Perth Wildcats have added another crucial long term piece to their roster puzzle with Dylan Windler joining Kristian Doolittle in re-signing on a multi-year deal.

Windler has signed for two years after an impressive debut season which followed his time in the NBA.

The Wildcats were keen to re-sign Windler and Doolittle after Bryce Cotton announced he wouldn’t be returning.

Windler became a father while in Perth and believes the Wildcats are the right club for him.

“It just felt right to come back to Perth, I feel like we’ve got some unfinished business in the playoffs after going out in the semi-finals like we did,” Windler said.

“We enjoyed it there and it’s a great situation for me basketball-wise and I look forward to continuing to build on the team that we had last year and see what new faces we can bring in and what we can build together.

“I’m really satisfied with being able to come back and I look forward to seeing what the team looks like this year.”

Windler showcased an ability to hit long range three-pointers when the team was under pressure and also had the ability to lock down on an opponent defensively while still winning rebounds.

Wildcats basketball operations manager Danny Mills said having Windler and Doolittle signed was a huge boost for the club.\

“We’re really excited about what Dylan can bring in his second season with the Wildcats. He’s a key part of our NBL26 roster — someone we see as a cornerstone alongside Kristian Doolittle,” Mills said.

“Dylan had an outstanding debut season, contributing on both ends of the floor with his perimeter shooting, rebounding, and defensive versatility. Returning with a year of NBL experience under his belt, we’re confident he’s only going to get better.”

Along with Windler and Doolittle, Perth have also re-signed captain Jesse Wagstaff and emerging star Elijah Pepper to the main roster.

Wildcats coach John Rillie believes Windler will have an even bigger impact next season now that he has adjusted to the move from the NBA to Australia.

“As we saw from Dylan last season, he brings a high level of shot-making and consistent rebounding to our group,” Rillie said.

“We were really happy with what Dylan produced in his debut campaign at the Wildcats and believe he can go to another level with a full season in the NBL.”