How Aussie Jacob Chance Plans to Further Austin Spurs' Winning Culture

CEDAR PARK, Texas — Jacob Chance earned his latest job by way of a perfectly crafted health care metaphor: an easy philosophy the Austin Spurs bought.

"You can be the best surgeon in the world," the coach said during his interview process, "but if you can't take a patient along for the journey, you won't get very far."

Chance, a 31-year-old Perth, Australia, native, grew up around health care. His mother spent years as a nurse in dementia-age care, and his exposure to it led him to a medical interest. In 2015, Chance graduated as a physiotherapy major from the University of Notre Dame Australia with a straightforward future in front of him.

"I didn't think the coaching thing would ever come around," Chance told Spurs On SI.

That changed when Chance found a volunteer opportunity in the NBL. He joined the Perth Wildcats under five-time champion Trevor Gleeson, climbing from video coordinator to assistant coach while winning four titles in the process.

Following that stint, Chance became Scott Roth’s associate head coach with the Tasmania JackJumpers, and later joined Melbourne United under Dean Vickerman — a move that coincided with his work for the Australian men’s national team, where he served as an analyst and assistant under Brian Goorjian during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"Seems like it's all gone by very fast," Chance said.

Jacob Chance speaks to his players during practice while with the NBL's Melbourne United. | Photo via University of Notre Dame Australia

As Chance recounted those stops in a cold tunnel at H-E-B Center, he did so in new attire. No longer in Australia, the coach couldn't help but reminisce on his journey; it led him to South Texas leading the G League affiliate of the San Antonio Spurs.

It also reunited Chance with Matt "Matty" Nielsen, one of his first coaching mentors and a long-time fixture of the NBA team's assistant coaching contingent.

"It's funny," Chance said of Nielsen. "We've stayed so close. It's never felt like we've been that far apart. He's always been there for me."

Nielsen and Chance shared a small office in Perth for the better part of four years. Since arriving in Austin, Chance has landed an upgrade.

Most of his work is conducted in Bee Cave, but it's the effort there that translates to the court. Chance has learned the importance of finding balance in the process.

"You're just trying to steer everything toward the most favorable outcome," he said. "As a coach, I know that if I'm looking out for an athlete, I've got their best interest at heart. But, as a collective, we're trying to win as many games as we can."

Feb 2, 2024; Cedar Park, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs two-way forward Harrison Ingram (55) flexes after a basket during the Austin Spurs vs. Sioux Falls Skyforce NBA G League game. | Michael A. Gonzales/Austin Spurs

His philosophy has filtered through Austin’s locker room. Practices move with purpose, but they also move with fluid conversation that's stuck with the roster.

"He always gives the players time to talk," Spurs two-way forward Harrison Ingram said. "If he’s about to start (a drill), and he sees a group of us talking on the sideline about the last play, he lets us talk it out first. I really like that."

"He does a good job of making sure everybody’s got a voice," Stanley Umude added.

After an impressive run to the NBA G League Western Conference Finals, Austin began its mission of recouping the success it found under Scott King, who left at the end of the season to join Mitch Johnson's assistant coaching staff.

King joined a lineage of coaches who came from Austin, which also includes former Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins and Atlanta Hawks coach Quin Snyder.

The new boss in San Antonio, who also spent time in the G League before becoming an assistant under Gregg Popovich, has been pleased with King's successor thus far.

"He's got a very good feel," he said of Chance. "I've been very pleased with the job he's done and his commitment to continuing to evolve and connect our programs."

Nov 2, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs assistant coaches Matt Nielsen, Mitch Johnson, Brett Brown and assistant coach Mike Noyes during the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Frost Bank Center. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Beyond the irony behind his own hiring, Chance is still learning to navigate the discontinuous nature of the G League. A player who performs well enough can be removed from the roster on a call-up. The result hurts the current roster.

It may not even benefit the affiliate, either.

“You hope it’s for San Antonio," Chance admitted, "but it’s probably going to end up being somewhere else. That’s just part of the industry we’re in."

There are exceptions to that churn. Keldon Johnson is one of them. The Spurs' spark plug first got run time in Austin before joining "Big Team," as he coined it. Now he's the longest-tenured Spur with six full seasons under his belt.

"Austin helped me develop," Johnson said. "That was important development for my young career. It really was a turning point for me."

It's for the hope of future Johnsons that Chance commits to his players.

"While you have them," he said. "While they're in front of you, you have to give them everything that you can ... hopefully, as a result, they go on and accomplish their goals."

Dec 31, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) celebrates in the first half against the New York Knicks in the first half fat Frost Bank Center. | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

To begin its season, Austin landed a No. 3 seed in the G League's annual Winter Showcase. Chance earned the league's Coach of the Month Award for December in the process, but his squad — like last season — fell to the Stockton Kings short of hardware.

After that game, the Spurs regrouped and together identified how they would best move forward. The players spoke, and Chance listened.

"He has high standards for everyone," Austin Spurs guard Kyle Mangas said, "but he’s a players’ coach, too. When you come to the Spurs, there’s a culture that has to be upheld. There are standards ... he has a great balance of challenging us."

Part of Mangas' relationship with Chance included a hard conversation after the guard was signed to a two-way contract in San Antonio for a matter of days. After he was waived and replaced by Umude, he returned to Austin with more to prove.

“We’ve got guys who could be 20-point scorers every night,” Mangas said, humbly excluding himself from the list. “Guys with NBA experience. We’re all buying in because we want to win and we want to see each other do well. I think that’s super special.”

Dec 9, 2025; Cedar Park, Texas, USA; Austin Spurs guard Kyle Mangas celebrates after a made 3-pointer against the Birmingham Squadron at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park. | Michael A. Gonzales/Austin Spurs

As Austin continues its regular season, more turmoil will ensue. Mangas may be called up in the same way Micah Potter or Jamaree Bouyea were. Chance may welcome a few new faces to the roster and learn to integrate them to his rotation.

His respect for each one won't change. It's part of his health care philosophy.

"That's truly the art of coaching," he says.

Chance talks to Nielsen as often now as he did before coming to the United States. Conversations with friendlier time zones are more common, but their content hasn't changed much. In Chance's opinion, neither has his job.

When friends and family in Australia talk to the 31-year-old about his big, new job coaching in the NBA, he tells them all the same thing: It's no different.

"I say: 'Well, in reality, it's getting back in transition. Rebounding. Sharing the ball.' Everyone in the world knows what winning culture and winning basketball looks like."

He won't give himself such credit, but Chance could be the smartest coach in basketball. He could have the deepest staff. But if he can't take his players along for the journey, he won't get very far. It's an easy philosophy.

It's also his favorite thing about both the Austin and San Antonio Spurs.

"The thing about culture is, the separator is who's actually willing to do it," Chance said before taking the court. "And do it for longer. San Antonio has done that forever."