NBL1 West has named their season's best at the weekend's MVP Awards night, with Geraldton-raised talent Johny Narkle taking home two honours for another strong campaign in 2025 - which might have delivered him a start in the top league.
Narkle, 24, was named men's Youth Player of the Year and slotted into the competition's selected First Team after helping guide his hometown club to this Saturday's qualifying final.
Geraldton Buccaneers finished second in the league with 18 wins, including 11 straight to end the regular season, and will host Warwick Senators at Activewest Stadium for a grand final spot.
Across the season, Narkle ranked 7th in the league for scoring (23.23 per game), second for steals, in the top 10 for blocks and top 15 for assists and rebounds.
That included five 30-point games and 53 points scored in a 135-88 away win over Goldsfield Giants in June.
Johny Narkle is the NBL1 West Foot Locker Player of the Week! ðŸ'Ÿ
An unstoppable 53 points and the win, the Geraldton Buccaneers star will take home a $200 Foot Locker voucher ðŸ›ï¸ pic.twitter.com/cCkWJlzflT
— NBL1 (@NBL1) June 23, 2025
According to online whispers, Narkle is headed to the NBL's reigning champions in 2026.
Veteran WA sports reporter Lachie Reid posted to Twitter on Sunday he had been told the young guard has signed on with the Illawarra Hawks as a development player.
The Hawks clinched their first title since 2000-01 in March, led by Wiradjuri and Gamilaroi guard Will 'Davo' Hickey.
Hickey joined the Chicago Bulls as a Summer League signing last month, and in recent days earned a call up to the Boomers' Asia Cup squad.
Narkle's 2025 is just the latest in a career calling for an opportunity in the top league.
In 2023 he trialled with Melbourne United - the same year he was named grand final MVP in the Buccaneer's championship win, and took home his second NBL1 West sixth man of the year award.
Earlier this year, Narkle featured for the Indigenous Basketball Australia side, alongside the likes of former NBA and European League player and Cairns Taipans favourite Nate Jawai, going up against Poitūkohu Māori o Aotearoa at Naarm's State Basketball Centre.
His Buccaneers will hope to lodge a third win for the year over the Senators in Geraldton on Saturday.
The NBL1 West grand final is set for August 23 at Boorloo's RAC Arena.
Narkle sunk 30 and 22 points against Warwick in the two clubs' previous meetings this year.
NBL1 West First Team 2025: Isaac White (Rockingham Flames), Elijah Pepper (Warwick Senators), Johny Narkle (Geraldton Buccaneers), CJ Turnage (Joondalup Wolves), De'Sean Parsons (Goldfields Giants)
