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Headshot of Jack White in his Melbourne United Basketball Jersey

Jack White

National Basketball League (NBL) Player for Melbourne United
Jack White plays as forward for the NBL’s Melbourne United. Jack was critical to the team’s 2021 championship season and has previously played for the prestigious program at Duke University where he was captain for two years.

Meet Jack

Born-and-raised in regional Victoria, Jack White debuted in the NBL with the Cairns Taipans at just 18 years old. He went on to play four years of American college basketball in a world-renowned program at Duke University, developing his game alongside future NBA draft picks.  

Today, Jack plays forward for Melbourne United in the NBL where he helped them secure a championship win in 2021.

Jack was one of only a handful of players to be named as captain at Duke two years in a row. He was praised for his leadership and character by renowned coach Mike Krzyzewski who called him “the best teammate ever”.

It’s this same leadership that drives Jack to use his platform and take a stand against racism. While Jack may not have lived experience of racism, he acknowledges that challenging racism is everyone’s responsibility, and is committed to standing shoulder to shoulder with those working to promote racial equity.

“People need to understand and appreciate that they have the power do something about it.”

 

 

What does ‘Racism. It stops with me.’ mean to Jack?

From grassroots games to the NBA league, basketball has long been enriched by the diversity of its players and spectators alike.

As a professional player in the sport, Jack considers himself lucky to be surrounded by racial and cultural diversity. However, he also acknowledges that the opportunities he has enjoyed are not always available to everyone.

If there’s one thing Jack wants people to take away from his involvement in the campaign, it’s that you don’t need to directly experience racism to take a stand against it. Racism shapes the way our society operates, and we are all impacted one way or another. For Jack, creating a racially just and equitable society is the responsibility of everyone - racism can and should stop with all of us.

“Racism is something everyone should be passionate about bringing down.”