According to ESPN Australia, the 38-year-old is expected to join Melbourne United following the conclusion of his current NBA campaign with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The move would represent a major boost for Australian basketball as the NBL prepares for a new era of exposure after securing expanded free-to-air television coverage next season.
Ingles is currently serving as a veteran presence for Minnesota during the NBA playoffs after joining the Timberwolves in 2024. His NBA career spans more than a decade, beginning in 2014 and including a lengthy and successful run with the Utah Jazz before later stints with the Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic.
Before becoming an NBA fan favorite, Ingles first made his name in Australia with the now-defunct South Dragons, helping the franchise win the 2009 NBL championship.
The reported return of Ingles could also signal the beginning of a major homecoming era for Australian basketball stars. Olympic legend Andrew Gaze recently suggested that fellow Boomers icon Patty Mills could also return to the NBL next season, potentially signing with the Brisbane Bullets.
If both veterans return, they would reunite with Matthew Dellavedova as former NBA Boomers stars now competing in Australia. Dellavedova recently captured an NBL championship with the Sydney Kings.
The potential returns of Ingles and Mills would dramatically raise the profile of the NBL while also strengthening competition for spots on Australia’s national team ahead of the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar.
Australia’s next generation, led by rising NBA stars Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels, is expected to form the core of the Boomers moving forward. However, the possible return of experienced veterans such as Ingles and Mills could create one of the deepest and most competitive Australian squads ever assembled.
