The Greatest “Modern Era” NBL Career Records
May 27, 2017
Mike Dunigan
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 2/07/89
- Place of Birth: Chicago, Illinois (USA)
- Position: CTR
- Height (CM): 208
- Weight (KG): 111
- Junior Assoc:
- College: Oregon (2008–2010)
- NBL DEBUT: 7/12/12
- AGE AT DEBUT: 23
- LAST NBL GAME: 30/12/12
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 23
- NBL History: Perth 2013
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Mike Dunigan was born in Chicago, Illinois (USA) and attended Farragut Academy in Chicago, Illinois. As a junior, he averaged 18 points, 13 rebounds, and six blocks per game. As a senior, he averaged 20 points, 12 rebounds, and five blocks per game. The 2008 McDonald’s All-American was rated as one of the top prep centers: No.3 by ESPN.com, No.5 by Scout.com and No.8 by Rivals.com.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Mike Dunigan made his NBL debut with the Perth Wildcats at 23 years of age. He scored 19 points in his first game.
Before the season began, the state-of-the-art Perth Arena was completed, with the 13,500 seat stadium becoming the new home of the Wildcat’s in 2012.
After undergoing off-season shoulder surgery, Matthew Knight entered the season with the expectation that he was going to be the team’s go-to guy in the paint. Knight embraced the responsibility and excelled in the Wildcats’ season-opening win over the New Zealand Breakers, earning the NBL’s Player of the Week award for a 20-point, nine-rebound effort.
Against the Townsville Crocodiles on October 14, Kevin Lisch played in his 100th consecutive NBL game, which, not coincidentally, was Rob Beveridge’s 100th game for the Wildcats as coach. Shortly after, import Michael Dunigan was brought in as a short-term replacement for Knight while he missed four games to injury and became a fan-favourite with his thunderous dunks and athletic blocks.
The team then faced another hurdle when co-captain Brad Robbins abruptly retired just eight games into the season, citing he had lost his motivation and passion for the game. Not long after, Cameron Tovey also announced he would retire after the 2012/13 season.
Despite the turmoil, Dunigan averaged 13.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1 assists, helping the Wildcat’s finish second on the ladder with a 19–9 record. Lisch and Knight were named to the All-NBL first team, and the Wildcats finished second on the ladder with a 22–6 record. Perth swept the Wollongong Hawks in the semifinals to move on to the 2013 NBL Grand Final series, a re-match from last season against the New Zealand Breakers, which would be their third time facing the Breakers in a playoff series in as many years.
Another injury hurdle struck the Wildcat’s when Damian Martin, who joined Redhage as co-captain upon Robbins’ retirement, won his third consecutive Best Defensive Player award before being ruled out of the grand final with a Achilles injury. To cover his loss, Brad Robbins was subsequently rushed back into the team to take Martin’s place, but with the team missing Martin, the Breakers defeated Perth in two straight games, winning their third consecutive championship in 2013.
Mike Dunigan played one season in the NBL. He averaged 13.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 1 assists in 4 NBL games.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-13 | 23 | Perth | 22-6 (2) | 4 | 112.0 | 55 | 39 | 4 | 16 | 23 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 16 | 19 | 40 | 48% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 17 | 22 | 77% | 55% | 48% | 19 | Totals | 4 | 112 | 55 | 39 | 4 | 16 | 23 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 16 | 19 | 40 | 47.5% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 17 | 22 | 77.3% | 55% | 48% | 19 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-13 | 23 | Perth | 22-6 (2) | 4 | 28.0 | 13.8 | 9.8 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 5.8 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 10.0 | 48% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 4.3 | 5.5 | 77% | 55% | 48% | 19 | Total | 4 | 28.0 | 13.8 | 9.8 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 5.8 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 10.0 | 47.5% | 0.1 | 0.0% | 77.3% | 55% | 48% | 19 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 19 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
|---|
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Israel - Hapoel Jerusalem (2010–2011) | Estonia - Kalev/Cramo (2010–2011) | Italy - Junior Pallacanestro Casale (2011) | Ukraine - Dnipro-Azot (2011–2012) | Philippines - Air21 Express (2013), Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (2015) | South Korea - Seoul Samsung Thunders (2013–2014), Wonju Dongbu Promy (2013–2014) | Mexico - Soles de Mexicali (2018)
Dunigan joined Hapoel Jerusalem for the 2010–2011 Israeli Basketball Super League season, playing his first season in Israel, and his move was formalised when he signed a three-year deal on September 12, 2010.
