The NBL signing set for stardom

The Brisbane Bullets are quietly assembling one of the most intriguing rosters ahead of NBL26.

They’ve added an NBL champion and MVP in Jaylen Adams, an NBA champion and rising talent in Alex Ducas, and now a proven G League scorer in Javon Freeman-Liberty.

With Casey Prather and Tyrell Harrison rounding out a strong starting five, and veteran depth on the bench, this team is built to win.

According to ESPN’s Olgun Uluc, Freeman-Liberty could be the X-factor in Stu Lash’s debut season as head coach. A dynamic scorer with NBA experience, he brings a level of unpredictability that could take the Bullets from solid to serious contenders.

“Yes, JaVale McGee is the most high profile (NBL signing). He is the one that will be spoken about the most,” Uluc said. “But Javon Freeman-Liberty is probably going to be the most productive.

“He comes in as someone who averaged over 20 points a game in the G League. He is someone who can give you 30 points on any given night in the NBL.”

“How quickly he translates to the NBL game is going to be key, but scoring comes pretty easy to a guy like this,” Pete Hooley continued.

Both Harrison and Prather impressed in NBL25, but injuries halted the Bullets' momentum before they had a chance to truly find their rhythm.

Uluc believes, however, that Lash is assembling a squad capable of a serious jump forward.

“When you look at that backcourt in Brisbane now that Stu Lash has Jaylen Adams and Javon Freeman-Liberty, two guys who can give you 30 points on any given night … he's (Freeman-Liberty) just an absolute bucket getter,” Uluc said.

“I got a lot of texts when this news first got out there that, ‘man, this is someone who we really like’.

“He's someone who's 25 years old, was just with the Windy City Bulls. We saw him in Vegas with the Chicago Bulls’ Summer League team. A lot of teams had their eye on him, and I think he's someone who can come into the NBL and can figure out ways to score really quickly.”

Freeman-Liberty posted 20.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in his most recent G League season, while also suiting up 22 times for the Toronto Raptors in the 2023–2024 NBA campaign.

“To add a talent of Javon’s calibre to our roster at this stage is really exciting. He’s a hungry player who’s ready to take the next step in his development as a professional,” Lash said on Friday.