Resilience and an Olympic Medal
August 13, 2021
Tom Wilson
- Nationality: AUS
- Date of Birth: 24/06/97
- Place of Birth: Melbourne (VIC)
- Position: GRD
- Height (CM): 194
- Weight (KG): 77
- Junior Assoc: VIC - Sandringham
- College: SMU (2016–2017)
- NBL DEBUT: 11/02/18
- AGE AT DEBUT: 20
- LAST NBL GAME: 3/03/19
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 21
- NBL History: Sydney 2019 | Melbourne 2026
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Thomas Glen Joseph Wilson is a former NBL basketball player, turned Australian rules football player who now plays for the Collingwood Football Club.
Born in Melbourne (VIC), Wilson played basketball for the Sandringham Sabres and the Melbourne Tigers as a junior.
He attended Caulfield Grammar School, and in 2012, he was a member of their Australian Schools Championship winning side.
He also played cricket and Australian rules football as a junior.
Wilson represented Victoria in the 2013 NAB AFL U16 Championship.
Shortly after, Wilson was awarded a NAB AFL Level 1 scholarship. Wilson received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 2014. He spent two years year there and played for the program’s state league team (2014, 2015).
NBL EXPERIENCE
Tom Wilson made his NBL debut with the Sydney Kings at 20 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.
Sydney entered the 2018-19 season with high expectations after making several key signings, including Andrew Bogut, who returned to Australia after 14 seasons in the NBA, including winning an NBA championship in 2015 with Golden State.
The Kings were the first team to take advantage of the NBL’s newly established Next Stars program, signing highly touted prospect Brian Bowen, a McDonald’s All-American who opted to play in the NBL to develop his skills for the NBA Draft. Other key additions included Jerome Randle, David Wear (via Spain), Deng Deng (via Big V – McKinnon), Kyle Adnam (via Melbourne), and Tom Wilson (via Melbourne).
Tom Wilson (0.4 points, 0.1 rebounds, and 0.1 assists) appeared in 14 games during the 2018-19 season but saw limited playing time. As a development player, Wilson’s role was primarily to provide support in practice and step in when needed during games. With a roster loaded with experienced players, Wilson’s opportunities to make an impact on the court were scarce.
Despite his limited minutes, Wilson remained an important part of the team’s development structure. His efforts in practice and commitment to staying ready for his opportunities were appreciated by the coaching staff, who saw potential in the young guard for future seasons.
The Kings finished the regular season in third place with an 18-10 record before being eliminated in the semifinals by Melbourne United. Wilson’s role remained minimal during the playoffs, as he continued to focus on developing his skills and learning from the team’s veterans.
MELBOURNE UNITED
2025/26
After spending four years playing AFL football with Collingwood, Wilson signed with United on a one-year deal after finishing his AFL career.
“It’s super exciting, it feels like a dream come true,” he said.
“I feel really privileged. It’s not an opportunity that a lot of people get. I was out of the game for five years but had a connection with (United Assistant Coach) Rhys Carter, who I actually used to play against, and he and the group always made me feel really welcome coming into Hoop City. I’m excited about the basketball player I can become with this team. I think the experiences I’ve had in basketball and in footy are only going to help me moving forward.”
Dean Vickerman said, “We had the opportunity to have him practice with us last season and I was really impressed with the guard skill set that he had. Seeing him play in our building against our guys gave us confidence that he was ready to return to the league.”
Tom Wilson currently plays for the Melbourne United and has played 32 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 1.9 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 0.4 assists since entering the league in 2018.
