Lake Ginninderra College alumni Jack White is the latest product of Canberra to sign an NBA contract, with the forward joining the Denver Nuggets on a two-way contract.
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The 24-year-old impressed at the Las Vegas Summer League for the club and news broke on Monday that he secured a deal to play for the Grand Rapids Gold in the NBA G-League, and the Nuggets in the top flight.
Ahead of his first game for the Australian Boomers, and his recent Summer League debut, White said he dreamt of playing in the NBA.
"This is an amazing opportunity for me to take another step towards living out my dream of playing in the NBA," he said at the time.
"So I couldn't be more grateful to the Nuggets for giving me a shot."
The news spells an end to the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence graduate's days with Melbourne United, the NBL club White signed with in 2020 after his US college ball days at Duke University.
United chief executive Nick Truelson spoke of the pride felt by the organisation.
"We could not be more proud of Jack," he said. "We have seen the incredible amount of work he has put in, and with the talent he has we had a feeling that this was a real possibility for him when he was selected to play in the Summer League.
"Jack is a fantastic person, athlete and player, and we can't wait to see what he can do now that he has been given this opportunity in the NBA."
The former Duke captain joins fellow Canberra product Chima Moneke as the latest players from the capital destined for the NBA.
Moneke signed with the Sacramento Kings on the weekend, following a standout season with Spanish team BAXI Manresa.
The 26-year-old averaged 13.1 points per game in the 2021-22 Basketball Champions League and was subsequently awarded the season's MVP.
Upon news of his NBA move, the UC Davis alumni reflected on his journey to the NBA online.
"From getting cut in 2nd division France three games into my rookie season ... to signing an NBA contract four years later ... crazy," he tweeted.
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Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
