REPORT: Brown III return to Phoenix "getting closer"

He took the League by storm during the Hungry Jack’s NBL26 Season, and now it appears John Brown III could be returning to the South East Melbourne Phoenix.

The American forward, who convincingly won the 2025-26 Defensive Player of the Year, played a pivotal role in steering The Heartland club to the Playoffs.

On the latest episode of The Marketplace, presented by Paywise, 2018 NBL champion Pete Hooley said he believes a reunion between the two entities is ‘getting closer’.

“The power forward spot is gonna be the big one [for the Phoenix to address],” Hooley said.

“Last time we had a Marketplace, we said I don’t think it will be John Brown III at that point, but I feel like I'm flipping on that [now].

“I feel like we're getting closer to seeing John Brown III come back.

“I'm just getting vibes. If he hasn't got any other job taken up yet, I feel like they’ll be continuing [negotiations], as we know there’s a mutual interest there.”

If that re-signing came to fruition, fellow panellist Olgun Uluc from ESPN knows the impact it would have on Josh King’s side.

“That's a substantial hole to fill from a defensive standpoint,” Uluc said.

“He's effectively the unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, or as close as you're going to get in the NBL.

“What he brought defensively, you think of the net points that he creates or that he gives your team. It's better than some 20-point-per-game guys from the points he stops to the extra possessions he creates, on top of the scoring that he brings.

“There aren't many players in the NBL who can do that.”

As it stands, the Phoenix have Nathan Sobey, Jordi Hunter, Angus Glover, Tanner Krebs, Owen Foxwell, Hunter Goodrick, Pat Ryan and Ellis Biggar under contract for the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 Season.