Following a successful stint in the NBL, Parker Jackson-Cartwright is evaluating options for a return to Europe to finish the 2024-25 season, sources tell BasketNews. The dynamic guard, drawing comparisons to TJ Shorts for his size and playmaking profile, remains eligible to sign with EuroLeague or Basketball Champions League (BCL) teams.
One of the NBL's top scorers in consecutive seasons, Parker Jackson-Cartwright, is exploring options for a return to Europe or other basketball markets to finish the 2024-25 season, sources tell BasketNews.
After another strong NBL campaign, Jackson-Cartwright has drawn interest from multiple markets, including Europe, China, and Puerto Rico.
The EuroLeague signing deadline is February 26, while registration for new players in the EuroCup closed on January 7. However, Basketball Champions League (BCL) teams and top domestic leagues remain active in strengthening their rosters.
Jackson-Cartwright could also stay in the NBL beyond the 2024-25 season, where the New Zealand Breakers are offering him the most lucrative contract in franchise history, as the team owner Matt Walsh confirmed.
Per BasketNews sources, Jackson-Cartwright has received a rich multi-year offer, though other NBL teams are also pursuing the 29-year-old American guard.
However, this doesn't rule out the possibility of Jackson-Cartwright finishing the season in a different league.
In his second stint with the Breakers, Jackson-Cartwright has once again showcased his dynamic abilities.
This season, he has averaged 18.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, earning early MVP consideration.
In three NBA preseason games with the Philadelphia Sixers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Utah Jazz, he posted 19.3 points and 6.3 assists, including a 26-point performance in Philadelphia.
His production follows a stellar 2023-24 NBL campaign, during which he averaged 20.6 points and 5.8 assists for the Breakers and consistently ranked on MVP ladders.
Jackson-Cartwright's career took an interesting turn under current EuroLeague star TJ Shorts' former coach, Tuomas Iisalo.
Iisalo brought him to Telekom Baskets Bonn for the 2021-22 season, which kicked off a successful run in Germany that led to a second-seed finish in the Bundesliga regular season.
That year, Bonn's rise was fueled by Jackson-Cartwright's brilliance, as he averaged 19.3 points, 7.4 assists, and 2.0 steals, earning German league MVP honors – the first in Bonn's history.
Highlights included a 40-point performance against Bamberg and a dominant playoff quarterfinal series against Hamburg, where he averaged 36 points per game.
After helping Bonn to a semifinal appearance, Jackson-Cartwright attracted EuroLeague interest.
Budget constraints prevented Bonn from retaining him, and he joined ASVEL in the EuroLeague for the 2022-23 season.
Sharing a similar size and game profile to Jackson-Cartwright, Shorts joined coach Iisalo in Bonn as his replacement, and the rest was the history.
Jackson-Cartwright's EuroLeague stint with ASVEL proved challenging. In limited minutes under coach TJ Parker, he averaged 5.4 points (35.7% 2P, 29.0% 3P), 2.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists.
Midway through the season, he moved to Besiktas in Turkey, where he averaged 17.9 points and 7.7 assists in the domestic league.
After his Turkish league run, Jackson-Cartwright joined the New Zealand Breakers in the NBL.
As the NBL season winds down, Jackson-Cartwright is considering his next move.
The Breakers are set to wrap up their season on February 5th after falling out of contention for a play-in spot.
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