CURRENT CONTRACT:
Melbourne United – 1 Year Deal (2025-26)
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 | 28 | Melbourne | 15-10 (4) | 20 | 121.9 | 52 | 24 | 11 | 21 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 14 | 42 | 33% | 7 | 24 | 29% | 17 | 22 | 77% | 50% | 42% | 12 |
| 2018-19 | 21 | Sydney | 18-10 (3) | 12 | 30.5 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 38% | 2 | 6 | 33% | 2 | 2 | 100% | 56% | 0% | 5 | Totals | 32 | 152 | 62 | 27 | 13 | 22 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 17 | 17 | 50 | 34.0% | 9 | 30 | 30.0% | 19 | 24 | 79.2% | 51% | 43% | 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 | 28 | Melbourne | 15-10 (4) | 20 | 6.1 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 33% | 0.4 | 1.2 | 29% | 0.9 | 1.1 | 77% | 50% | 42% | 12 |
| 2018-19 | 21 | Sydney | 18-10 (3) | 12 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 38% | 0.2 | 0.5 | 33% | 0.2 | 0.2 | 100% | 56% | 0% | 5 | Total | 32 | 4.8 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 34.0% | 0.0 | 30.0% | 0.3 | 0.9 | 79.2% | 51% | 43% | 5 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- AIS 2014-15 | Melbourne 2017-18, 2024,-25
Whilst attending the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra from 2014 to 2015, Tom Wilson played for the AIS in the SEABL.
He later represented Melbourne in 2017 and 2018, before signing a deal to play in the NBL with the Sydney Kings.
After one season with Sydney and four years playing AFL football with Collingwood, Wilson returned to basketball in 2024, joining the Melbourne Tigers in NBL1 South.
In 2025, Tom Wilson suited up for the Melbourne Tigers in NBL1 South, reuniting with fellow NBL talents Harry Froling and Jack Purchase.
He opened the season in blistering fashion, averaging 27.5 points, 9 rebounds, and 5.8 assists over his first four games — form that earned him a one-year deal with Melbourne United and a return to the NBL.
Among his early highlights was a 38-point effort against the Knox Raiders, where he added 7 rebounds and 5 assists while shooting 12-of-18 from the field (66%) in an 85–78 win.
He followed that with 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists in a 91–79 loss to Hobart.
Wilson then delivered back-to-back 30-point games, including a clutch performance in a 102–99 victory over the Waverley Falcons, tallying 32 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists on 61% shooting (11-of-18 FG) and a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line.
Another standout came in an 86–89 loss to Geelong, where he posted 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists while shooting 58% from the field (10-of-17), sharing the floor with Froling.
Wilson’s season peaked with a dominant 42-point, 4-rebound, 6-assist, and 1-steal display on 61% shooting (14-of-21 FG) and a scorching 72% from beyond the arc (8-of-11 3PT), as Jack Purchase drained the go-ahead three to send Melbourne into the NBL1 South Conference Final. Wilson would earn the NBL1 South League MVP this season, with the Tigers finishing runners-up to Sandringham. Wilson was named to the NBL1 South First Team at the end of the season.
FIBA EXPERIENCE
Wilson lead Australian to a silver medal at the 2014 U17 FIBA World Championships alongside former United stars Jack White and Isaac Humphries, and a pair of appearances for the Boomers during the 2019 Asia Cup Qualifiers.
COLLEGE
Tom Wilson joined SMU for the 2016–17 season after signing a National Letter of Intent in November 2015, becoming part of the Mustangs’ incoming class ahead of his freshman year in Dallas.
Wilson played his lone season at SMU in 2016–17, appearing in 10 games with no starts and logging 61 total minutes (6.1 minutes per game) as a reserve guard in Tim Jankovich’s first season as head coach.
In those 10 appearances, Wilson scored 16 points (1.6 per game) and totalled 10 rebounds (1.0 per game) and five assists (0.5 per game), while shooting 5-of-15 from the field and hitting five three-pointers on 5-of-14 from deep, with his perimeter shooting accounting for the majority of his offensive production.
Wilson’s freshman minutes came within an SMU season that finished 30–5 overall and 17–1 in American Athletic Conference play, with the Mustangs winning both the AAC regular-season title and AAC tournament championship before entering the NCAA Tournament and being eliminated in the first round by USC, 66–65.
After 10 games at SMU, Wilson left the program in December 2016 and entered the transfer process, bringing his SMU college stint to a close during the 2016–17 campaign.
Related
HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PLAYER?
Whilst we try to source as much information as we can for every player who has ever played in the NBL some information on a player profile may be missing. If you have additional information on a player you'd like us to add to a profile, please send it to us using the enquiry form below.
Submissions are then sent to info@aussiehoopla.com