BIO: Dane Pineau was born in Fitzroy (VIC) where he attended Melbourne Grammar High School. He first began playing basketball as a junior with the Melbourne basketball program where his father Brad had played as a import.
Pineau received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 2013. He spent one year there and played for the program’s state league team.

FAMILY: Dane Pineau is the son of Brad Pineau who played 52 games in the NBL.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Dane Pineau made his NBL debut with the Sydney Kings at 23 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

Dane Pineau signed with the Sydney Kings straight out of college, joining a squad that had just lost Julian Khazzouh (to Lebanon), Jeromie Hill (to Sunshine Coast), Greg Whittington (to Sioux Falls), Aleks Maric (to Bahrain), Craig Moller (to Melbourne) and Josh Powell (to Venezuela) after the Kings missed the playoffs in 2016/17.

Jason Cadee, Tom Garlepp, captain Kevin Lisch and Brad Newley returned under head coach Andrew Gaze, who added Todd Blanchfield (via Melbourne), Perry Ellis (via Greensboro), Travis Leslie (via Fort Wayne), Isaac Humphries (via Kentucky), Dane Pineau (via Saint Mary’s), Amritpal Singh (via India), Sam Daly (via Chaminade) and Adam Thoseby (via Knox).

Sydney opened the season at home against Adelaide on October 7, where the rookie went scoreless but collected 2 rebounds and 1 assist in six minutes during his NBL debut as the Kings lost 105-96.

Pineau (2.9 points across 22 games) played a reserve role behind fellow rookie Humphries (6.8 points and 3.7 rebounds across 25 games), providing mobility, rebounding and interior defence in limited minutes before moving into the starting lineup for Sydney’s final three games.

With Lisch (10.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals across 9 games) missing most of the season with a calf injury, Gaze signed former league MVP Jerome Randle and later added Jeremy Tyler as Sydney continued changing its import combination. Tyler was released after two months, creating further opportunities for the Kings’ young frontcourt during the final eight games.

Pineau’s best game came on January 19, when the last-placed Kings upset ladder-leading Perth 84-77 at Perth Arena. Pineau (11 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists) made all five of his field-goal attempts and his only free throw in 16 minutes, recording his first double-figure scoring game in the NBL.

Randle (19.6 points and 5.3 assists across 17 games) led Sydney in scoring and assists, becoming the first player since Andrew Gaze in 1989 to lead the NBL in both categories. Ellis (15.6 points and 5.8 rebounds across 25 games), Newley (12 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists across 25 games), Cadee (10.3 points and 3.3 assists across 26 games) and Blanchfield (8.7 points and 4 rebounds across 23 games) were the Kings’ other main contributors.

Pineau’s defensive work earned him the Kings’ Best Defensive Player award, while Humphries was named NBL Rookie of the Year and Randle earned selection to the All-NBL Second Team.

The Kings completed a run of six wins from their final seven games and finished seventh with an 11-17 record, closing their season with a 101-86 home win over New Zealand as Cadee (30 points and 3 assists) led all scorers and Pineau (4 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist) started at centre.

2018/19
Sydney entered the 2018-19 season with high expectations after making several key signings, including Andrew Bogut, who returned to Australia after a 14-season NBA career, which included a championship in 2015 with the Golden State Warriors.

The Kings also became the first team to utilize the NBL’s newly created Next Stars program, signing highly touted prospect Brian Bowen, a McDonald’s All-American, who opted to play in the NBL to prepare for the NBA Draft. Key signings included Jerome Randle, who rejoined the team after a strong previous season, and other notable additions like Daniel Kickert (via Brisbane), David Wear (via Spain), Deng Deng (via Big V – McKinnon), Kyle Adnam (via Melbourne), and Tom Wilson (via Melbourne).

The Kings participated in the NBLxNBA series, facing the Los Angeles Clippers in a preseason game in Hawaii on September 30, 2018. In that game, Brad Newley (8 points), Kevin Lisch (16 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists), and Jerome Randle (25 points) led the scoring for the Kings. Despite a spirited effort, Sydney fell short, losing to the Clippers (110-91). The Kings kept the game competitive, coming within one point twice, but ultimately struggled to match the Clippers’ NBA-level speed and size.

Dane Pineau (0.6 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.3 assists) saw his minutes significantly reduced this season. Despite a promising rookie campaign, the influx of talent and the improved roster depth resulted in fewer opportunities for Pineau. While his contributions were mainly felt in practices and in limited game appearances, Pineau remained an energetic presence off the bench.

Alongside Pineau, the Kings relied on the contributions of Kevin Lisch (14.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists), Jerome Randle (17.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists), and Andrew Bogut (11.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 2.7 blocks), who anchored the defense and was named both the NBL’s Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year.

