The former two-year Duke basketball forward heads down under for his fourth season as a pro.

Almost three years after going undrafted in 2021 following his Duke basketball sophomore campaign, Matthew Hurt made his NBA debut last season while on 10-day contracts with the Memphis Grizzlies. The 6-foot-9, 235-pound sharpshooter saw action in eight games, averaging 4.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in 14.1 minutes per outing.

But with no guarantee of having an opportunity to build on those efforts in the NBA next season, the 24-year-old stretch-four, a former five-star McDonald’s All-American from Minnesota, has decided to take his talents overseas for the first time in his professional career.

This week, Australia’s National Basketball League announced that Hurt has signed a one-year deal with the South East Melbourne Phoenix.

Before foregoing his remaining eligibility in Durham, Hurt became the ACC Most Improved Player and an All-ACC First Team selection despite the 2020-21 Duke basketball squad finishing 13-11 overall and falling short of an NCAA Tournament invite.

Matthew Hurt spent the past three seasons playing for the Memphis Hustle in the G League.