Jock Landale Bio
Jock Landale (born 25 October 1995) is an Australian professional basketball player who most recently played for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) center, he also represents the Australian national team and was part of the Boomers squad that won bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Listed at 255 lb (116 kg), Landale has built his career on physicality, rebounding, and a steadily expanding offensive game across leagues in Europe, Australia, and the United States.
Early Life and Background
Jock Landale was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on 25 October 1995. Although he showed early promise as a basketball prospect in Australia, he walked away from the sport for a period before returning to it at Geelong Grammar School in Corio, Victoria. Geelong Grammar is one of Australia’s most respected independent schools and has a strong tradition of preparing student-athletes for top-level competition.
A dramatic growth spurt changed the trajectory of Landale’s athletic career. Between year 9 and year 12, he grew almost a full foot, transforming him from a developing teenager into a high-major college prospect. That physical change, combined with renewed focus on basketball, helped him earn a scholarship to Saint Mary’s College of California, an NCAA Division I program located in Moraga.
Path to Basketball
Landale arrived at Saint Mary’s College in 2014 and joined a Gaels program known for disciplined basketball under longtime head coach Randy Bennett. As a freshman, he served as a rotation player off the bench, learning the pace and physical demands of the West Coast Conference. He expanded his role as a sophomore and emerged as a featured scorer and rebounder as a junior, thanks in part to improved conditioning and added strength.
That junior season set the stage for national recognition. Landale averaged 16.9 points and 9.5 rebounds while helping Saint Mary’s reach the 2017 NCAA tournament, and he was named first-team All-West Coast Conference. The following year he returned as a senior, lifted his production again, and was named the 2018 West Coast Conference Player of the Year. He also earned consensus second-team All-American honors and AP Honorable Mention All-American recognition in 2017, and his No. 34 jersey was later retired by the Saint Mary’s Gaels.
Jock Landale Career
Early Career (2018–2020)
After going undrafted in the 2018 NBA draft, Jock Landale joined the Atlanta Hawks for NBA Summer League and signed a two-year contract with Serbian powerhouse Partizan of the ABA League on 31 July 2018. In 24 ABA League games, he averaged 12 points and 5.6 rebounds on 56.6% shooting from the field, performances that earned him a place on the 2018–19 ABA League Ideal Starting Five and helped Partizan win the Serbian Cup.
On 20 May 2019, Landale signed a one-plus-one season deal with Lithuanian champion Žalgiris Kaunas. He played for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2019 Las Vegas Summer League between European stints and averaged 11.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.0 assist per game in the EuroLeague with Žalgiris. During a January 2020 game against Real Madrid, he pledged $100 for every three-pointer and dunk to aid Australian bushfire relief efforts. Landale won both the Lithuanian League championship and the Lithuanian Cup in 2020 before parting ways with Žalgiris on 3 August 2020.
Melbourne United and NBL Breakthrough (2020–2021)
Landale returned home to Australia on 10 December 2020, signing a one-year deal with Melbourne United for the 2020–21 NBL season. He quickly became the team’s offensive hub and led Melbourne United into the 2021 NBL Grand Final against defending champion Perth Wildcats. In Game 1 he posted 17 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks in a 73–70 win, then recorded a 12-point, 17-rebound double-double in Game 2 to put United up 2–0.
He closed out the series in Game 3 with a game-high 15 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks in an 81–76 victory, completing a 3–0 sweep and earning NBL Grand Final MVP honors. Landale finished the season averaging 16.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game, was named Melbourne United MVP, earned All-NBL First Team recognition, and was crowned an NBL champion in 2021.
NBA Journey: Spurs, Suns, and Rockets (2021–2025)
On 20 August 2021, Landale signed with the San Antonio Spurs and split time between San Antonio and the G League affiliate Austin Spurs. On 12 March 2022, he scored a season-high 26 points in a 119–108 loss to the Indiana Pacers. After one season with the Spurs, he was traded alongside Dejounte Murray to the Atlanta Hawks and then quickly moved to the Phoenix Suns, where he posted a 17-point season high three times during the 2022–23 NBA season.
