FOLLOWING a season-ending injury to their starting point guard, the Tasmania JackJumpers have added former UCLA Bruin Tyger Williams as an injury replacement player for the start of the 2025/26 NBL season.

The JackJumpers lost Sean Macdonald to a torn ACL in the warm up to the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, and with the announcement of Jack McVeigh signing with another team as well as the departures of Milton Doyle and Jordan Crawford, there was suddenly a shortage of players across the Bass Strait.

Needing some instant offence in the absence of Macdonald, the JackJumpers looked overseas, and found the answer in Williams, who brings professional experience and will be able to slot into the lineup with ease given the tools at his disposal.

The point guard is a pure creator on the offensive end, both for himself and teammates, and will be able to run the JackJumpers’ offence from the opening round of the season, making him the exact fit for the team.

After a solid high school career, Williams signed with the UCLA Bruins for his collegiate career in 2018, but suffered a torn ACL himself ahead of his Freshman season, meaning he was sidelined for his first 12 months in the NCAA.

Throughout the following three years, he steadily progressed his production, starting in each campaign and becoming more reliable on the scoring front as his experience grew. By the time he reached his senior campaign, Williams was one of the best players in the Pac-12 conference, and led his team to a Sweet 16 berth in the National Tournament.

During his final year with the Bruins, the point guard averaged 13.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and five assists per game while shooting 37.8 per cent from the field, 33.8 per cent from behind the arc and 85.6 per cent from the charity stripe.

After going undrafted, Williams played with the Orlando Magic in the 2023 NBA Summer League, before heading overseas to play in both France and Germany, before eventually landing in Tasmania for a stint with the JackJumpers.

At five-foot-11, the 25-year-old may not be the tallest player in the backcourt, but he is a tremendously creative point guard, able to run an offence as he showed with the Bruins. He can score across all three levels, and although his passing is a key part of his game, Williams is not afraid to be the man of the moment on the scoring front.

He will likely make life easier for his Tasmanian teammates with his passing, particularly on the fast break, where he shows excellent vision and quick decisionmaking with ball in hand, and he could unlock another level to Will Magnay‘s offensive game.

“Tyger brings pace and poise to our backcourt. His ability to facilitate, score, and anchor our transition attack aligns perfectly with our style – gritty, unselfish, and team‑first” JackJumpers General Manager Basketball, Darren Smith said.

“I think Tasmanian fans will love his style of play. ”

Williams is the fifth off-season signing for the JackJumpers, following the acquisitions of Bryce Hamilton, David Johnson, Kobe Williamson and Josh Bannan, giving the 2024 NBL Champions a brand new look for the upcoming fixture.