Mid-season, the Kings brought in Ray Turner (1.7 points, 0.7 rebounds) from Bendigo in the state league to provide additional depth and cover for injuries to Bogut.

In the playoffs, Sydney faced Melbourne United in the semifinals. Pineau’s role was limited during the postseason, consistent with his minimal minutes during the season. In Game 1 (95-73), Melbourne’s depth proved too much for the Kings, and in Game 2 (90-76), Sydney’s season ended despite strong performances from the core players.

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX
2019/20
Following two seasons as Bogut’s backup, Pineau returned to his hometown of Melbourne, signing with the NBL’s newly formed franchise, South East Melbourne Phoenix.

South East Melbourne appointed Simon Mitchell as their first head coach and soon signed Mitch Creek, the Boomers and fringe NBA talent, as their marquee player. Building a core team around Creek, they added Ben Madgen (via Europe), Kyle Adnam (via Melbourne), and Adam Gibson (via Adelaide). Imports John Roberson, Tai Wesley (via Melbourne), and Devondrick Walker (via the state league) were later signed to complete the roster.

South East Melbourne’s debut game, dubbed ‘The Throwdown,’ pitted them against cross-town rivals Melbourne United. The Phoenix emerged victorious, winning by three points (91-88), thanks to an impressive 12-of-23 shooting from beyond the arc. This high-paced perimeter shooting became the team’s hallmark for the season, leading the league in points per game (95.4 ppg).

The win came at a cost, however, with Tai Wesley suffering a hamstring injury after scoring eight quick points in the game’s first five minutes, sidelining him for the next ten weeks. To compensate, Jaye Crockett (8.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.0 steals) was brought in as an injury replacement.

After their Round 1 victory, the Phoenix continued strong, defeating the Bullets (113-93) and the Hawks (106-102) at home, beginning their inaugural season with a 3-0 record. Their first true test came in Round 4 with their first away game against Perth. Despite slow starts by Wildcats stars Bryce Cotton (16 points) and Terrico White (17 points), Perth handed South East Melbourne their first defeat (110-79), ending the Phoenix’s season-opening win streak.

Following their loss in Western Australia, victories became rare, as the Phoenix suffered defeats against teams such as the 36ers, Kings, and United. By mid-season, South East Melbourne’s record was six wins and six losses, a balanced but unspectacular result. During this period, the Phoenix opted to replace import Devondrick Walker (7.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 0.9 assists), who struggled to regain form after a foot fracture two years prior. Keith Benson (5.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks) was signed as his replacement but did not significantly improve the team’s performance.

Due to injuries, Pineau found himself thrust into the starting lineup and averaged 8.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1 assist across the season. Pineau’s efficiency was notable; he led the league in field goal percentage (66.4%) and was the Phoenix’s leading rebounder.

While South East Melbourne heavily relied on Creek (20.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.2 steals) and import John Roberson (20.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 5.5 assists), they faced a turbulent path for the remaining ten rounds. Across 16 games, the Phoenix posted a disappointing 3-13 record and ended the season on an eight-game losing streak. After 20 rounds, South East Melbourne finished second to last with a 9-19 record.

Pineau’s breakthrough season saw him as runner-up to Will Magnay for the NBL Most Improved Player award.

2020/21
Limited by various injuries, Pineau appeared in only one game this season (Round 10 vs 36ers).

2021/22
2021/22
After a playoff appearance, South East Melbourne aimed to advance further in the 2021/22 season. Their first move was re-signing head coach Simon Mitchell (one-year deal) and retaining key players, including Kyle Adnam, Ryan Broekhoff, Izayah Mauriohooho-Le’Afa, and Mitch Creek.

The team saw both Keifer Sykes (to NBA) and Yanni Wetzell (to New Zealand) depart, replaced by Tohi Smith-Milner (via Melbourne), Zhou Qi, a Chinese national team player, and imports Zach Hankins and Xavier Munford.

South East Melbourne started strong, winning three of their first four games, with Qi (11.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.9 blocks) and Munford (16.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.3 steals) impressing.

Qi’s injury and Hankins’s delayed debut led to Brandon Ashley (8.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 0.7 assists) stepping in as a replacement.

Pineau, recovering from a previous season-ending injury, resumed as backup center to Qi. Despite Qi’s challenges with officiating (2.5 fouls per game), Pineau averaged 1.2 points, 3 rebounds, and 0.5 assists.

South East Melbourne excelled offensively, finishing in the league’s top three with 87.7 points per game, led by Creek (20.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.1 steals). However, COVID-19 interruptions caused a 28-day break, resulting in a rusty return and a heavy loss to Brisbane (84-100).

