NBL Blitz unpacked: Luke Travers primed for career year, Dash Daniels' NBA buzz

What follows is a collection of those observations: notes on Luke Travers' excellent form for the eventual Blitz champions; the injury scares that marred United's title-winning week, new players in the league who look primed to impress; Perth's point guard search; the NBA scouting presence drawn largely by Dash Daniels; and a whole lot more.

Is Luke Travers primed for a career year?

Winning the Ray Borner award for MVP of the Blitz is rarely an indicator of that regular season's success, but this iteration may end up as the exception.

That's because Luke Travers looks primed to put together a career year in his return to United; and, to be fair, things were trending in that direction well before he won the award in Bendigo.

In United's two games - where they were 2-0, good for the Loggins-Bruton Cup as winners of the Blitz - Travers averaged 18.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game, playing multiple positions at a high level, and showing a real physical and athletic point of difference relative to his peers.

The 25-year-old is coming off an extremely productive NBA G-League season with the Cleveland Charge - as a two-way player for the Cleveland Cavaliers - and his time in the U.S. has clearly led to him being a more confident, assertive player in the NBL. Travers seems to have added some size, so he's improved his ability to drive through contact to get on the rim, while he remains a high-level passer (particularly outlets) and grab-and-go threat. If the jumper continues to look as fluid as it has thus far this preseason, then we're looking at an obvious All-NBL candidate.

It wasn't all good news for United

United's roster was built with the type of positional versatility that should negate potential outs that may occur over the season, but Jacob Chance and co. weren't expecting those injuries to happen so early in the piece.

United's win over the Illawarra Hawks on Sunday afternoon made them the winners of the Blitz, but it also saw them see two primary players leave the game due to injury. Sam Waardenburg turned an ankle in the first few minutes of the contest and had to be carried to the locker room; he wasn't able to put weight on his left leg. Early in the second half, Shea Ili came up gimpy after a drive to the rim; he put his head in his hands, before frustratingly marching straight to the locker room with what we're told was a leg injury. Neither Waardenburg nor Ili returned to the bench.

Both incidents were concerning, due to the injury history of both players. Ili, in particular, suffered four separate hamstring injuries last season, so any soft tissue concern to a lower extremity is worrisome.

We await the official word on the severity of the injuries, but United may be forced to alter several things positionally, relative to how they were planning to start the season. Travers was likely to play in the backcourt, but may end up playing his more natural position at the four-spot due to Waardenburg's injury.

United's roster doesn't have an abundance of players who can guard down - in effect, defend guards - at the best of times, so Ili potentially missing time would be a substantial blow.

All of the injuries would obviously affect the overall depth of the team, and that's less than ideal for two players who are 37 or older, in Joe Ingles and Chris Goulding, whose minutes Chance would optimally like to keep as reduced as possible.

NBA scouts were in Bendigo... and Dash delivered

The Blitz heading to regional Victoria instead of the Gold Coast led to some fears that maybe NBA teams might give the event a miss, but there was an admirable cohort of league personnel in the building in Bendigo to check out the action.

And, by 'action', we really mean Dash Daniels, the Next Star who just made the move to the Phoenix, and had shown really encouraging flashes through the start of his team's preseason.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers, Miami Heat, and Houston Rockets were all in attendance throughout the week, with some teams even sending multiple representatives to Bendigo.

Dash Daniels - a 6'5 guard/wing who's the younger brother of Atlanta Hawks and Australian Boomers guard/wing Dyson - has looked bigger, more athletic, with a more fluid offensive game over the Phoenix's preseason, and that continued at the Blitz. The 18-year-old finished with 11 points and seven rebounds in a win over the Kings, before a standout 14 points, four rebounds, and four assists in a victory over the Bullets to end his time in his hometown. Daniels shot 5-of-15 from three-point range over the two games.

"He's gotten so much better," one NBA scout in attendance told ESPN. "He's playing free."

Daniels does appear to be playing with renewed confidence under Josh King and, while there have been several elements of noticeable growth, what's stood out has been his ability to overcome early adversity. Teams thus far have been daring Daniels to shoot the three-ball - sometimes going way under ball screens, or not guarding him at all - and he's done an impressive job overcoming that hurdle both physically and mentally. He's stepping into the shots with confidence, and hasn't sunk into a shell after that early adversity; instead, he's largely ended games better than he's started them, which is a really encouraging sign of his improved processing.

