For transfer sophomore guard Jesse McIntosh, a basketball career was not always set in stone. Growing up in Australia, McIntosh initially split his time between Australian rules football and basketball.
“[Australian rules football] was my main sport for many years until I was 13, and then I realized that I wanted to really just dive into basketball,” he said.
After choosing to focus exclusively on basketball, McIntosh quickly found himself near the professional level. He competed for the Diamond Valley Eagles in the semi-professional Australian National Basketball League 1 and served as a practice player for Melbourne United, the country’s top domestic league in the NBL.
“I used to be anxious before going to practice,” McIntosh said. “I used to be so scared because I was the youngest kid by seven years. Being able to hold my own some nights [were] some of the most fulfilling feelings.”
While consistently playing against experienced players was no easy task, McIntosh said he is grateful.
“I learned a lot from older guys,” he said. “Those are people you become friends with and then look up to.”
Facing more experienced and physically mature teammates and opponents forced McIntosh to adapt to multiple positions on the court.
“I feel like I can go out there and do whatever the coach needs me to do,” he said.
After averaging just 4.9 points per game in his first season with the Diamond Valley Eagles in 2024, McIntosh more than doubled his output to 11.1 points per game in 2025.
McIntosh also represented his country at the under-18 level. McIntosh played in the 2024 International Basketball Federation U-18 Asia Cup, which Australia won decisively.
“Winning a title with them, for your country, is a different feeling than winning a championship for a club,” he said. “You are representing who you are as a person.”
Playing professionally did not come without its challenges, however. While McIntosh was on the roster for Melbourne United, he sat out during games.
“I really just wanted to play,” said McIntosh about the end of his time in Australia.
So McIntosh traveled with pathway program AUSA Hoops to the United States for a series of games.
After his first matchup, McIntosh said he was inundated with texts from Division I coaches and eventually chose to attend South Dakota.
Across 20 appearances during his freshman season with the Coyotes, McIntosh averaged 7.5 points per game and posted one of his best performances on the road against foe Kansas State.
“Those big games kind of remind me of those pro games back [at] home,” McIntosh said. “I get really excited for those games.”
McIntosh said he decided to enter the transfer portal after the 2025-26 season with his growth in mind.
“I think I would have been in a good situation if I stayed at South Dakota to this day, but I also think I am in a good situation here,” he said. “I did not want to stay somewhere I was comfortable, and I feel like an opportunity like playing here under [head coach Brian] Earl has made me a better basketball player.”
Despite interest from competing programs, McIntosh said Earl’s fast-paced playing style drew him to Williamsburg, Va.
“My highlights come from me playing fast, and I can help push us to a CAA [Coastal Athletic Association] championship,” McIntosh said.
Despite McIntosh’s confidence that the Tribe has what it takes to accomplish something special, he said patience is key given the influx of new faces. This season, 13 newcomers have joined the roster.
“Whether we start the season 5-0 or we start the season 0-5, I think we are going to be a completely different team by the end of the season,” McIntosh added. “It is just going to take time.”
