2022 NBL1 East champion Unique Thompson will return to the Albury-Wodonga Bandits for the remainder of the 2024 season.
National Finals All-Star Five member and NBL1 East Finals MVP returns after multiple seasons playing in Russia.
The #NBL1East Finals MVP is Unique Thompson! ?
— NBL1 (@NBL1) August 28, 2022
She was the game's leading scorer with 24 points and 11 rebounds ? pic.twitter.com/863Yjh5lEk
In her last NBL1 season, she averaged 29.6 points, 15 rebounds and 2.8 steals in 12 games for the Bandits – playing alongside Lauren Jackson in her first NBL1 East season.
Then assistant and now head coach Sam McDonald said that adding Thompson to the team has been a priority since she left.
"She was one of the first people at the top of the list I wanted to get in contact with to see if she'd be interested in coming back,” McDonald told the Border Mail.
"She averaged 30 points and 15 rebounds in 2022 and won grand final MVP. She has experience, she's a high IQ player and she'll add another rebound force for us. She's played with Lauren before and they have good chemistry.”
What. A. Game.
— NBL1 (@NBL1) August 6, 2022
Unique Thompson had a ?
4??9?? points and 2??5?? rebounds in the loss to Sutherland pic.twitter.com/L9eAHPyAH2
Since their championship, the pair have been in contact and McDonald is excited that he can reunite with the star forward when she lands later this month.
"I've been in contact with her each week after we play and she's been watching the games and is really excited to get out here,” he said.
"She's been playing at a pretty high level, so it's great to have someone of her calibre."
The Bandits currently sit 6-0 atop the NBL1 East ladder, their next game is on Saturday against the Maitland Mustangs live from 5:30pm AEST via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.
