Tom Koppens
- Nationality: AUS
- Date of Birth: 1/04/03
- Place of Birth:
- Position: FRD
- Height (CM): 201
- Weight (KG):
- Junior Assoc:
- College:
- NBL DEBUT: 8/10/23
- AGE AT DEBUT: 20
- LAST NBL GAME: 4/01/25
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 21
- NBL History: Melbourne 2024-26
- Championships: 0
- None
NBL EXPERIENCE
Tom Koppens made his NBL debut with the Melbourne United at 20 years of age. He scored three points in his first game.
In preparation for NBL24, Melbourne United rebuilt their roster with a strong focus on continuity and young talent after narrowly missing out on a grand final berth in 2022. Returning to the squad were Jo Lual-Acuil (via China) and Matthew Dellavedova (via NBA), along with the addition of NBA prospect Luke Travers. United also brought in Ian Clark (via Adelaide) as their lone import to provide bench scoring, a role previously occupied by Scotty Hopson, while signing young talent Tanner Krebs (via Brisbane), Kyle Bowen, and Flynn Cameron. After elevating Zac Triplett to the full roster, United signed Tom Koppens as a Development Player for the NBL24 season.
Koppens joined United after several impressive preseason outings as a training player. Head coach Dean Vickerman praised Koppens for his defensive versatility and basketball IQ, noting his ability to contribute when called upon.
“TK is the type of player you always look out for: a versatile defender who plays a high-IQ brand of basketball,” said Vickerman. “He’s been with us across the preseason and has shown that he can contribute when called upon.”
Throughout the season, Koppens appeared sparingly, playing in nine games and scoring a total of two points. Despite limited minutes, he demonstrated steady growth, gaining valuable experience within United’s system.
Melbourne United’s season was led by Chris Goulding (16.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists), delivering one of his best campaigns, supported by consistent contributions from Lual-Acuil (14.5 points, 7.7 rebounds), Dellavedova (12.9 points, 6.3 assists), and Travers (11.6 points, 7.2 rebounds). A dominant December victory over Brisbane, with Goulding hitting 7 of 9 three-pointers, highlighted their regular season success.
In the postseason, United overcame Illawarra in a thrilling semifinal series to reach the Grand Final. They opened with a commanding Game 1 win (104–81) but lost momentum in Games 2 and 3, despite Dellavedova’s 21-point performance. A Game 4 victory (88–86) forced a decider, where Jordon Crawford’s 32 points lifted Tasmania to an 83–81 win, ending United’s title hopes.
While Koppens had limited minutes, his development season positioned him for future contributions as United leaned on their veteran core.
2024/25
Melbourne re-signed Tom Koppens in 2024, joining the team as a Development Player for a second straight season.
“As someone who started as a training player and got upgraded to a DP when we saw his commitment to the program and his development, TK is someone we wanted to keep at United,” Coach Dean Vickerman explained after re-signing the talented forward.
“The progress we saw from him as a member of our scout team, he was able to be multi-positional, guard everyone on the court, and even play as a five at times.”
Tom Koppens currently plays for the Melbourne United and has played 33 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 1.4 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 0.2 assists since entering the league in 2023.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 22 | Melbourne | 20-13 (5) | 21 | 110.7 | 40 | 16 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 15 | 31 | 48% | 2 | 10 | 20% | 8 | 12 | 67% | 54% | 52% | 9 |
| 2024-25 | 21 | Melbourne | 19-10 (2) | 8 | 30.8 | 7 | 12 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 20% | 1 | 5 | 20% | 2 | 4 | 50% | 29% | 25% | 5 |
| 2023-24 | 21 | Melbourne | 20-8 (1) | 4 | 4.5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 2 | 2 | 100% | 51% | 0% | 2 | Totals | 33 | 146 | 49 | 28 | 8 | 16 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 21 | 17 | 42 | 40.5% | 3 | 15 | 20.0% | 12 | 18 | 66.7% | 49% | 44% | 5 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 22 | Melbourne | 20-13 (5) | 21 | 5.3 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 48% | 0.1 | 0.5 | 20% | 0.4 | 0.6 | 67% | 54% | 52% | 9 |
| 2024-25 | 21 | Melbourne | 19-10 (2) | 8 | 3.9 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 20% | 0.1 | 0.6 | 20% | 0.3 | 0.5 | 50% | 29% | 25% | 5 |
| 2023-24 | 21 | Melbourne | 20-8 (1) | 4 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.5 | 0.5 | 100% | 51% | 0% | 2 | Total | 33 | 4.4 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 40.5% | 0.0 | 20.0% | 0.1 | 0.5 | 66.7% | 49% | 44% | 5 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 5 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- Sandringham 2022-25
Koppens delivered a standout season playing with the Sandringham Sabres in the NBL1 South in 2023. Playing alongside long-time friend Campbell Blogg, Koppens, helped the Sabres reach the conference championship game with averages of 9.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, while shooting the ball at over 40% from downtown. His play, earning him a development player spot in the NBL with Melbourne United the following season.
Tom Koppens was a part of Sandringham’s 2025 NBL1 South title run, spearheading a stacked rotation alongside Ben Ayre, Fabijan Krslovic, Dash Daniels, Malith Machar, and player-coach David Barlow. In the Grand Final, Koppens delivered a commanding double-double with 26 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block as the Sabres beat Melbourne 99–80. Sandringham flipped a 46–35 halftime deficit with a 33–19 third and 31–15 fourth, won the boards 54–39, and shot 47.2% to Melbourne’s 34.2%—with Koppens’ interior dominance central to the championship.
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