White's homecoming for 100th NBL game

It's amazing how these things work out and Isaac White returns to his hometown of Adelaide for Sunday's Christmas Eve game for the Brisbane Bullets and it just happens to be his 100th NBL game in the league. 

White is in his first season with the Bullets after beginning his career at the Illawarra Hawks after returning from college at Stanford University.  

He signed in the 'Gong rather than returning home to join the 36ers before after two years with the Hawks, he found himself on the lookout for a new NBL home and landed at the Tasmania JackJumpers in NBL23 as an injury replacement player. 

He was impressive and became such an important part of that JackJumpers team that made the playoffs that it was inevitable he would be offered a full contract again right across the league. 

In the meantime, he had a stunning off-season playing in the NBL1 North at the Mackay Meteors where he was the nation's leading scorer having signed at the Bullets for NBL24.  

Now 16 games into his career at the Bullets and White has become an important member of the Brisbane back court alongside captain Nathan Sobey, two-time champion Mitch Norton and gun import Shannon Scott, and is delivering plenty. 

 White's scoring and shooting threats are what everyone is fully aware of, but the leadership, playmaking ability and hustle plays that the 25-year-old is now adding to his game is something that's making him an invaluable Bullets member. 

That's become a key focus of his too because he knows that what means more to him at this point of his career now as he reaches 100 games in the NBL is team success, and none of those individual accolades or numbers. 

 "Pretty much everyone on our squad comes in every day and loves what they do, and they show that," White said.  

"That's a key ingredient to having success is just being able to thrive in the day to day on the practice court. Obviously the results in games haven’t been perfect but I think they are trending in the right direction because of our process, and because of what we're doing day to day.   

"I think something we can work on is not settling for mediocrity really. that's something I've picked up on more from our fans than anything because they love us so much and are so appreciative, but I think there's times where they don’t expect us to necessarily win and are just happy with our fight. 

"It's awesome to have their support, but we want to get it to a place where we expect greatness and there's accountability when we don’t achieve that.  

"That's another step we can take and I think we'll get to that point where everyone around this club expects greatness, and if we fall short of that hold ourselves accountable and creating change." 

Sometimes fate intervenes in remarkable ways and the basketball gods have shone on White this week to have his 100th game back in his hometown of Adelaide when the Bullets take on the 36ers on Christmas Eve. 

It provides White with a chance to reflect on quite the journey that started when he returned from Stanford back at Illawarra for the 2020/21 season.  

After those two seasons, he joined the JackJumpers and now couldn’t be happier with Brisbane, and is excited to have found what he hopes is a long-term home. 

"I'm feeling really excited because it's in Adelaide first of all so I get to play in front of my family, which is a neat little timing," he said.  

"It's been a great journey, it's been a weird one and there's three clubs in the last three years so there's a lot of bouncing around and challenges that comes with that.  

"But I just count my blessings every day and I'm not surprised that I've made it to 100, but there were a times there that I thought I might not. I'm really proud of the achievement and excited for what lies ahead." 

Becoming a leader on and off the court, being vocal with his leadership and also showing by example is something White has made a big focus since landing at Brisbane. Becoming a player with a hard edge to him on top of his scoring prowess has become a big focus of his. 

"I've gotten jobs before I think from just doing one percenters so playing hard, communicating and stuff like that is something that I can always bring to the practice floor to help us every day," White said. 

"I can help guys get their spots and just try to lead even though I'm not necessarily a leader on the team by title, I still try to lead by my actions and my voice, and hope that I can drag guys along with me."  

White also can't speak more highly of how quickly he has built a relationship with first-year Bullets coach Justin Schueller both in terms of basketball, and the way he genuinely cares for his players. 

"One of the things that I've really picked up from Schueller is just his passion for the game. Me, him and Norto all kind of race to get here in the gym first every morning," Schueller said. 

"He also else has Christmas parties and Halloween parties, and all of the rest of it so that part of it has been really good just with his care factor for the program. It's contagious his excitement of being in this new environment and I've kind of picked up on that too."