American forward Ian Hummer has signed with the Tasmania JackJumpers for the remainder of the 2024-25 NBL season, the team announced on Saturday evening.
Hummer replaces Craig Sword, who the JackJumpers released earlier in the day, citing a desire to reassess their "roster needs" after the preseason loss of Jack McVeigh to the Houston Rockets.
The move comes amid the JackJumpers' five-game winning streak -- the team currently has an 8-8 record -- with an eye toward improving their roster as the second half of the 2024-25 NBL season approaches.
Hummer is a 6'7 four-five type of forward who last played for Osaka Evessa in Japan's B League, averaging 7.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Prior to that, he played for Peristeri Athens in the Greek Basketball League, where he averaged 9.4 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, while shooting 57.7% from the field and 31.6% from beyond the three-point line (1.1 3PA).
"We're pleased to welcome Ian Hummer to the team," JackJumpers head coach Scott Roth said.
"He's a seasoned player who will bring versatility, experience and toughness to our group as we continue to build toward our goals."
The JackJumpers had been exploring this move since as early as October, sources told ESPN, with an eye toward remedying the offensive issues they began the season with. The team started the season 3-8, but have since won five straight games. In those contests, the JackJumpers have an offensive rating that sits slightly above the league average over that stretch of games, bolstered by the return of Sean Macdonald amid a favourable part of their schedule.
A graduate of Princeton University - where he played four seasons - Hummer, 34, began his professional career in 2014 at Germany's ratiopharm Ulm. He largely remained in Europe over the course of his playing career. Hummer is Princeton's second-leading scorer and fifth-leading rebounder in the program's history.
The JackJumpers' next game is on Monday, December 23 against Melbourne United at John Cain Arena, which is a rematch of the 2024 NBL Championship Series. Hummer is expected to be available for that matchup.