On 6 July 2023, Landale signed a four-year, $32 million contract with the Houston Rockets, his largest NBA deal to that point. In 2023–24, he made 56 appearances, including three starts, averaging 4.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. He followed that with 42 appearances and three starts in 2024–25, averaging 4.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists, before being waived by Houston on 3 July 2025.
Memphis Grizzlies Era (2025–Present)
On 15 July 2025, Landale signed with the Memphis Grizzlies, stepping into a more prominent role with the franchise. He made 45 appearances, including 25 starts, for Memphis during the 2025–26 NBA season, averaging 11.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. That production represented a career-high scoring mark for Landale and signaled a clear step forward in his NBA trajectory.
Playing Style and Strengths
Landale is a classic back-to-the-basket center whose game is built on physicality, screens, and second-chance points. He leverages his 6 ft 11 in frame and 255 lb frame to seal defenders, finish through contact, and clean the glass at both ends of the floor. He has steadily extended his range as a shooter, allowing him to space the floor when paired with perimeter creators, and he competes as a rim protector with active hands in pick-and-roll defense.
Notable Events and Milestones
Landale’s signature moments include his MVP performance in the 2021 NBL Grand Final sweep of Perth, the No. 34 jersey retirement by the Saint Mary’s Gaels, and his Olympic bronze medal with Australia at the 2020 Tokyo Games. His career-high 26-point game for the Spurs against Indiana in March 2022 remains a marker of his offensive ceiling at the NBA level.
Jock Landale Career Wins
Jock Landale has collected titles across three continents, including the 2020 Lithuanian League championship and Lithuanian Cup with Žalgiris Kaunas, the 2019 Serbian Cup with Partizan, and the 2021 NBL championship with Melbourne United. He has also piled up individual honors such as NBL Grand Final MVP, All-NBL First Team, All-ABA League Team, WCC Player of the Year, and consensus second-team All-American in 2018.
NBA Career Highlights
Landale entered the NBA as an undrafted free agent and worked his way into rotation minutes across four franchises. He has recorded a 26-point career high with the San Antonio Spurs, posted a 17-point season high three times for the Phoenix Suns, and reached a new scoring peak of 11.3 points per game with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2025–26. While he has not yet won an NBA playoff series as a featured player, his consistency and growth have made him a dependable backup center and occasional starter.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his NBA work, Landale’s most celebrated club triumph was the 2021 NBL title run with Melbourne United, where he dominated the Grand Final as series MVP. He also lifted the Serbian Cup with Partizan in 2019 and completed a Lithuanian double with Žalgiris Kaunas in 2020, collecting EuroLeague and ABA League experience along the way.
Jock Landale Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Jock Landale’s parents and immediate family is limited, and he has not shared extensive details about his upbringing beyond his Melbourne roots and time at Geelong Grammar School. His path into basketball was shaped more by his late growth spurt and Australian schooling than by a well-known sporting family lineage.
Personal Life
Landale is known for his charitable instincts, including his January 2020 pledge to donate $100 per three-pointer and dunk during a EuroLeague game to support Australian bushfire relief. Off the court, he maintains an active public presence through his verified Instagram account and is widely regarded as a thoughtful, community-minded representative of Australian basketball.
2025 Season Performance
Jock Landale’s 2025 calendar was defined by transition. After being waived by the Houston Rockets on 3 July 2025, he joined the Memphis Grizzlies on 15 July 2025 and quickly established himself as a frontcourt contributor. Across 45 appearances, including 25 starts, he averaged 11.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game, comfortably his strongest scoring season in the NBA and a sign that his perimeter skill work had translated to consistent production.
His expanded role with Memphis allowed him to feature as a screen-setter, offensive rebounder, and short-roll playmaker rather than a strict backup five. The Grizzlies leaned on his screening gravity to free perimeter shooters, and his willingness to attack closeouts added a new dimension to his profile. Defensively, he provided physicality against larger centers and helped protect the rim in drop coverage.
Heading into the next phase of the 2025–26 schedule, Landale’s momentum in Memphis positioned him as a player whose NBA career was finally matching the résumé he had built in Europe and Australia. Continued efficiency around the basket, combined with disciplined three-point shooting, will likely determine whether he remains a long-term NBA starter or returns to a high-impact reserve role.
