How much talent can Melbourne United fit into one roster? The NBL powerhouse has completed a major recruiting coup, signing former NBA first-round pick Cole Anthony for the 2026-27 season.
Anthony will reunite with former Orlando Magic teammate Joe Ingles in Melbourne, giving United another experienced NBA player as it attempts to return to championship contention.
Cole Anthony Completes United’s Roster
Melbourne United officially announced Anthony as the final member of its NBL27 roster on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old point guard heads to Australia after six NBA seasons and 367 appearances across the regular season and playoffs.
“I’m super excited to begin this journey with Melbourne United,” Anthony said.
“This is a great opportunity to continue growing as a player and compete for a championship.
“I’m ready to get to work and can’t wait to represent the club and meet the fans!”
Anthony is expected to arrive in Melbourne in the coming weeks and join a squad featuring Ingles, Chris Goulding, Shea Ili, Luke Travers, Sam Waardenburg and Josh Oduro.
Joe Ingles Predicts Major NBL Impact
Ingles played alongside Anthony at Orlando during the 2023-24 NBA season and believes his former teammate can become one of the NBL’s most damaging offensive players.
“Cole is an elite scorer, elite competitor, and I think he’s going to have a big impact here in the NBL,” Ingles said.
“I think a point guard in this league is very important, and we’ve got a hell of a local point guard with Shea Ili, so adding in Cole with his pace, his ability to score at a high level, it’s going to be a handful for other teams.
“We’ve got a really unselfish team, and I think he adds to that. He’s going to command so much attention from the defence, and that’s going to open things up for everyone on the court with him.
“He’s a great guy, he’s got a big personality, and I think United fans are going to love him.”
Ingles is returning to the NBL after signing a two-year contract with United. The five-time Olympian played 810 regular-season NBA games during a 12-year career with Utah, Milwaukee, Orlando and Minnesota.
What Anthony Brings To Melbourne United
Anthony was selected by the Orlando Magic with the 15th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft after playing one season at the University of North Carolina.
The explosive guard averaged 12 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists across 355 NBA regular-season appearances. His best statistical campaign came in 2021-22, when he averaged 16.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists for Orlando.
Anthony spent five seasons with the Magic before being traded to Memphis in 2025. After negotiating a buyout with the Grizzlies, he joined Milwaukee and appeared in 35 games during the 2025-26 campaign.
He averaged 6.7 points, 3.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 15.1 minutes per game for the Bucks before being traded to Phoenix and subsequently waived.
Despite his reduced role last season, Anthony’s speed, ball-handling and ability to create his own shot make him one of the most intriguing imports entering NBL27.
Jacob Chance Backs Anthony To Elevate His Game
New United head coach Jacob Chance believes the opportunity to play a leading role in Melbourne can bring the best out of Anthony.
“In this last spot, we wanted an elite guard with the ability to help lead our offence with his scoring ability, who makes his teammates better, while also being a really good person off the court, and Cole Anthony checks every one of those boxes,” Chance said.
“His pace of play, his strength finishing around the rim, his vision, his versatility playing off the ball as a shooter, his willingness to get down in a stance and defend, all of that makes him the perfect guard for this team.”
Chance added that Anthony’s focus throughout their discussions had been winning a championship.
The signing provides United with two high-quality point guards in Anthony and Ili, while Ingles and Goulding offer additional shooting and playmaking around them.
Anthony’s arrival also gives the NBL another player with significant NBA experience during a period of continued growth for the Australian competition.
With Ingles returning home and Anthony entering what should be the prime years of his career, United will carry considerable expectations into the new season.
