Sydney Kings star Kendric Davis has been ruled out of the NBL Blitz as his passport saga drags on, while Melbourne United have suffered a season-ending injury blow and the Phoenix have reportedly locked in their final roster spot.
Catch up on all the latest NBL news below!
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KINGS STAR STRANDED AS BLITZ BLOW CONFIRMED
Sydney Kings star Kendric Davis will miss the entire NBL Blitz as an ongoing passport issue continues to leave the reigning Championship Series MVP stranded in the United States.
Code Sports first revealed last week that Davis’ return to Australia had been delayed by an unexpected passport issue, with the American originally expected to arrive in Sydney weeks ago to begin pre-season training.
At the time, a Kings spokesperson described the problem as an “administration issue that we are working through as quickly as we can”, with club officials hopeful Davis would arrive in Sydney last week.
However, the issue remains unresolved and Code Sports has now reported Davis will miss the entire six-day pre-season tournament in Bendigo in a significant blow for the Kings.
Frustrations are reportedly growing within the franchise after officials spent weeks attempting to resolve the issue on the US end and get their star guard back into Australia.
The Kings had remained hopeful Davis would arrive in time to feature at the Blitz, but a club source has now confirmed the prolific American will not take part in the tournament.
While the situation is not considered dire given Sydney is still in pre-season, the continued delay denies Davis valuable time alongside his teammates ahead of the Kings’ season opener against Cairns on September 20.
Davis is preparing for his second season in Sydney after starring throughout the Kings’ championship-winning NBL26 campaign and claiming Championship Series MVP honours.
In his absence, Sydney will turn to new back-court recruits Jayden Stone and Will Johnston during its Blitz campaign, with the Kings facing South East Melbourne on Wednesday before taking on New Zealand on Friday.
UNITED GUARD RULED OUT FOR NBL27
Melbourne United guard Sean Macdonald will miss the entire NBL27 season as he prepares for a second ACL reconstruction following another setback with his left knee.
Macdonald initially underwent ACL surgery in August 2025 before suffering an instability episode with the Tasmania JackJumpers that damaged the reconstructed graft.
The 26-year-old initially pursued a conservative rehabilitation plan that could have seen him return during the latter stages of NBL27.
However, as Macdonald increased his basketball workload, it became apparent the graft would not tolerate a successful return to play, prompting him to seek further specialist opinion and plan for another reconstruction.
“This is obviously a disappointing result, however I’m confident this is the right decision moving forward to get me back on the court,” Macdonald said.
“When I signed with United as the NRP, I knew there was not any pressure to get back on the court quickly.”
Macdonald will now target a return in time for the start of the NBL28 pre-season.
PHOENIX LOCK IN FINAL ROSTER SPOT
The South East Melbourne Phoenix have reportedly completed their NBL27 roster, signing guard Sam Davidson following an impressive pre-season stint with the club.
ESPN’s Olgun Uluc reports the Phoenix have signed the 25-year-old for the upcoming season, with Davidson set to claim the final rostered spot on South East Melbourne’s squad.
Davidson has been given an opportunity to impress throughout the Phoenix’s pre-season campaign and has made the most of his minutes.
The point guard finished with 12 points and three assists in South East Melbourne’s most recent pre-season clash against Cairns, continuing a strong run of performances ahead of the new campaign.
He previously scored eight points against Melbourne United and seven against Saint Mary’s before producing 14 points, four assists and three steals against Japan’s B.LEAGUE UNITED team.
Davidson also entered the Phoenix set-up following an impressive NBL1 season with the Dandenong Rangers, where he averaged 15.9 points per game.
His performances have now reportedly been enough to secure an NBL opportunity as South East Melbourne puts the finishing touches on its roster ahead of the new season.