As we head into Round 6 of NBL26, the league is beginning to take shape.
Melbourne United remain the undisputed leaders, still undefeated and dominant on both ends of the floor. Behind them, contenders like Adelaide and Tasmania are making strong cases, while others — like Perth and Sydney — are battling inconsistency and injury setbacks.
Emerging young talent, mid-season import changes, and rising tensions are all contributing to an unpredictable start. Here’s where every team stands in our latest NBL Power Rankings.
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1. Melbourne United | Record: 7-0 | Offensive Rank: 1st | Defensive Rank: 1st | Previous Rank: 1st
It’s starting to feel inevitable. Melbourne United remain undefeated in NBL26 and sit comfortably atop the power rankings.
They picked up two strong wins in Round 5, defeating the Brisbane Bullets and New Zealand Breakers. That said, there were moments of concern for coach Dean Vickerman, as United allowed both opponents to go on scoring runs.
Still, their league-best defense continues to stand out. Tyson Walker, once considered a quiet off-season signing, delivered a defensive masterclass – totaling 12 steals across two games, including a club-record 8 steals in one. That’s the most in a single game since Damian Martin in 2014.
Chris Goulding, now three games into his season, also made history, climbing to third all-time in NBL three-pointers made, overtaking Perth coach John Rillie. Goulding already has 61 points in just 56 minutes of play.
United face another double-header in Round 6, with games against the struggling Cairns Taipans and the red-hot Adelaide 36ers. Some believe this could be their first stumble of the season.
NBL Wrap: United continue undefeated run | 01:09
2. Adelaide 36ers | Record: 5-1 | Offensive Rank: 2nd | Defensive Rank: 5th | Previous Rank: 2nd
Adelaide continues to be the second-most consistent team behind Melbourne. Their campaign is powered by an all-time performance from Bryce Cotton, who dropped 53 points against Cairns.
Despite the hot start, there’s still room to grow. Star import Dejan Vasiljevic is struggling, currently posting career lows in points (10.3), rebounds (2.5), and assists (1.2), while shooting just 31.1% from the field.
Coach Mike Wells has publicly taken responsibility for getting more out of Vasiljevic – and that could be a dangerous development for the rest of the league if it clicks.
Adelaide have a week off before their blockbuster clash with Melbourne United on Sunday.
3. Tasmania JackJumpers | Record: 4-3 | Offensive Rank: 7th | Defensive Rank: 4th | Previous Rank: 4th
This might be where opinions start to split. Tasmania deserves credit for navigating a brutal early schedule — five of their first seven games were on the road, and they’ve won three of them.
They split Round 5 with a strong home win over Sydney but looked fatigued in a loss to New Zealand.
Temporary import TJ Starks has had a quiet impact, likely due to limited minutes as the team avoids injury risk ahead of his move to China.
One concern: when Will Magnay rests, the JackJumpers become undersized and vulnerable inside. Kobe Williamson hasn’t been able to hold the fort in his absence, and with Magnay’s injury history, that’s a potential issue.
They’ll face the Kings in Sydney this week – an excellent opportunity to extend their strong road form.
4. South East Melbourne Phoenix | Record: 3-2 | Offensive Rank: 4th | Defensive Rank: 2nd | Previous Rank: 6th
The Phoenix are climbing, now above .500 after a dominant 40-point win over Illawarra.
Angus Glover was on fire, hitting eight threes and scoring a career-high 26 points.
Despite concerns about offensive production, they rank 4th in the league offensively – impressive considering they’ve essentially played without one of their imports all season.
That changes this week as Wes Iwundu makes his debut. A long, athletic defender with scoring upside, he could make a real difference. Meanwhile, Hunter Maldonado had his best outing yet with 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists, and boasts a league-best 30 assists to 4 turnovers.
Coach Josh King looks to have a group he’s confident in — and this team could continue rising.
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5. Sydney Kings | Record: 3-3 | Offensive Rank: 3rd | Defensive Rank: 3rd | Previous Rank: 5th
Sydney can’t seem to string wins together, continuing a frustrating win-loss cycle.
