Two-time NBL1 Central champion stays perched at Forestville

The Forestville Eagles have built on a title-winning NBL1 Central season, re-signing 2026 NBL1 Central All-Star Five member Daniel Johnson for 2027.

The news surrounding the former NBL star broke on Friday, and comes at a timely moment for the Eagles, who lost fellow frontcourt member Alex Starling to the Woodville Warriors in a late September bombshell.

The 38-year-old was a mainstay for the 16-2 Eagles, playing 21 games in the 2026 NBL1 Central season and averaging 16.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game.

His NBL1 Central form translated to the 2026 NBL1 National Finals as Forestville reached the Grand Final on home soil, falling short to the Gold Coast Rollers in overtime.

Johnson’s three games at the State Basketball Centre in Adelaide saw him replicate his regular season efforts, impressing with tournament All-Star Five honours, averaging 11.7 points, 10 rebounds, and 3.7 assists for Forestville.

While Johnson saw his numbers dip slightly from his 2025 NBL1 Central campaign, he was a key contributor in a group that included Greg Mays, Jordan Forbes, Adam Doyle and Alex Starling.

Johnson played 13 seasons for the Adelaide 36ers in the NBL, also having stints at the Melbourne Tigers and South East Melbourne Phoenix to start and finish his NBL journey respectively.

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