Joe Ingles Returns to the NBL, Signs Two-Year Deal with Melbourne United

Joe Ingles, a 38-year-old Australian basketball veteran, has signed a two-year contract with Melbourne United, marking his return to the NBL for the first time since 2009.

The agreement follows the conclusion of his 12-season career in the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he played 810 games for the Utah Jazz, Milwaukee Bucks, Orlando Magic, and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Player Background

Ingles began his professional career with the South Dragons in 2006. During his initial NBL stint, he won a championship and the league's Rookie of the Year award in 2009. He then played internationally for FC Barcelona (2010-2013) and Maccabi Tel Aviv (2013-2014), winning the EuroLeague, Spanish League, and Israeli League titles.

Ingles went undrafted in 2009 and spent 4,219 days in the NBA. His best statistical season came in 2020-21, where he averaged 12.1 points, 4.7 assists, and 3.6 rebounds, finishing runner-up for the Sixth Man of the Year award. He holds a career NBA three-point shooting average of 40.9% and appeared in eight NBA playoff series.

A five-time Olympian for the Australian national team, Ingles won a bronze medal at the Paris Games. He has expressed interest in possibly playing for the Boomers at the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar but stated that no conversations regarding this have occurred.

Statements from Joe Ingles

Ingles described his return to Melbourne as "incredibly special" and stated it holds deep personal meaning. He expressed a desire to contribute to the team and reconnect with the community.

"I, obviously, want to play. There's no question about that. And I believe I would have never signed this deal if I didn't think I could do it for the next couple of years."

"I know I can do it, I know I will do it, and to anyone out there thinking I can't, they'll be wrong, but it's going to be fun."

Recruitment of Patty Mills

Ingles stated that he intends to attempt to persuade fellow Australian Boomer Patty Mills to join United. Mills, 37, is currently playing for Spanish club La Laguna Tenerife after not playing in the 2025-26 NBA season. Mills previously played for the Melbourne Tigers during the 2011 NBA lockout.

"We'd spoken the last few years about trying to get on the same NBA team ... we've never been teammates except for the national team."

"I am going to respect his season that he's got going on right now. Obviously, when that gets done, if he's going to have a listen to some teams, and that's something he'll consider, obviously, I'll be the first one to call him."

Team Context

Melbourne United finished fifth in the 2025-26 NBL regular season with a 20-13 record and lost to the Perth Wildcats in the elimination round. The upcoming NBL season begins in September.

United's current roster includes captain Chris Goulding, Shea Ili, Sam Waardenburg, Fabijan Krslovic, Kyle Bowen, and Dash Daniels. The team currently has seven signed players, including Ingles. The 2026-27 NBL salary cap is set at $2,167,359.

Ingles cited his relationship with former United coach Dean Vickerman as a factor in his decision, though Vickerman has since left the team for Asia.

Teammate Chris Goulding said of Ingles:

"His decision-making, leadership and shooting abilities make him a great teammate."