It's worth noting that the other player NBA teams wanted to get eyes on - Taipans point guard Luke Paul - was out for the event with an ankle injury.

The question on everyone's lips: Will the Wildcats have a point guard by their season opener?

Do a lap of Red Energy Arena over the course of this week and, every day, someone - whether a player or official from an opposing NBL team, or fan - will have asked what the update is on the Perth Wildcats' search for an import point guard.

The sentiment is understandable: the team has functionally been looking for its ideal floor general for the last 18 months, and the level of that player, and how he integrates, has a chance to shift the title race.

Unfortunately for those who were curious, there was always no update. The Wildcats have remained patient in their pursuit; they continue to assess the market every day, with the plan of having a point guard signed by opening night. Whether they achieve that plan is to be seen.

By the final day of the Blitz, the word remained that the team wasn't particularly close on a signing.

There are some names out there that the Wildcats made enquiries about, before either passing or missing on them. Brae Ivey was discussed as an option, sources told ESPN; he's since signed in Türkiye. There were very preliminary discussions about the potential of acquiring Tamir Blatt on loan from Hapoel Tel Aviv, sources said, but he suffered an injury so that option was put on hold.

For what it's worth, the Wildcats have not had discussions with former South East Melbourne Phoenix guard Gary Browne, sources said. He was presented to the Wildcats as an option, but the team never engaged.

The Wildcats have just arrived in Okinawa, Japan for more preseason games; they'll face the Chiba Jets and Ryukyu Golden Kings for the Island Games 2026.

Wildcats' local backcourt shows very impressive flashes

No import point guard - and with injuries to both Jaron Rillie (lower leg) and Jimmy Whitt (hamstring) - made for a big opportunity, and both Elijah Pepper and new recruit Anthony Dell'Orso grabbed it with both hands.

This will be Pepper's third season with the Wildcats, while Dell'Orso is entering his rookie year, coming off a stint at the University of Arizona, and the early returns are that both are projecting as high-impact pieces for John Rillie's team.

We know what Pepper is as an aggressive, bucket-getting guard who can score at all three levels, but increased comfortability within the NBL and Wildcats program has him preparing for the 2026-27 regular season with renewed confidence.

"I think I've gotten a lot better at the reads, especially attacking off the dribble, and the paint finishes," Pepper told ESPN.

"That's taken another step. I feel like last year, I was a bit one dimensional; I think this year there'll be another level when it comes to the paint reads, the midrange, stuff like that.

Dell'Orso - a 6'6 guard/wing who's coming off his senior year at Arizona - has assumed a good amount of usage over the Wildcats' preseason thus far; and while he's predictably shown the catch-and-shoot game we saw in his most recent college season, there was also some on-ball creation that impressed over the Blitz.

"The regular fans would only know me as an Arizona player, which is that catch-and-shoot, limited dribble, sniper role they had for me," Dell'Orso told ESPN. "I had two years before that at Campbell [University] where I averaged 20 and was handling the ball the whole game.

"JR started speaking to me after my freshman year, so he saw how I was there. He's stayed in touch with me ever since... He definitely trusts me with the ball; I think I've shown I'm more than comfortable with it. I think of myself as a point guard; I always have been."

The duo makes for one of the NBL's most potent local guard duos, and the introduction of an import, as well as Jaron Rillie, should make for one of the more impressive, balanced backcourts in the league.

Pepper (19 points) and Dell'Orso (13 points) were the Wildcats' leading scorers in their first Blitz game - a loss to the Taipans - while they had 13 points apiece in a defeat to United in their second contest in Bendigo. There'll be some high-volume, low-efficiency nights for both young guards over the season, like Dell'Orso had against United on Friday, where he shot 4-of-20 from the field, but the threat of scoring in bunches will remain.

"This year, it's pretty clear and specific what everyone's role is," Pepper said.

"In terms of playing together, I think we can work together really well, and you can throw Dylan [Windler] in there as well. When it comes to spacing the floor, there's a lot of room, and a lot of plays to be made when it comes to me, him, and Dylan; shooting the three, attacking off the closeout, things like that.

"With the returning group, I think only Delly's new. Toward the end of the year, I think we figured it out a good amount but, I think this year, everybody knows their role, where their spots are... everyone knows where they're effective, where they can score, and maximise their efficiency. I think that'll be clear this year, compared to last year."

Could Velička break the NBL's assist record?

