REPORT: Perth closing in on All-NBL star

The Perth Wildcats are closing in on what could be their biggest move of the Free Agency period, with ESPN’s Olgun Uluc reporting the club is in advanced discussions to sign Jo Lual-Acuil Jr.

A proven winner and interior presence, Lual-Acuil Jr. was an NBL champion in 2021, earned All-NBL First Team honours in 2022, and was named to the Second Team in 2024. He starred across 131 games for Melbourne United over four seasons.

In his last NBL campaign, he averaged 14.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, before embarking on international stints in Turkey, Egypt and China.

Landing Lual-Acuil Jr. would mark a major coup for the Wildcats, who are looking to rebuild after Bryce Cotton’s departure to Adelaide and the off-season exit of Keanu Pinder.

Perth’s front office has stressed the importance of patience and precision as they reshape the roster for a post-Cotton era.

"We feel good about where things are at. You've got to be patient. The NBL is a league where we have to wait for other leagues to start making moves before players can start looking at us. We've done that the last two years and felt good about where we've landed," GM Danny Mills told Pete Hooley at Summer League.

"So we'll be patient. Finding the right piece as opposed to jumping early is what's important."

The Wildcats have already locked in imports Dylan Windler and Kristian Doolittle for NBL26, and bolstered their local contingent with Lat Mayen and Sunday Dech from Adelaide. They’ve also secured French Next Star Noa Kouakou-Heugue.

The final import spot is expected to go to a point guard, with 28-year-old Zavier Simpson firmly on the club’s radar.