP Jack McVeigh (to Houston), Marcus Lee (to Melbourne), Majok Majok (to South East Melbourne), Tom Vodanovich (to South East Melbourne), and Jarred Bairstow (to Brisbane). Roth retained Milton Doyle, Jordon Crawford, Majok Deng, Anthony Drmic, Sean MacDonald, Clint Steindl, and Fabijan Krslovic, while adding Gorjok Gak (via South East Melbourne), Craig Sword (via Indiana Mad Ants), and Reuben Te Rangi (via South East Melbourne).

Magnay re-signed on March 10 on a two-year deal that kept him in Tasmania until the end of the 2025/26 season, with Roth saying, “He’s a beast, there’s no other way to say it.” He then represented Australia at the Paris Olympics and helped Tasmania become the first Australian team to compete at the FIBA Intercontinental Cup, where the JackJumpers claimed bronze in Singapore.

Tasmania opened its title defence against Melbourne at HoopsFest in Perth on September 19, where Magnay (14 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) provided a strong all-round performance before leaving late following an accidental head clash, but United won 88-79 behind Matthew Dellavedova (21 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists), with Doyle (23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals) and Drmic (14 points and 4 rebounds) leading the JackJumpers.

Magnay (13.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.6 blocks across 13 games) started each of his appearances and produced career-high scoring and rebounding numbers while anchoring Tasmania’s interior defence.

His best game came in Tasmania’s home opener on September 28, where Magnay (18 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, and 5 blocks) controlled the paint as the JackJumpers unfurled their championship banner and defeated Melbourne 81-72 for their first win of the season. Crawford (19 points and 7 rebounds) and Doyle (13 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists) provided support, while Jack White (21 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) led United.

Magnay’s best scoring game came at the Launceston Silverdome on November 1, where he recovered from two early fouls to finish with 19 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block, but South East Melbourne overcame a 12-point second-half deficit to defeat Tasmania 79-77. Steindl (13 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Deng (8 points and 8 rebounds) were the JackJumpers’ other main contributors, while Matt Hurt (24 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) led the Phoenix as Tasmania fell to 3-6.

On December 5, Magnay (18 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) grabbed nine offensive rebounds and dominated both ends as Tasmania defeated Cairns 99-90 at MyState Bank Arena for its fourth consecutive win. Doyle (21 points and 8 assists) and Deng (17 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) helped the JackJumpers improve to 7-8, while Taran Armstrong (29 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Cairns.

On December 19, Magnay was ruled out for six to eight weeks after fracturing a toe during practice and did not return during the NBL season, removing Tasmania’s main rim protector as the team was five games into what became an eight-game winning streak. Sword (6.3 points across 15 games) was released in December, with Ian Hummer (via Osaka) joining as his replacement, while Archie Woodhill (via Sydney) was added in January.

Crawford (16 points and 4.4 assists across 28 games) led Tasmania in scoring and won club MVP, while Doyle (14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.2 steals across 29 games), Deng (11.5 points and 5 rebounds across 26 games), MacDonald (11.2 points and 3.8 assists across 9 games), Drmic (8.1 points and 4 rebounds across 28 games), Steindl (5.4 points across 29 games), and Te Rangi (5.1 points and 3.1 rebounds across 29 games) formed the other main contributors. Despite playing only 13 games, Magnay finished fourth in club MVP voting, won Tasmania’s Defensive Player of the Year Award for the third consecutive season, and placed third in voting for the NBL’s Damian Martin Trophy. Deng received the Coaches’ Award, Fan Favourite Award, and the NBL’s Gametime by Kmart community award, Krslovic (4.1 points and 4.7 rebounds across 28 games) earned the Players’ Award, and Steindl received the Spirit of the JackJumpers Award.

Magnay remained sidelined for Tasmania’s final game against Cairns at MyState Bank Arena on February 8, where the JackJumpers snapped a six-game losing streak with a 90-83 victory behind Deng (21 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Crawford (19 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block). The result left Tasmania seventh with a 13-16 record, missing the play-in tournament on percentage and the postseason for the first time in club history, while Tanner Groves (17 points and 8 rebounds) led Cairns.

