Cole Anthony

Melbourne United have locked in the final piece of the team’s roster for the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 season, securing the signature of 26-year-old star point guard, Cole Anthony.

A 367-game NBA veteran entering the prime of his career, Anthony comes to United as one of the most athletic and dynamic guards the NBL will have ever seen.

Standing 188cm, the New York native has used his size and speed to attack the world’s best defenders, creating scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates at an elite level.

Across his NBA career, which has included five seasons with the Orlando Magic and one season with the Milwaukee Bucks, Anthony has averaged 12 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists, including a career-high 37-point performance against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The son of NBA star Greg Anthony, Cole grew up in New York, honing his craft working alongside trainers and battling on local courts before establishing himself as one of the nation’s best high school players.

All before reaching college, the star guard was collecting accolades such as MVP of the Nike Hoop Summit, Jordan Brand Classic, and McDonald’s All-American Game, as well as Nike EYBL MVP (2018) and Defensive Player of the Year (2017).

Exiting high school, Anthony was ranked as one of the country’s top prospects, ultimately leading to him joining the University of North Carolina, where he averaged 18.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4 assists per game over 22 games.

This landed him a spot on the All-ACC Third Team and the All-ACC Freshman Team ahead declaring for the 2020 NBA Draft.

Selected 15th by Orlando, Anthony quickly became a fan favourite for the Magic thanks to his ability to produce huge highlights, as well as the passion he displayed every possession.

For the 2023-24 season, he was joined on the Magic by Joe Ingles, with the pair suiting up for 75 games together, 60% of which were victories.