Dunigan’s 2010–2011 season also included an in-season switch when he was loaned from Hapoel Jerusalem to BC Kalev/Cramo on November 6, 2010, and he finished that campaign in Estonia as Kalev/Cramo won the 2011 Estonian league championship.
He moved to Italy on July 20, 2011, signing with Junior Pallacanestro Casale, then departed on November 23, 2011 before joining Dnipro-Azot for the remainder of the 2011–2012 season in Ukraine.
Dunigan next played in the Philippines, joining Air21 Express for the 2013 PBA Commissioner’s Cup, opening his stint with 24 points and 19 rebounds in a 74–70 win over Barangay Ginebra, and he averaged 23.9 points, 15.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.4 blocks across 15 games while sharing the roster with teammates including Zach Graham, Mike Cortez, Asi Taulava, Joseph Yeo, and Nino Canaleta.
He then headed to South Korea after being selected fifth overall in the 2013 KBL draft by the Seoul Samsung Thunders, where his season included fellow imports and key contributors such as Herbert Hill, Jasper Johnson, and DeAngelo Costa, before he was traded on January 21, 2014 to the Wonju Dongbu Promy and later earned KBL All-Star recognition in 2014.
Dunigan returned to the Philippines in early 2015 as an import for Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the 2015 PBA Commissioner’s Cup, with his final appearance for the team coming on March 28, 2015.
His last non-USA, non-Australia stop came in Mexico, where he signed with Soles de Mexicali in September 2018 and appeared in three LNBP games during October 2018.
COLLEGE
Dunigan played college basketball at Oregon during the 2008–09 season before returning for the Ducks in 2009–10, competing in Eugene from 2008–09 to 2009–10 under head coach Ernie Kent. In 2008–09, Oregon’s year-by-year results list an 8–23 overall season (2–16 in Pac-10 play) under Kent, with the year ending in a 62–40 loss to Washington State in the first round of the Pac-10 tournament. As a freshman in 2008–09, Dunigan appeared in 29 games and started 24, totaling 244 points (8.4 per game) while shooting 91-for-184 from the field (49.5%), going 0-for-1 on three-pointers, and making 62-of-107 free throws (57.9%). Across those 29 games, he recorded 133 total rebounds (4.6 per game), made up of 51 offensive rebounds and 82 defensive rebounds, along with 15 assists, 24 steals, 28 blocks (1.0 per game), and 45 turnovers in 577 total minutes (19.9 minutes per game). That freshman year, he led Oregon in blocks at 1.0 per game and ranked sixth among Pac-10 players in blocks. Dunigan also finished that season as Oregon’s team leader in field-goal percentage at .495 (91-of-184), while ranking second on the team in rebounding at 4.6 per game and third in scoring at 8.4 per game. During the 2008–09 season, he had performances that included leading Oregon in a win with 14 points and eight rebounds while adding a block and two steals. Entering his second year, Dunigan referenced the disappointment of the 2008–09 campaign and talked about using the offseason to improve, including working on his face-up game and conditioning. In 2009–10, Oregon’s season record is listed at 16–16 overall (7–11 in Pac-10 play) under Ernie Kent. As a sophomore in 2009–10, Dunigan played 28 games and started 21, averaging 20.3 minutes, 9.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 55.4% from the field and 61.1% at the free-throw line. Over those 28 games, Oregon’s official bio notes he led the team in field-goal percentage (.554, 82-of-148), blocks (37), and rebounding average (4.9), while ranking second on the squad in total rebounds (138) and third in scoring (252 points). He ranked fifth in the Pac-10 in blocks during 2009–10. Dunigan recorded four double-doubles that season, produced 10 double-digit scoring games (including three 20+ point outings), and posted five double-digit rebounding games. One of his noted double-doubles came on March 4 against Washington, when he finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Earlier in the season, he set a career-high with five blocks while adding six points and six rebounds in a November 13 home win over Winston-Salem State. He also had a 15-point, four-rebound, one-block game in 16 minutes after returning from an injury absence that kept him out the prior two games. Across his Oregon career (2008–09 and 2009–10 combined), Dunigan’s combined line is listed at 57 games played with 9.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, with six total double-doubles across those two seasons. At Oregon, he played alongside teammates that included Tajuan Porter and Joevan Catron, with fellow frontcourt pieces such as Josh Crittle also on the roster in that era.
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