Let's get one thing clear off the bat. New Brisbane Bullets point guard Arnas Velička is more than just an elite passer, even though that's where our brains immediately go when evaluating any big European floor general.

The off-the-dribble scoring game is very real, he has range, the release is quick, and he showed the ability to finish through contact at the rim. The early returns at the Blitz - 10 points, 13 assists, and five steals in a win over Tasmania, then a 24-7-7 game in a loss to the Phoenix - were that of a talented, all-round point guard who projects as one of the league's most productive players.

In saying that, the passing was expectedly elite. Velička reads the defence extremely well when coming off on-balls, changing speed and direction accordingly to create advantages for his team.

"Velička brings a playing style at the point guard position that's highly unique," Derek Rucker, the 1990 NBL MVP and league's single-season assist record holder at 10.6 a game, said of the Bullets import.

"We haven't seen the European motions and the way he handles it; I talked to two other point guards in the league and they looked at him like, oh, he's gonna be a problem. It's almost as if it's a different cultural perspective he has originated from, and yet he has this street attitude and confidence about him.

"I really enjoyed the fact that he gave Brisbane something at the position that they haven't seen in a long time. It's great to have Will Weaver as coach, but you need somebody to be that conduit from gameplan, to application in game... The other thing I really look for in point guards, is he's delighted when he makes plays for his teammates."

It was very clear who will end up as the biggest beneficiaries from Velička's playstyle and capacity. One is Tyrell Harrison, who consistently got clean looks at the rim by nature of being in the bulk of on-ball situations with the Lithuanian point guard. Harrison has leaned out in a notable way this off-season, and looks primed for another potential leap. The other is Max Mackinnon, who's entering his rookie season in the NBL but has already assumed the role of primary off-ball scorer for these Bullets; the 6'6 guard shot the ball well, and demonstrated an extremely smooth scoring knack, playing off Velička and finding his spots within the flow of the offence.

Rucker's single season record of 10.6 assists per game was in the 48-minute game so it likely won't be touched. The best single season record in the NBL's 40-minute era was Kendric Davis's 2024-25 season with the 36ers, when he averaged 7.8 assists per game. Could that record potentially be in some jeopardy?

"100%," Rucker says.

Hunter Goodrick is a 'mini John Brown'

There's a growing appreciation league-wide on how impactful Hunter Goodrick is as a basketball player. Look at the boxscore of the Phoenix's win over the Bullets on Saturday and his three points and two rebounds appear unimpressive, but anyone who actually watched the game would've walked away saying he was one of the best players on the floor.

The stat sheet counted just two rebounds but he created at least eight or nine extra possessions for his team, and, even as a bench player, there were signs that he may well lead the league in screen assists. That's the extent of the intangible impact he has on games.

"Every coach wants a shooter, but I think every roster should have a spot for a guy like Hunter, who plays with heart, hustle, determination, physicality, every adjective you wanna use," Phoenix head coach Josh King told ESPN.

"He's all about impacting winning. And he's always ready to go, and he brings that type of effort everyday too; it's not an on-off switch."

Goodrick is coming off a championship-winning season with the Sydney Kings where he was a nominated replacement player, and the Phoenix were quick to sign him during this offseason.

We've been in the house for Phoenix practices, preseason games in Melbourne, and the Blitz in Bendigo over the last month, and Goodrick consistently emerged as a guy that's very difficult to keep off the floor; such is the impact he makes as an offensive rebounder, screen-setter, lightning-quick roller, and 50-50 ball procurer, among other things.

With Goodrick's emergence, the Phoenix suddenly have five very playable frontcourt players in him, Jordan Hunter, D'Shawn Schwartz, Akech Aliir, and Yannis Moran; the depth the Phoenix have in those positions would be the envy of the league.

The other immediate question that actually came to mind was: how was this player in the Kings' gym over the entirety of last season and an active decision was made to not do everything possible to re-sign him in some capacity?

"He's like a mini John Brown," King said of Goodrick, referring to the former Phoenix import and reigning NBL Defensive Player of the Year. "It's high praise. I'm not ready to say he is John Brown, but he has a lot of John Brown characteristics."

We might see our first import cut very soon

Let's see who made it this far in the story. The reward: a small nugget.

There's one east coast team that has already re-engaged with the import market, sources said, with an eye toward replacing a player signed this offseason.

The word is that the team may well take the patient approach and give the player more time to show his worth, but there are active conversations regarding finding a potential replacement.

Watch this space.