Jack McVeigh has wasted little time finding a new home, signing a marquee deal with the Cairns Taipans just two days after parting ways with the Tasmania JackJumpers.
The 29-year-old forward, fresh off a 12-month NBA stint with Houston, has put pen to paper on a two-year contract that makes him only the second marquee player in Taipans history and their biggest signing since Nathan Jawai.
McVeigh’s rapid move to Far North Queensland came after the JackJumpers reluctantly agreed to release him from the final year of his deal, following a request from both himself and his management.
“We promised our fans and our community that we were working on some big things [and] I don’t think it gets much bigger than Jack McVeigh,” Taipans president Troy Stone said.
“He’s the best Australian player right now and he’s chosen to come to Cairns. This is monumental for our club and I don’t think people will realise just how big this is, until he hits the court.”
It’s a bitter blow for the JackJumpers, having building what they believed was a roster capable of contending next season.
“We left no stone unturned trying to bring Jack back to Tassie, but ultimately this is Jack’s decision and we now need to respect that,” JackJumpers general manager Darren Smith said.
For Cairns, it’s a game-changing coup that rewards their approach to off-season recruitment.
McVeigh arrives with genuine star power after a standout 2024 campaign, featuring championship glory, Grand Final MVP honours, nine NBA games with Houston and representing Australia at the Paris Olympics.
His final NBL season with Tasmania averaged 17.3 points a game while shooting 52.1% from the field and 39.8% from beyond the arc.
Taipans coach Adam Forde said McVeigh’s leadership off the court is just as valuable as his talent on it.
“The best thing about Jack is that he is so willing to share his journey with other players, to help them in their careers too. He does this with no agenda other than to help,” Forde said.
