League Leaders - The season so far

It feels as if the first five rounds of NBL24 have passed in the blink of an eye, but here we are five rounds down with the season-opening Throwdown now a distant memory, in the context of one of the closest seasons in the history of the NBL. 

While the front-runners are starting to flex their muscles over the rest of the competition, it’s still almost impossible to make a firm prediction for exactly how this season is going to play out.

We’ve already seen Adelaide and Brisbane bounce back from dismal runs to throw themselves back into the mix, while one poor round could still mean the difference between guarding one of the top spots on the ladder and slipping behind into the chasing pack.

That being said, there are already a handful of players who are already pushing their status as some of the must-see players in NBL24.

Now, one quarter of the way through the regular season, NBL Media takes a look at who’s leading the league in the five major metrics.

*minimum three games played to qualify 

Parker Jackson Cartwright – 22.4
Nathan Sobey – 21.8
Jaylen Adams – 19.3
Jordon Crawford – 19.3
Alan Williams – 19.0

Parker Jackson-Cartwright’s rise to the pinnacle of international basketball has continued with his start to the NBL season, and the former German Basketball Bundesliga MVP has taken the league by storm in an underperforming Breakers side.

Nathan Sobey is the sole flag-flyer for the league’s local contingent, and he’s leading the way for this new-look Brisbane side. Are we seeing a career resurgence for the Olympic bronze medal winner, after a pair of tough seasons in NBL22 and NBL23?

Jaylen Adams has returned to the league in NBL24, and while the Sydney Kings look remarkably different to the side he left a champion in NBL22, the star import has picked up exactly where he left off, as one of the best players in the NBL.

There were doubts as to how sparkplug guard Jordon Crawford and All-NBL23 First Team nominee Milton Doyle would mesh for the JackJumpers, but Crawford has taken the NBL by storm in recent rounds, and has established himself as one of the most exciting offensive threats to watch this season.

Alan Williams was made to wait to influence South East Melbourne’s NBL campaign due to a knee injury, but he’s been his imperious self under the basket in his three games since returning to the side. It’s no coincidence that – at the time of writing – the Phoenix are unbeaten this season with him in the lineup.

Chris Goulding currently leads the competition in made threes with 34, while Ben Ayre currently leads the league (minimum ten shots) in three-point percentage at 70 per cent.

Marcus Lee has continued his efficient scoring to lead the way in field goal percentage (minimum 20 shots) and his connecting on 75 per cent of his looks, while Sobey has attempted – and made – the most free throws this season. He’s hit 45 of 50 attempts from the line.

The current single-game leader for points this season is Jordan Usher’s 35-point haul in Perth’s Round 1 win over Tasmania.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“This is the year of the little big man.&quot; ?<br><br>Damon Lowery is full of praise for star imports Jordon Crawford and Parker Jackson-Cartwright.<br><br>Listen to the full episode - <a href="https://t.co/euWBuMArio">https://t.co/euWBuMArio</a> <a href="https://t.co/X9odl5Mryu">pic.twitter.com/X9odl5Mryu</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1716672310751727795?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Alan Williams – 10.7
Ariel Hukporti – 9.4
Jacob Wiley – 8.1
Sam Froling – 8.0
Luke Travers – 7.8

Anyone who caught a South East Melbourne game last season knows Alan Williams is a rebounding machine, and the former Phoenix Sun is currently the only player in the NBL to be averaging a double-double per game.

Ariel Hukporti held down the starting center role for Melbourne United with aplomb to start the season, and the Next Star has established himself as one of the top interior presences in the NBL following 12 months out with an Achilles injury.

Jacob Wiley has returned to the Adelaide 36ers with his signature passion and energy, and was not only one of Adelaide’s best players during the side’s early-season struggles – he’s improved as the team has improved during this turnaround in form.

Sam Froling continues to build his case as being one of the most exciting local bigs in the competition, and the 23-year-old is beginning to find a level of consistency to his game NBL fans have not seen before.

Luke Travers was challenged by Dean Vickerman to become one of the NBL’s top rebounders this season, and the Cleveland Cavaliers draftee has continued on from his strong pre-season run in the NBA Summer League to take the NBL by storm in his new colours this season.

Hukporti currently leads the league in offensive rebounds per game with 3.8, while Aron Baynes and Keanu Pinder both sneak into the top five for o-boards at 3.3 and 3.0 per game respectively.

Cairns Next Star Bobi Klintman is currently on the podium for defensive rebounds per game with 5.8, which is only behind Williams and Wiley.

The current single-game leader for rebounds this season is Jonah Bolden’s 15 boards for the Kings in their 13-point Round 3 win over Perth. 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">#1 | Alan Williams ?<a href="https://twitter.com/alantwilliams?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@alantwilliams</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/SEMelbPhoenix?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SEMelbPhoenix</a> <a href="https://t.co/vbvN6YVctO">pic.twitter.com/vbvN6YVctO</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1716315666897367122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Will McDowell White – 6.8
Parker Jackson-Cartwright – 5.8
Patrick Miller – 5.8
Justin Robinson – 5.6
Shannon Scott – 5.3

Will McDowell-White announced himself to the NBL world with an incredible NBL23, and despite missing the Breakers’ first game of the season due to injury, he’s picked up where he left off from last season and is consistently feeding his teammates high-quality looks from all over the floor.

His teammate Parker Jackson-Cartwright is averaging just one assist per game fewer. Although New Zealand currently sits bottom of the NBL ladder with a 1-4 record, good shot distribution and playmaking is far from the biggest worry on Mody Maor’s mind, when his hyphenated backcourt is running the show.