After winning eight of their next eleven games, South East Melbourne reached second on the ladder at 11-5 but later dropped to a four-game losing streak, ending their playoff hopes despite defeating Perth in overtime (102-100), ending the Wildcats’ 35-year playoff streak.

2022/23
The Phoenix entered NBL23 with hopes of bouncing back from a season riddled with injuries. Their core group—Ryan Broekhoff, Izaya Mauriohooho-Le’Afa, Cameron Gliddon, Reuben Te Rangi, and co-captains Mitch Creek and Kyle Adnam—all returned. The additions of imports Trey Kell III and Gary Browne were aimed at strengthening their backcourt, while big man Alan Williams came on board to replace Zhou Qi.

Qi, initially expected to return to China, made a last-minute decision to stay, creating a formidable “twin towers” combination with Williams. This lineup excited fans and raised questions about how both players would coexist on the court.

The Phoenix’s season opener saw Broekhoff, Kell, and Browne out due to preseason injuries, with Qi arriving two weeks later. Adnam stepped into the starting five and had a standout performance against Tasmania with 30 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Creek added 23 points and 6 rebounds, while Williams contributed 12 points and 7 rebounds in the win over Tasmania (84-79), sparking high expectations.

In games where the Phoenix’s starting five were on the floor, they looked like one of the league’s most cohesive units. Unfortunately, this was rare. Qi (6.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 0.2 assists) played only nine games before leaving for family reasons, Kell (12.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists) missed five games due to broken ribs, and Broekhoff (10.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 0.9 assists) missed a third of the season with a lingering hamstring injury.

Mitch Creek, the only starter to play every game, had a career-best season, averaging 23.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists, positioning himself as an MVP contender while covering gaps left by injured teammates.

Qi’s early departure provided increased opportunities for rookies Grant Anticevich (2.1 points and 1.6 rebounds) and Anzac Rissetto (1.2 points and 0.4 rebounds), while Broekhoff, Kell, and Browne, who collectively played only 61 of 84 games, opened space for Adnam (8.4 points, 1.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists) and Te Rangi (5.1 points, 3.0 rebounds) in the starting lineup. Relative newcomers Junior Madut (4.0 points and 2.3 rebounds) and Owen Foxwell (3.8 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.2 steals) also stepped up with impressive performances.

Despite a rocky start, South East Melbourne climbed to second place in the standings. However, a series of injuries led to a drop to fifth place (15-13), and they found themselves facing Perth in the Play-In Tournament.

Entering the Play-In Qualifier as favorites despite missing Broekhoff, South East Melbourne couldn’t hold off the Wildcats. Stellar performances from Perth’s imports Bryce Cotton (26 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals) and Brady Manek (24 points) ended the Phoenix’s playoff hopes with a 106-99 defeat. Pineau completed the season with averages of 2.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.4 assists in 27 games.

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS
2023/24
The Breakers’ offseason focus was on re-signing standout guard William McDowell-White for a two-year contract. Following a breakout season, McDowell-White attracted considerable interest in free agency, but he chose to remain in New Zealand under coach Mody Maor, aiming to build on his success. Former Breaker Finn Delany, who had spent the previous season in Germany, also returned on a two-year deal. This allowed the Breakers to retain much of their core, including Cameron Gliddon, Izayah Mauriohooho-Le’Afa, and captain Thomas Abercrombie. They added Dane Pineau (via South East Melbourne), Mangok Mathiang (via Illawarra), and Lithuanian prospect Mantas Rubstavicius through the NBL Next Star Program.

Pineau, who signed a two-year deal with New Zealand after four seasons with South East Melbourne, took over the spot left by the retiring Rob Loe and reunited with former Phoenix teammates Izayah Le’afa and Cam Gliddon at the Auckland-based team.

“Dane is one of the toughest players in the NBL, and he’s proven that consistently over recent years, regardless of his role,” shared coach Mody Maor upon signing Pineau.

“Dane has great Pick and Roll skills, making him a natural fit for our environment and play style. I’m confident that the transition to Auckland will be seamless for him.”

To complete their roster, Coach Maor replaced departing imports Barry Brown Jr. (to China), Jarrell Brantley (to France), and Dererk Pardon (to Italy) with Parker Jackson-Cartwright (via Turkey), Zylan Cheatham (via Germany), and Justinian Jessup, who returned to the NBL after a stint in the G-League.

The Breakers started the season with a win over Cairns (98–87) and a close loss to Brisbane (84–89) before embarking on an NBLxNBA exhibition tour in the USA, where they played the Phoenix Suns. With several players injured, the Breakers temporarily added former NBA forward Anthony Lamb. Despite being underdogs, New Zealand nearly upset the Suns, closing to within four points in the final minute but ultimately falling 91–86. Corey Webster (27 points, 7 assists) and Tai Wesley (15 points, 7 rebounds) led the charge for New Zealand, while Phoenix’s Deandre Ayton (21 points, 15 rebounds) and Trevor Ariza (16 points, 6 assists) helped the Suns secure the win.

