Joe Ingles — a five-time Olympian and 12-year NBA veteran — plans to join Melbourne United ahead of the 2026-27 NBL season, multiple sources told ESPN.
Ingles is currently in the midst of an NBA playoffs campaign with the Minnesota Timberwolves; once his season is complete, there’s an expectation that the 38-year-old will finalise a deal with United in Australia’s NBL.
One of Australia’s longest serving NBA players, Ingles has long harboured a desire to finish his career in the NBL, with both Melbourne-based teams — United and the South East Melbourne Phoenix — of interest to him, sources said. Ingles began his professional career in the NBL with the now-defunct South Dragons in 2006.
“The club is in contact with Joe and we’d love to sign him to a contract if the opportunity presents itself following the completion of the NBA season,” a United spokesperson told ESPN.
Ingles is currently in his second season with the Timberwolves. The 6’8 forward is best known for his time in the NBA with the Utah Jazz, with his most productive season coming in the 2018-19 campaign, where he averaged 12.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game.
Over his NBA career, Ingles has consistently been among the league’s best three-point shooters; he’s a 40.9% shooter from beyond the three-point line.
Ingles has had success in the FIBA environment over the course of his career, playing for two teams in Spain — CB Granada and FC Barcelona — as well as Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel prior to beginning his long NBA career. That experience also comes on the international stage, with Ingles suiting up for the Australian Boomers in five Olympics; most recently, in Paris in 2024.
While Ingles will be 39 by the time the 2026-27 NBL season begins, there was trust within the NBL teams interested in recruiting him — the Adelaide 36ers were one of those franchises, sources said, along with United and the Phoenix — that his experience playing high-level basketball, elite three-point shooting, positional size, and ability as a creator would see him make an impact in the Australian league.
The expected signing of Ingles would mark another high-impact addition for United and head coach Dean Vickerman, with the franchise recently signing Kiwi big-man Sam Waardenburg to a new three-year deal.
United is coming off a fifth place finish in the 2025-26 NBL season, with a 20-13 record. As the 2026 NBL free agency period continues, Waardenburg, Kyle Bowen, Chris Goulding, Shea Ili, Fabijan Krslovic are all contracted to United. Ingles is expected to join that growing list.
