Unsolved mystery: Why isn't Narkle in the NBL?

• Johny Narkle is starring for the Geraldton Buccaneers in NBL1 West
• He's averaging 24.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 5.0 apg, 2.5spg, 1.4 bpg in a career-best 2025 season
• Named Grand Final MVP and led the Buccaneers to the 2023 NBL1 West Championship.

Johny Narkle's 53-point outburst shot the 6'7 wing back into the spotlight but it's his consistent improvement, work ethic and exciting natural talent that fuel the great mystery of why he isn't on an NBL roster.

Geraldton-born Narkle is still just 23, is already a Grand Final MVP and championship winner in the NBL1 West with the Geraldton Buccaneers, and has proven able to influence games in a whole number of ways.

Buccaneers Dayle Joseph was at a lost to explain why Narkle hadn't earned an opportunity to compete at the next level.

"I'm not quite sure and we would probably need to be asking somebody a bit higher up the food chain there I think," Joseph told basketball.com.au.

"Just in some feedback from last year when he's had a couple of tryouts around the place and asking why, there was a bit of a question over his three-point shooting and if he was going to be a wing guy, you need to be able to knock down shots at a bit higher percentage than he had previously.

"But his percentages have gone up this year and he's getting close to 40 per cent so he has improved that area which is one of those area teams were wanting to see him get better at. The other one was probably to be a bit more consistent I think.

"He's done that for most of this season and that's something we talk about all the time, and even after that 53-point game I told him that gets him the attention, but what gets more is doing it regularly."

Narkle has size but also an explosive athlete, outstanding in the open floor and creating off the dribble while able to get to the rim and either finish in traffic, or get up and deliver spectacular finishes.

There's much more to Narkle's game than flashy plays though. His three-point shooting has consistently improved and he can go on streaks of hitting plenty in quick time while his quick hands and length make him a menace on the defensive end.

Narkle is in the midst of his best NBL1 West season at the Buccaneers too with 24.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.4 blocks, which has him right in the MVP race against two players already on NBL rosters, Elijah Pepper and Isaac White.

Narkle spent time training with the Perth Wildcats and went to a tryout with Melbourne United ahead of NBL25, but he appears the greatest untapped emerging talent still to get an NBL opportunity.

Why is he not in the NBL yet?

Joseph has been Narkle's only coach in his NBL1 West career with the Buccaneers. Joseph is a three-time Coach of the Year and two-time championship winner. He continues to shake his head at the lack of an NBL opportunity.

Not only has Joseph worked closely with Narkle to help him improve his game, but he's also had a front row seat to all of his heroics dating back to his start with the Buccs in 2020 when he was still juggling basketball and football.

Narkle was raw when he started and did briefly move to Perth to play WAFL football in 2021, but has since committed to basketball leading the Buccaneers to an NBL1 West championship in2023.

He then had a spectacular performance at the NBL1 National Finals a week later before he improved in all areas further in 2024 and now is having a career-best season in 2025.

Joseph has tried to work out why teams might have not given him an NBL chance yet, but his three-point shooting has risen to 37 per cent in 2025, his consistency is improving and he hopes something opens up in NBL26.

"He's working pretty hard on that and I think the improvement is there to see and it's just about whether someone will give him an opportunity," Joseph said.

"I think he should be playing in the NBL, I might be a bit biased in that department, but I also see so much upside with him if he got into that full-time environment."

View from his captain

Aaron Ralph recognised Narkle's potential before he even started playing with the Buccaneers and he too was baffled why an NBL chance hasn't come his way.

Ralph remains the Geraldton captain for the 2025 NBL1 West season and is a two-time championship winner with the Buccs and is the league's all-time three-point shooter having knocked down 1,105 of them across his 471-game career.

Having been a teammate of Narkle's now for his entire 78-game career, Ralph just hopes that Narkle soon gets the chance to show what he's capable of at the next level.

"I'm very surprised he hasn't got an opportunity. I thought last year was definitely the year he was snapped up and he's still trying to get to that next level," Ralph said.

"He's definitely got the talent and the work ethic and everything, he just needs that opportunity I think.

"And when he gets it, he's the kind of kid that can take it with both hands and has that X-factor about him.

"He can do anything on the court and everything he does still amazes me.

"I was coaching him from 15, 16, 17 and then started playing with him when he's 18, and it's been a good journey.

"He's a good kid who does all the right things so I hope he gets that chance."

A natural competitor

What Joseph knows about Narkle is that he's passionate and determined to try to reach as high a level with his basketball as he can.

He might appear somewhat laconic at times and he might be softly spoken, but what Joseph knows about Narkle is that he has that competitive drive inside him where he lets his basketball do the talking out on the court.

"Whether or not the way he may appear a bit casual at times might count against him, I'm not sure, but when the work's got to be done, he does the work and if you put the ball out there to get or put in the hoop, then it's a different story," Joseph said.

"His competitiveness is something he's learning about all the time and having to compete against guys like Liam Hunt, Aaron Ralph, Mat Wundenberg, Ryan Blanchett and even Joshua Keyes who is really tough on him, he's getting worked over at practice as well at the moment to try and get him ready for that next level as well."

Being in a full-time environment‍

Narkle has continued to improve each season he's played at Geraldton starting out when he was just finding his feet in the 2020 West Coast Classic season with 9.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.4 steals and 1.3 blocks.

When he returned in 2022, he was finding his groove but then he exploded in 2023 delivering 13.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7steals, but during the finals he was a difference marker.

Narkle had 21 points, 11 rebounds, four steals and three assists in the grand final win for the Buccs against the Joondalup Wolves and then at the National Finals, he averaged 28.5 points a game.

That led into a standout 2024 season once he was back from injury with 23.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks,and now his numbers have risen further in 2025 to have him firmly in MVP calculations.

What Joseph knows is that if he was in a full-time environment like at an NBL club, that his upward trajectory will only continue considering he hasn't even turned 24 yet.

"I think if someone gives him that opportunity and put him in that environment I think he could thrive and rapidly improve further," Joseph said.

"I think he does need someone to actually care about him as well and not necessarily just give him a contract, and tell him to go play.

"He would need someone to give him some guidance to go with it if he got the chance because he might have missed out on having that when he was a bit younger.

"He is still maturing as a basketball player and an athlete, and if someone shows him a little bit of love and guidance, I think they will get a hell of a lot out of him in the future."

Having great support behind him

Joseph continues to rack his mind over things that might be stopping an NBL team signing Narkle. One other thing he feels might be a factor is the concern over Narkle leaving his family environment in Geraldton.

Joseph instead feels that is a great bonus for him and not hindrance simply because of the support that Narkle would have with his endeavours whether from family members or anyone associated with basketball in Geraldton including himself.

"I think it might be a little bit of a concern moving away from home, I'm not sure exactly how he's feeling about that prospect," Narkle said.

"I don’t think anyone has actually asked him that question, though, and they might be just making assumptions.

"He has some really strong family ties and support people around him in the Geraldton area as some of those gifted Indigenous kids have with big families, and a lot of people supporting them.

"So if he did have to relocate, he'd certainly have a lot of people in his corner to help achieve that, and including me. If he asked me to come to Melbourne with him for a tryout, I'd pack up instantly to go with him and be that support him, and there's others that would do that for him as well.

"I just really hope someone does give him that opportunity because I think there's so much upside there, and he's already putting in the work, and will only keep getting better."