Upon returning from the USA, New Zealand’s season was plagued by roster changes and injuries, leading to a five-game losing streak. They rebounded with a win against Cairns (91–81), but significant absences from Delany (11 games), Cheatham (11 games), McDowell-White (6 games), and Rubstavicius (5 games) impacted continuity. Jessup, who struggled to recover from a pelvis injury, was released in January. By mid-season, New Zealand (8–12) had dropped to the bottom of the standings. However, they closed the season strong, winning five of their final seven games to finish 13–15, level with Sydney and Brisbane. Based on points percentage, Sydney (fifth) and New Zealand (sixth) advanced to the play-in tournament, eliminating Brisbane (seventh).

Pineau contributed primarily off the bench, providing reliable defense and energy. He averaged 1.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks per game, with standout performances including a 6-point, 2-rebound, and 1-block effort against Brisbane (27 Dec 2023), a 6-point, 3-rebound showing against Brisbane (16 Feb 2024), and a 5-point, 1-rebound, 2-block outing against Melbourne (22 Oct 2023). Pineau’s presence bolstered the Breakers’ defensive depth, particularly in the paint.

Alongside Pineau, the Breakers were led by Parker Jackson-Cartwright, who averaged 20.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists with 1.9 steals per game, while Anthony Lamb contributed 19.5 points, 6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists with 1.1 steals. Zylan Cheatham (15.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.9 steals), Mantas Rubstavicius (9.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists), and William McDowell-White (9.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists) also made significant contributions.

In the play-in tournament, New Zealand faced Sydney and emerged victorious in a hard-fought 83–76 win, led by Jackson-Cartwright’s 34 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds, with Mathiang adding 10 points and 9 rebounds. In the subsequent game against Illawarra, Jackson-Cartwright (19 points, 9 assists) and Cheatham (12 points, 9 rebounds) led the Breakers, but season-long inconsistency reappeared, resulting in a narrow 88–85 loss, ending their playoff hopes just short of the NBL semifinals.

2024/25
New Zealand rebuilt after Anthony Lamb, William McDowell-White, Izayah Le’Afa, Justinian Jessup, Finn Delany, Mantas Rubstavicius, Zylan Cheatham and Mangok Mathiang departed, while Thomas Abercrombie and Cameron Gliddon retired. Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Max Darling, Dane Pineau, Carlin Davison and Alex McNaught returned, with Petteri Koponen replacing Mody Maor as head coach and adding Matt Mooney, Sam Mennenga, Mojave King, Mitch McCarron, Jonah Bolden, Sean Bairstow, Grant Anticevich, Freddie Gillespie and Karim Lopez.

The Breakers opened the season at HoopsFest with a 91-87 win over Brisbane, where the veteran centre (6 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 block) delivered his best game of the season in 11 minutes off the bench.

Pineau (1.6 points across 9 games) remained a reserve frontcourt option, but calf and knee injuries restricted him to only 45 minutes across the campaign.

After missing the entire October schedule with a calf injury, Pineau (3 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) returned to provide defensive energy in an 83-64 loss to Tasmania. He then added 2 points and 2 rebounds as New Zealand defeated Cairns 77-69 and entered the FIBA break with a 7-3 record.

Pineau (2 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist) produced his strongest rebounding game when the season resumed, but Illawarra defeated New Zealand 109-71. Three days later, he played only two minutes in a 123-112 loss to Perth before a meniscus tear sidelined him for the following two months.

Jackson-Cartwright (18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.6 steals across 21 games) and Mooney (16.1 points, 4.4 assists, and 1.6 steals across 29 games) led New Zealand offensively, while Mennenga (11.7 points and 5.3 rebounds across 29 games) and Lopez (9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds across 25 games) provided further support. Jackson-Cartwright won the Breakers’ MVP and Members Choice awards, while King (8.5 points across 17 games) was named Defensive Player of the Year.

New Zealand won only three games after entering the FIBA break at 7-3 and finished ninth with a 10-19 record, missing the postseason.

Pineau (2 points, 1 rebound, and 1 block) returned from his meniscus tear in New Zealand’s final game, a 96-82 loss to Illawarra, before announcing his retirement after 164 NBL appearances.

Dane Pineau played eight seasons across three NBL teams. This included the Sydney Kings, South East Melbourne Phoenix and New Zealand Breakers. He averaged 2.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 0.4 assists in 162 NBL games.