BIO: Zac Triplett was born in Melbourne (VIC) and attended Maribyrnong Sports Academy (Footscray). He later represented Victoria on state team’s at the Under-18 and Under-20 Australian national Championships.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Zac Triplett made his NBL debut with the Melbourne United at 20 years of age. He scored five points in his first game.

Zac Triplett began his NBL career as a Development Player with Melbourne United at the age of 18. Coach Dean Vickerman expressed excitement about Triplett’s potential, stating, “We’re really looking forward to having Zac at Melbourne United for a long period of time, so that we can help him develop into the player we think he can be. He has a lot of talent and shows a lot of promise.”

Triplett appeared in 9 games during the 2021/22 season, averaging 1.8 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 0.3 assists. Despite the limited minutes, he was part of a team that finished the regular season in first place with a 20–8 record. United were dominant for most of the season, but their playoff run ended in the semifinals when they were defeated by Tasmania in a close Game 3 (76–73).

2022/23
During the 2022/23 season, Triplett made 10 appearances for Melbourne United, averaging 1 point, 0.4 rebounds, and 0.2 assists. Despite his limited role, United struggled early on, but they ended the season on a high, finishing with a solid 16–12 record. They reached the play-in tournament but were eliminated by the JackJumpers, with Triplett contributing briefly in their playoff matches.

MELBOURNE UNITED
2023/24
After two seasons with United as a Development Player, where he appeared in 19 games, Zac Triplett was elevated to the team’s full roster for the 2023/24 season.

On re-signing Triplett, Coach Dean Vickerman noted how Triplett had grown over the past two seasons and how he believes he can contribute to United’s NBL24 campaign.

“Over his time with us Zac has really grown both physically and as an athlete,” he said. “He’s a great, confident shooter that we know can come in and make smart plays while stretching the floor. Knowing your role within this league is crucial, and Zac is someone that knows how to execute his role perfectly within the game plan.”

After a forgettable season where United attempted to regroup after losing starters Jo Lual-Acuil to China and Jack White and Matthew Dellavedova to the NBA, United welcomed back Lual-Acuil and Dellavedova for NBL24 and added NBA prospect Luke Travers to build out a roster very similar to the team which narrowly missed out on a grand final berth in 2022.

Looking to run things back, import Ian Clark (via Adelaide) was signed as the team’s only import, filling the team’s bench scoring role that Scotty Hopson had previously occupied while young, up and coming talent Tanner Krebs (via Brisbane), Kyle Bowen and Flynn Cameron were also added to the roster.

In his sixteenth NBL season, Chris Goulding (16.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists) delivered one of the best seasons of his career on the back of playing with the Boomers at the FIBA World Cup in 2023 and fighting for a spot on the 2024 Olympic team.

In addition to Goulding leading the way in scoring, United were unguardable for most of the season with any of the team’s starters able to take over games. Lual Acuil (14.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks), Dellavedova (12.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists) and Clark (13.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists) kept the scoreboard ticking over while swiss army knife Travers (11.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks) filled the stat sheet in almost every other category.

Despite being elevated into the team’s full roster, Triplett saw minutes in only 14 games for the season and failed to score a point.

Melbourne’s success saw the team playing in front of sell-out crowds almost every week with their biggest win at home coming against Brisbane in December where they won by 35 points and thanks to some lights out shooting from Goulding (7/9 from beyond the arc) and forcing the Bullets to shoot a woeful percentage at the other end (3/26 from the perimeter).

Melbourne faced Illawarra in the semifinals, where both teams lit it up, with the scoreboard displaying 100 points in consecutive playoff matches. Tied at a game apiece, United survived a huge scare in Game 3 to advance to the Grand Final series.

United delivered a blowout win in game one (104–81) behind Goulding (22 points on 7–12 shooting) and Lual-Acuil (20 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks). The JackJumpers evened the series at home (77–82) thanks to big games from Jack McVeigh (16 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Milton Doyle (13 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists). Shea Ili (20 points on 8–12 shooting) led United in the loss.

Dellavedova (21 points and 8 assists) delivered one of his best games of the season in a game that looked like easy victors until a miracle shot from McVeigh (18 points and 12 rebounds) resulted in Melbourne losing back-to-back games for the first time this season.

In game four, United rode the hot hand of Ian Clark (18 points and 4 rebounds) to even the series at two wins apiece (88–86).

Tasmania’s Jordon Crawford had struggled through the majority of the playoffs, but was the epitome of the JackJumpers’ never-say-die attitude, scoring 19 points in the first quarter and finishing the game with 32 points as the JackJumpers came from behind to win at John Cain Arena (83–81). It was the equal-third highest tally by any player in a title-series game during the 40-minute game era, and ended Melbourne’s championship hopes.

Zac Triplett currently plays for the Illawarra Hawks and has played 36 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 0.7 points, 0.3 rebounds, and 0.2 assists since entering the league in 2021.

CURRENT CONTRACT:

Illawarra Hawks – 2 Year Deal (2024-26)

Dan Boyce (815 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.