Melbourne’s new big man on Ingles’ influence

He only played 19 games and averaged six minutes per appearance last season, but Joe Ingles’ influence stretches far beyond what he produces on the court.

At 37, Ingles is regarded as a leader. Wherever he goes, he sets the standard for his younger teammates.

Melbourne United signing Jesse Edwards spent time with the Australian Boomers champion last season in Minnesota and says Ingles played a big role in his development.

“I learned a lot from Joe. He helped me a lot. He's been around the NBA for a while, he's been around FIBA for a long time,” Edwards told Melbourne United Media.

“He helped me whether it was just small advice along the way or things on the court. He always had my back and was that vet guy for all the young guys on the team to go to, among other guys. And of course, he's an Australian legend, so he taught us a ton.”

The seven-foot Dutchman is set to be United’s starting center in the Hungry Jack’s NBL26 Season, and says choosing Australia was an easy decision.

“Things moved pretty quickly. I was obviously with Minnesota for the summer, and then once I left, I started looking around and one of the first things that caught my eye was this offer right here,” Edwards said.

“There wasn't a whole lot of looking around after that. So it was pretty fast … I would say it was less than two weeks altogether.

“Like I said, it's just very exciting for me to get a real fresh start and play in an amazing league and, from what I've heard, an amazing country. So I can’t wait to explore.

“I definitely heard a lot about NBA players returning to the NBA or going to the NBA after they played seasons in the NBL. That’s obviously an exciting part of the league, but I think the league itself is also growing a lot and becoming really attractive for top players in the world to just come out and play in a very competitive league.

“I do think it’s great preparation for the NBA, but I also think it’s exciting for Australian basketball to be at such a high level at this point.”

Edwards is among a strong group of big men joining the NBL this year, with JaVale McGee and Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. also making moves.

“Whenever you play against the highest-level guys, like I said last year, it really helps improve your game. To do that in practice is great, to do that in games is great, but to do that in really competitive league games, that’s all you can ask for. It’s really exciting,” Edwards said.

When asked about what he will bring to United’s new-look roster, he kept it simple.

“Protecting the rim and playing above the rim on offense. Both of those things really cater to my game. To have those type of teammates that will highlight that, hopefully we’ll gel together really well. That’s kind of an ideal fit. Hopefully to see a lot of good blocks this year and a lot of good alley-oops,” Edwards said.