They split Round 5 – disappointing against Tasmania but rebounding with a solid win over Perth. The latter was marred by coach Brian Goorjian’s ejection, which sparked controversy.
The loss of Keli Leaupepe has hurt their depth, and while the talent is there, they feel one import short of true title contention. Goorjian has yet to confirm if reinforcements are coming.
Round 6 sees a tough double-header: against South East Melbourne and a rematch with Tasmania – a team they’ll be looking to avenge their earlier loss against.
6. Perth Wildcats | Record: 3-3 | Offensive Rank: 9th | Defensive Rank: 6th | Previous Rank: 3rd
It might feel harsh to drop Perth this far, but this team is in trouble. Down two imports — one injured, one released — it’s a shaky situation.
The release of Mason Jones (despite a recent 19-point outing) highlights the risks of rushed signings. Perth now plan to play 3–4 games without a replacement, which could backfire.
Dylan Windler also suffered an ankle injury in their latest game and is questionable for Wednesday’s clash against Cairns.
Perth is shooting a league-worst 25.4% from three, and without Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. (who’s playing at an MVP level), they’d likely be worse off than 3-3.
This team needs to act fast — or risk falling behind.
7. Brisbane Bullets | Record: 2-5 | Offensive Rank: 5th | Defensive Rank: 7th | Previous Rank: 9th
Despite going 0-2 in Round 5, Brisbane moves up. Why? Because they’re more competitive than their record suggests – especially given their injury list.
Still without Mitch Norton, Sam McDaniel, and an import, they nearly upset Melbourne United, falling 95-86.
Jaylen Adams finally looked like his old self, scoring 29 points, while the young core of Tristan Devers, Taine Murray, and Alex Ducas continues to impress.
Casey Prather remains elite, sitting second in league scoring at 25.5 PPG.
They’re still searching for a home win (0-2) and face a big test as they host the Phoenix on Saturday.
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Bullets end 4-game losing streak | 01:24
8. New Zealand Breakers | Record: 2-6 | Offensive Rank: 6th | Defensive Rank: 8th | Previous Rank: 10th
It may be surprising to see the Breakers rise – but they showed signs of life with a convincing win over Tasmania in Round 5.
They beat the JackJumpers 82-65 and set a league record for fewest turnovers in a game (2).
Chemistry remains the issue – not injuries. Izaiah Brockington is starting to find form, dropping 25 points, but Rob Baker II continues to underwhelm.
This team has talent, and if they can click, a top-six finish is still possible. However, that might mean parting ways with Baker.
They face Brisbane in a winnable game this round.
9. Cairns Taipans | Record: 2-5 | Offensive Rank: 10th | Defensive Rank: 9th | Previous Rank: 8th
Credit where it’s due – Cairns pushed Adelaide to the brink, forcing Bryce Cotton’s 53-point game to beat them by just five.
The injuries are mounting. Jack McVeigh and Sam Waardenburg remain out, and their absence is taking a toll.
Imports Andrew Andrews and Admiral Schofield have had moments, but need to become more consistent if the Taipans are to stay competitive.
They have a big Round 6 ahead: a must-win against an injury-hit Perth, followed by a tough rematch with Melbourne United.
10. Illawarra Hawks | Record: 1-4 | Offensive Rank: 8th | Defensive Rank: 10th | Previous Rank: 7th
The defending champs are in freefall. There’s a clear identity crisis, and on-court frustrations are spilling over with team scuffles emerging when the Hawks fall behind.
The JaQuori McLaughlin experiment hasn’t worked, and while JaVale McGee has been solid and Tyler Harvey continues to battle, he needs help fast.
Will Hickey is nearing a return, which will help – but the Hawks desperately need a scoring import guard to carry some of the offensive load.
They’ve only got one game this round, against Perth. Given both teams’ struggles, it could be a turning point – or another step in the wrong direction.
