The Sunshine Coast seal on a big Perth Wildcats deal

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Perth Wildcats guard Sunday Dech has revealed how a family holiday in Noosa helped lure close friend Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. back to Australia, as the club builds a new-look roster focused on defence for the upcoming NBL season.

Sunday Dech says Perth’s signing of Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. might have started with the most casual of recruiting tools, a family holiday in Noosa.

A Wildcats champion in 2014 and 2019, Dech has returned to Perth this season, and the homecoming is all the better with his South Sudanese teammate and close friend Acuil Jr. alongside him.

“We went away to Noosa together with our families. Recruiting his wife over was a big part in it,” Dech revealed via The West Australian.

“It was a slow process because he had a lot of options, like with any good big at the moment. They’ve got Europe, Asia and NBA potential so luring him over was a slow grind. But we go back to our friendship and camaraderie at East Perth Eagles when we were juniors. We played under 18s for the Eagles and the South Sudanese bonds brought us together.

“Basketball has taken us around the world, but it has now brought us back home and that’s something we are going to cherish.”

The duo are joined by fellow South Sudanese national team member Lat Mayen, adding another familiar connection to a squad once renowned for its scoring prowess, but now intent on sharpening its defensive edge.

With Bryce Cotton’s departure marking the start of a new era, Dech believes the Wildcats are assembling a roster with the potential to achieve anything.

“We want to get aggressive, get up the floor and use our athleticism and length. From day one of recruiting, the message has been consistent. We want to be a defensive team and use our size and length to get stops,” he added.

Perth confirmed the addition of Lual-Acuil Jr. and the re-signing of Ben Henshall over the past two weeks, while imports Kristian Doolittle and Dylan Windler are back aiming to build on their impressive form from last season’s Finals.

Doolittle expressed his determination to help guide the Wildcats back to the top step of the Champions’ dais, a feat they last achieved in 2020.

“This is the most successful club in Australia, and I want to add to that legacy,” he told the club’s website.

Read the full story here >> Perth Wildcats recruits Sunday Dech and Jo Lual-Acuil went from close friends to teammates on Noosa holiday