Cairns import Patrick Miller suffered a nasty looking head knock in Round 5, but has thrived for the Taipans in the absence of fellow point guard Taran Armstrong. There was talk of Miller likely starting from the bench should Armstrong be fit, but the starting spot is now his to lose.

Justin Robinson has shaken off last season’s serious knee injury and is showing exactly why he was such a highly-prized recruit for the Hawks coming into NBL23. With his season on the sidelines now firmly in the rear-view mirror, Robinson and Tyler Harvey are slowly figuring out what has the potential to be one of the most offensively potent backcourts in the NBL.

Shannon Scott crossed the lines of Queensland’s NBL rivalry by trading the orange of Cairns for the blue of Brisbane this season, and only a hamstring injury could curb the influence he was having on this new-look Bullets team. Scott is likely out of action until Round 8, but the 30-year-old is continuing to prove he’s one of the top floor generals in the competition.

Gary Browne and Matthew Dellavedova currently average the fewest turnovers per game for any player, averaging over four assists at 1.6 turnovers apiece.

The current single-game leader for assists this season is shared between McDowell-White and Scott, who each registered 11 assist performances in losses.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Your NBL24 stat leaders through 4 rounds ?<br><br>Parker Jackson-Cartwright 1st in steals &amp; 3rd in assists<br><br>Will McDowell-White 1st in assists<br><br>Next matchup is at HOME this Thursday vs the 36ers: <a href="https://t.co/vDN5bBYyWi">https://t.co/vDN5bBYyWi</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UNBREAKABLE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UNBREAKABLE</a> <a href="https://t.co/SDsk5OMBJ0">pic.twitter.com/SDsk5OMBJ0</a></p>&mdash; BNZ Breakers (@NZBreakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/NZBreakers/status/1716635626206908625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Tyrell Harrison – 2.0
Jo Lual-Acuil Jr – 1.8
Jordan Hunter – 1.4
Ariel Hukporti – 1.3
Alexandre Sarr – 1.2

Tyrell Harrison has stood tall – both literally and figuratively – in Aron Baynes’ enforced absence for Brisbane this season. The 214-centimetre lefty is having something of a breakout campaign so far in his seventh NBL season, and aside from leading the league in blocks is setting career-highs in points, rebounds, blocks and steals per game.

Jo Lual-Acuil Jr has returned to the NBL as the aggressive interior enforcer fans across the league came to love, prior to his season in China. The South Sudanese international has only played four games so far this season due to a wrist injury suffered while playing in Lebanon, and is a ridiculous talent to be coming off the bench for United.

Jordan Hunter has finally been afforded an opportunity to start for the Sydney Kings after spending last season as a backup to import centre Tim Soares, and he’s thrived under the pressure of guarding the paint for the Kings. He’s always been a great shot blocker, but he’s being given plenty of opportunity to showcase that this season.

Next Stars Ariel Hukporti and Alexandre Sarr continue to further their cases to be seen as two of the premier shot-blockers in the upcoming draft class. Hukporti has been holding it down for United at the center position in the early season absence of Lual-Acuil Jr, while Sarr has spent some time playing alongside Keanu Pinder or as a standalone traditional big for the Wildcats.

Of the top 20 shot blockers in the NBL so far this season, all except three have spent time at the center position. Bobi Klintman currently sits 14^th (0.8), Luke Travers 15^th (0.8), and Alex Toohey 20^th (0.6)

The current single-game leader for blocks in a game this season is Hukporti, who swatted away five shots in Melbourne’s Round 1 win over Adelaide.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">That&#39;s a big man&#39;s move from Tyrell Harrison ?<br><br>Catch the final quarter live on ESPN via Kayo ? <a href="https://t.co/ze92fKilHt">pic.twitter.com/ze92fKilHt</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1717877293027147986?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Shannon Scott – 3.2
Parker Jackson-Cartwright – 2.8
Jaylin Galloway – 2.5
Will Cummings – 2.1
Bryce Cotton – 2.0

Shannon Scott’s status as a king of both ends of the floor was never in doubt when he was at the Taipans last season, but it looks like the Bullets’ defensive system is allowing him to get a handsy and rip the ball from unsuspecting opponents – he’s currently doubling his steals per game average from last season.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright opened his NBL account with six steals in his Breakers debut and has continued to thrive on the defensive end from there.

Jaylin Galloway was putting together a breakout campaign before his season was cruelly halted by a shoulder injury, but the athletic forward was thriving in the starting small forward position for the Kings prior to his injury and had been forging a reputation as the side’s go-to on-ball defender.

Will Cummings has slotted seamlessly into South East Melbourne’s backcourt alongside fellow import Gary Browne, and while he most often plays more of an off-ball role on offence, he’s consistently trusted to harass the opposition’s primary ball-handler.

Bryce Cotton’s apparent down year has been the subject of more than enough media discussion, but a silver-lining in the tough season so far for the all-time great is he’s currently averaging a career-best two steals per game.

Jackson-Cartwright’s aforementioned six steals in Round 1 is currently the single-game record this season. He also registered five steals in a game against Melbourne, while Scott also picked up five steals against his former side. Galloway also has two games where he picked up five steals so far this season.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;The initial diagnosis is probably three to four weeks&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/OlgunUluc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OlgunUluc</a> with the latest on Shannon Scott&#39;s injury.<br><br>Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBLOvertime?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBLOvertime</a> on ESPN via Kayo ? <a href="https://t.co/9b9rkAcXy2">pic.twitter.com/9b9rkAcXy2</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1716742037016310042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>