Sharks season gets Spurgin ready for Kings role

Injury ended his NBL26 campaign before it started, but Jason Spurgin built back his form, confidence and all-round game in the NBL1 East at the Sutherland Sharks in 2026 and now is being rewarded with playing a key role at the league-leading Sydney Kings.

Spurgin has always been seen as a young local big with tremendous potential and was quickly snapped up by the Kings on his return to Australia following a college career that saw him spend three years with Southern Utah University, and then at Bowling Green State.

The skilled 6'11 big signed at the Kings immediately out of college and hit the court eight times in that rookie NBL25 season before joining the Sutherland Sharks of the NBL1 East in 2025.

He showed encouraging signs of what he was capable of too heading into a second NBL season by producing 14.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 blocks in almost 30 minutes a game while shooting 55 per cent from the field and 32 per cent from the outside.

That had him feeling good heading into NBL26 with the Kings but then shortly before it even started, he required foot surgery and wasn’t able to return until a memorable cameo in Game 1 of the Championship Series against the Adelaide 36ers where he had five quick points, two rebounds and block.

The positive was he was back healthy and was part of the Kings' championship triumph and then was ready to throw everything into getting right back to the top of his game in 2026 NBL1 East season with Sutherland.

He was in good hands under the coaching of Kings assistant Shaun Roger along with having his NBL teammate Tyler Robertson there with him too, and went on to produce 18.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 blocks on shooting 52 per cent from the floor and 35 from deep.

Now on the back of that, where he led the Sharks to a playoff run and just fell one game short of the Grand Final, he has earned a regular spot in Brian Goorjian's rotation with the Kings so far in NBL27, with the team sitting in top spot after seven rounds at 7-3.

Spurgin has now already played more minutes in eight games this season than his previous two in the NBL combined and he has been out there for 12.6 minutes a game for 3.1 points and 3.6 rebounds.

He played a career-high 17 minutes last Friday night in Launceston as well in the win against the Tasmania JackJumpers where he had four points, three rebounds and three steals in what was a third game in the space of six days for the Kings.

Coming off playing in Melbourne on Sunday, Perth on Wednesday and then Launceston on Friday, Spurgin was glad to get through that tough run to look forward to a break until now hosting the South East Melbourne Phoenix back at Afterpay Arena this Sunday.

"Feeling pretty banged up, but the coaching staff does a great job, and so does the treatment team with physios and all that who take care of us to make sure we're doing the right things while we're travelling by staying hydrated and stuff," Spurgin said.

"They get us in the best shape we can be to be ready to play as many minutes as we're required to. It shows that down the stretch, guys are still playing hard and working hard on defence, and getting key stops for us.

"That's a credit to the staff for making sure we're all taken care of. Then even when we get down early, the guys trust the bench, and we're able to come in and give them some relief, and let them get their legs early on in the game.

"We're able to come in and keep the game flowing and keep putting points on the board, and then they're able to close it for us.

"I think it's big trust from the coaching staff to allow us to get into the game and do that, and I think guys are always ready to step up and play. Everyone's willing to make the plays on the defensive end to win us games."

Coming off missing almost the entire NBL season, it was perfect timing for Spurgin to throw himself fully into the NBL1 East season with the Sharks.

He got to stay in Sydney at the same time to continue working out with whoever was still around from the Kings, and combined that with what he was able to produce on the court, it turned out being the perfect situation.

"It was awesome playing NBL1 and finally getting back on the court," Spurgin said.

"It's something you miss when you're out that long so nothing but confidence comes from that season. I had some great coaches and great teammates that always were helping me out during the season and Goorj was with me all off-season as well working with me.

"He was nothing but value all the time, giving me feedback and preparing myself to get ready for the NBL season. So I appreciate everyone helping me during that time."

Whether it's Andrew Bogut, his Sutherland coach Shaun Roger, Billy Tomlinson or any of the coaching staff headed up by Goorjian, Spurgin credits them for his continued growth too along with the confidence the whole Kings bench group plays with including Sharks teammate Tyler Robertson.

"Another big thing was being around the coaches all off-season, they were helping us work on our craft and helping us improve in areas that we needed to improve ourselves in to get ready for the NBL season," Spurgin said.

"Especially with Tyler, we've got great chemistry when we were on the court together and we're plug and play players that can help out and do anything.

"You see Tyler getting on the floor and getting a loose ball at the end there to secure the game so we do anything to win, and that's the strength of our team.

"It's definitely different coming off the injury last year, getting a little bit more minutes and one night it might not be my night, or another night it will be but it's always staying ready. Coach preaches that he has faith in us in the bench unit and trusting guys to come in and make plays by being ready.

"We've shown that as a unit on the bench and every guy's ready to go no matter it's Bof, Tyler, myself, Will, Jayden Stone. Whenever anyone's number is called, they're ready to go and it's a big belief from the coaches, and it gives us a lot of positive energy towards getting in."