Returning star sets sights on 'dominating' NBL

Melbourne United appear set to bounce back in a big way during the Hungry Jack's NBL27 Season, and a massive reason for that is the re-signing of Luke Travers.

The 24-year-old forward returns to United after two seasons abroad in the NBA, playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers and their G League affiliate, the Charge.

"I feel like it's a lot of kids' dream to finally make that step to the NBA," Travers said on NBL Now.

"I took a long way to get there, and I appreciate everyone's journey is kind of different, but to finally get it was a dream come true, and hopefully it's not done."

Travers believes United, where he will play under coach Jacob Chance, who is fresh off a stint with the San Antonio Spurs organisation, is the perfect spot to launch his career back into the NBA.

"Playing under Jacob is something that I'll be really comfortable with, with our history dating back to when I was 13 years old in Perth. He's always been in my corner," Travers said.

"[Further to that] Melbourne is somewhere I know would get the best out of me.

"It's now about getting back here, dominating and putting my best foot forward, while also winning.

"I feel like this is the best opportunity for me and the best spot, to get me back to the NBA."

To do so, Travers, who averaged 12.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.1 steals per game during NBL24 with United, knows he has to take his game to even greater heights this season.

"I want to be one of the better players in the League, and that starts on the defensive end," he said.

"There are going to be [chances] to lock down the other team's best player. Obviously, we have Shea [Ili], but I will help him out in any way I can.

"Then pushing on the offensive end as well. Being 6'8, in the NBL, it's a little different to the NBA, where there's not a bunch of seven-footers and freak athletes.

"So I'm going to really look to take advantage of that, get out in transition and get downhill as much as I can."

Travers knows his team, which also features recruits Cole Anthony, Joe Ingles, Sam Waardenburg, Josh Oduro, Sean Macdonald, Jensen Bradtke and Harry Neilson, has big potential if they nail the defensive end of the floor.

"As long as we're getting stops, we're going to be pushing the ball, because the defensive end's the most important [aspect], especially in the NBL," he said.

"We've got a lot of guys that can grab a rebound, get a steal and go. Sam [Waardenburg], Joe [Ingles], KB (Kyle Bowen) and myself.

"All of us really are a super versatile team and I feel like everyone can see that. Everyone's saying that we're a funky team, but we're just a bunch of basketball players at the end of the day.

"Shea is going to be the head of the snake, but he's going to be surrounded by a lot of tall guys, so it's going to be hard to score on us with the limited spacing available."

Rounding out the United squad are returning players Bowen, Christian D'Angelo, Chris Goulding, Shea Ili, Fabijan Krslovic, Malith Machar and Tom Wilson.

United open their season on Saturday, September 19 against Adelaide at John Cain Arena.