Aussies in the NBA: Luke Travers

• Selected 56th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2022 NBA Draft
• NBL champion with the Perth Wildcats in 2020
• Gold medal winner at the 2018 FIBA Under-16 Asian Championship

Luke Travers is an Australian basketball player who carved out a strong five-year NBL career, and in a story of persistence, was drafted at 22-years-old by the Cavaliers in the second round of the 2022 National Basketball Association Draft.

Key details

Name: Luke Jacob Travers
Age: 23
Team(s): Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Charge (NBA G League)
Position: Shooting guard / Small forward
Size: 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Weight: 207 lb (94 kg)

Playing style

Throughout his time in the NBL and G-League, Travers has established a reputation as a versatile and high-quality defender, and his capabilities are well complemented by his improved ability to score the ball and distribute.

When the 6'7" wing/forward was acquired by Melbourne United, Vickerman lauded Travers’ adaptation from his years at Perth to play at the 4, where he can grab rebounds, start fast break possessions, and attack mismatches in a system with high ball movement – also with the ability to make things happen off the ball.

Travers has shown his worth on the court as an all-rounder. Being able to handle the basketball at his size is advantageous to the team he plays for; however, Travers is still seeking consistency from range – where he had a down year, going 26% from three in the G-League.

Luke Travers Basketball Career

Luke Travers’ career commenced as he took part for the Rockingham Flames in the State Basketball League. After a quiet 2017 campaign, Travers would build in 2018, representing Australia at the Under-17 FIBA World Cup, becoming a part of the Centre of Excellence program, and having a solid finals campaign with the Flames, averaging 15 points in the semi-finals despite falling short.

In 2019, Travers would be the most improved player in the SBL, collecting 11.7 points per game with 5 rebounds and 2 assists, primarily coming off the bench in 18 games.

Travers would consolidate on this form with the Perth Wildcats, signing as a development player with the NBL side in 2019, collecting a championship in 2020, before being recognised as a player on the main roster in the 2021-22 season.

This season would mark the year that Travers turned his dreams into a reality, averaging 7.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game, showing tenacity on the glass and improving his defensive impact.

The Cleveland Cavaliers recognised Travers’ potential and would take a flyer on the Perth big man, selecting him in the 2022 NBA Draft with the 56th overall pick.

Travers’ offseason would go from strength to strength where he made his debut with the Australian Boomers in the World Cup qualifiers, scoring 23 points with eight assists over two matches.

Travers would return to Australia to refine his craft in the 2022-23 NBL season as he would be given more playing opportunities, returning to Perth for one last season. He would shoot the ball 50% from the field and a career best 40% from 3, earning himself career highs in points, rebounds and assists.

Travers would become a prized commodity when he declared his desire to explore options as a free agent heading into the 2023-24 NBL season. He would ultimately sign with Melbourne United where his incremental growth would continue, getting more responsibility under coach Dean Vickerman, scoring 12 points with 7.6 rebounds with a career high in minutes per game.

Travers’ United tenure was rounded off with multiple strong performances in the playoffs that contributed to wins, headlined by a 24 point, 8 rebound, 3 block, 2 steal performance against Illawarra, a 4-block performance against Tasmania in a finals Game 1 win, and a 17-point, 11-rebound game in a must-win in Game 4.

Since, the Cavaliers secured the services of the now 24-year-old through a two-way deal in August 2024, where Travers has been working hard to break into a difficult, high calibre Cavalier rotation via his G-League play. In the 2024-25 season, Travers’ 12 NBA appearances were superseded by 21 G-League matches, where in 33.6 minutes, he was agonisingly short of averaging a double-double with seven assists on top.

Travers also looked his best defensively as he enters his prime years, with 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. He has re-signed with the Cavaliers on a second two-way contract for the 2025-26 NBA season.

Fast Facts

1. Travers was childhood friends with AFL player Luke Jackson.
2. Travers was named the SBL Most Improved Player in 2019.
3. He helped break a 17-year drought for Western Australia by winning gold at the Under-18 National Championships in 2018.
4. Luke Travers was a part of the 2018 Centre of Excellence program alongside former NBA-listed talent Taran Armstrong and Alex Ducas.
5. He is the first Perth-born basketballer to be drafted to the NBA.

Career Highlights Timeline

• 2017: Made senior debut for Rockingham Flames in the State Basketball League
• 2018: Won gold at the Under-16 FIBA Asia Championship with Australia – where he earnt tournament second team honours
• 2019: Signed with Perth Wildcats as a development player
• 2020: Won NBL championship with Perth Wildcats
• 2022: Selected 56th overall by Cleveland Cavaliers in NBA Draft
• 2023: Signed as a free agent with Melbourne United
• 2024: Won NBA Summer League championship with Cleveland Cavaliers
• 2024: Signed two-way contract with Cleveland Cavaliers
• 2024: Made his NBA debut against the Orlando Magic
• 2025: Has earned significant minutes in the 2025-26 NBA pre-season.

Throughout his journey to the NBA, Travers has formed a large body of work that indicates a quality start to his professional career. As he enters his prime, he will be hoping he can capture his best form to not only contribute to winning basketball but also break into the Cavaliers’ main program and impact at NBA level.

As he enters his second year at the Cavaliers with experience under his belt and having been in basketball circles for a long time, Travers will be hoping he can make noise around his name and become another story of success for Australian basketball.

Read more about the National Basketball Association here.