2025/26
Tasmania entered NBL26 after missing the postseason for the first time, finishing seventh with a 13-16 record, and Scott Roth reshaped the roster after Clint Steindl (retired), Milton Doyle (to Melbourne), Fabijan Krslovic (to Melbourne), Reuben Te Rangi (to New Zealand), Jordon Crawford (to Turkey), Gorjok Gak (to South East Melbourne), Craig Sword, Ian Hummer and Walter Brown exited the club. Roth added Josh Bannan (via Brisbane), Nick Marshall (via Adelaide), Ben Ayre (via South East Melbourne), Kobe Williamson (via Seattle), Bryce Hamilton (via Rostock), David Johnson (via Memphis) and Tyger Campbell (via Vechta), while Magnay was appointed captain and Anthony Drmic vice-captain, and Sean Macdonald was ruled out for the season with a knee injury before the opener.

Tasmania opened NBL26 at MyState Bank Arena on September 18, where Magnay (6 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks) made his first appearance as captain, but Melbourne defeated the JackJumpers 88-84, with Hamilton (24 points) and Johnson (22 points and 10 rebounds) leading Tasmania, while Doyle (22 points) was United’s best.

Magnay (10.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks across 24 games) remained Tasmania’s defensive anchor during his first season as captain, although bone bruising in his right knee sidelined him for three games in November.

Magnay (15 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, and 4 blocks) made the decisive defensive play in Sydney on October 26, stealing the Kings’ final inbound and starting the break that produced the winning layup as Tasmania erased a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit and won 90-89, with Bannan (18 points and 9 rebounds) and Hamilton (18 points) providing support, while Davis (22 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists) was Sydney’s best.

Magnay’s best game came against Melbourne at MyState Bank Arena on January 3, where he finished with a career-high 27 points, 13 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocks and sealed the result with a late three-pointer as Tasmania won 84-75, with Bannan (14 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Johnson (11 points and 3 rebounds) providing support, while Walker (20 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists) led United.

Magnay (17 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals) delivered another strong all-round game against Melbourne at HoopsFest on January 17, with Hamilton (17 points) and Marshall (11 points and 6 rebounds) helping Tasmania stay close, while Edwards (21 points and 10 rebounds) led United to a 79-77 win before Magnay injured his left foot late, with scans revealing an acute fracture of the second toe that ended his season.

An early import injury led Tasmania to sign TJ Starks (via Astana; 4.7 points across 7 games) as an injury replacement before he departed to join his team in China in November.

Hamilton (18.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists across 27 games) led Tasmania in scoring and earned All-NBL Second Team honours before a ruptured ACL ended his season, while Bannan (15.4 points and 9.5 rebounds across 34 games) played every game and was named club MVP. Johnson (12.7 points and 3.8 rebounds across 23 games), Deng (10.8 points and 4.9 rebounds across 29 games), Campbell (10.4 points and 3.8 assists across 34 games), Marshall (10.4 points and 5.2 rebounds across 34 games) and Ayre (6.3 points across 29 games) were the other main contributors, with Marshall receiving the Coaches’ and Players’ awards, Deng named Fan Favourite and Magnay winning the club’s Defensive Player of the Year award.

With Magnay sidelined, Tasmania ended the regular season at MyState Bank Arena on February 18 with a 103-70 loss to Illawarra, finishing sixth with a 14-19 record as Bannan (17 points) and Campbell (17 points) led the JackJumpers, while Harvey (21 points) was the Hawks’ leading scorer.

Tasmania travelled to John Cain Arena for the Play-In Qualifier on March 5, where Delany (33 points and 6 rebounds), Doyle (19 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Krebs (11 points) led Melbourne, while Marshall (20 points and 6 rebounds), Bannan (16 points and 5 rebounds) and Johnson (16 points and 3 rebounds) carried the JackJumpers in an 82-68 defeat.

Will Magnay currently plays for the Tasmania JackJumpers and has played 155 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 7.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists since entering the league in 2017.

CURRENT CONTRACT:

Tasmania JackJumpers – 2 Year Deal (2026-28)