Jacob's big Chance: United assistant departs NBL for Spurs coaching role

• Jacob Chance is leaving Melbourne United to become head coach of the Austin Spurs in the G League
• Chance was Dean Vickerman's assistant for the past two seasons and spent two seasons as Tasmania's associate head coach from 2021-23
• He joins a Spurs organisation which already features an Australian in Matthew Nielsen as NBA assistant coach

Melbourne United assistant coach Jacob Chance is leaving the NBL to become the new head coach of the Austin Spurs — the G League affiliate of powerhouse NBA franchise the San Antonio Spurs — the club announced this morning.

Chance, regarded as one of the brightest young coaching minds in Australia, replaces last season's G League Coach of the Year Scott King as the Austin coach after his predecessor was promoted to an NBA assistant coach with San Antonio.

“I’m super privileged to be joining an organisation like the Spurs, which operates not too dissimilar to the way we do here," he said.

"United is a club that supports its people, which made it such a challenging decision to leave.

“My partner and I are very comfortable in Melbourne and love all the people at this club, but ultimately the opportunity to become a head coach for another top-notch program was something I couldn’t pass up.

“The support I’ve had from Dean, Rhys and Barlow has helped me grow so much across my time here. The autonomy I’ve been given to come in and try to impact this place has been awesome, second to none.

“I’ve told a lot of people already that this wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for my move to Melbourne.

"I’m super appreciative of the support, not just over the past two years but throughout this last month.”

The 31-year-old has enjoyed a rapid rise in the NBL after first starting as a video/development coach with the Perth Wildcats in 2015 before being promoted to an assistant coach in 2019, winning a championship in 2020. He later joined Scott Roth at expansion club, the Tasmania JackJumpers, in 2021 as an associate head coach where he helped them to back-to-back playoff appearances in two seasons.

Chance then signed with Melbourne as Dean Vickerman's lead assistant coach for NBL24 as United made consecutive grand finals series, finishing as runners-up.

He was also appointed as an assistant coach for the Australian Boomers and even led the national team as head coach during a FIBA window last season, an incredible achievement for a young coach.

Chance said the move to Austin was a great chance to test everything he had learned in the NBL.

During his two seasons at United, Chance played a significant role in the development of players such as Luke Travers and Ariel Hukporti, who have gone on to the NBA.

He also joins a Spurs franchise deep with Australian connections with NBL and Boomers legend Matthew Nielsen as well as former NBL and Boomers head coach Brett Brown assistant coaches with the NBA team.

Vickerman said he couldn't be happier for Chance.

“At our club, we don’t just want great coaches and players, we want great people, and from the second he walked in the door, we knew he was a perfect fit for our culture," he said.

“It can’t be understated the work he’s put in over the past two seasons to help us win as many games as we did, while also helping to prepare our group for NBL26 while I’m with the Boomers.

“I can’t wait to see what he achieves, and I think everyone at United will be keeping an eye on the G-League and cheering hard for the Spurs next season.”