Brad Newley announces he will retire at end of NBL season
February 16, 2024
Darryl McDonald
- Nationality: USA/AUS
- Date of Birth: <b>2005/06</B><br>After becoming the first team in NBL history to win three straight championships, Sydney lost Mark Sanford, Thalo Green, Brett Wheeler, Luke Brennan and Graeme Dann, while Jason Smith, CJ Bruton, Rolan Roberts, Ben Knight, Luke Kendall, David Barlow, Brad Sheridan, BJ Carter and Luke Martin returned from the previous season’s group.<p> Head coach Brian Goorjian added Mark Worthington, Ian Crosswhite, Anthony Susnjara and Damon Thornton, giving the Kings another young Australian core around its championship backcourt and frontcourt rotation.<p> Bruton (18.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.7 steals across 33 games) became Sydney’s leading scorer and main playmaker, moving into a bigger role after the departure of Sanford and the ongoing changes around the Kings’ frontcourt.<p> Early in the season, Bruton (27 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists) led Sydney past Melbourne 116-104 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, a result that mattered for the Kings because Melbourne would become their closest ladder rival and eventual Grand Final opponent.<p> Bruton’s scoring peaked with a season-high 34 points during the regular season, while his ability to shoot the three at high volume and still create for others helped Sydney win a franchise-record 15 straight games and build the league’s best record.<p> The season was disrupted when Roberts (12.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks across 22 games) suffered a torn pectoral muscle during the NBL All-Star Dunk Contest, forcing Sydney to sign Sedric Webber as a late-season replacement.<p> Webber (13.8 points and 6.4 rebounds across 12 games) gave Sydney another athletic frontcourt option, helping the Kings maintain first place despite losing their starting import big man before the playoffs.<p> Sydney finished the regular season first with a 26-6 record, earning a bye through the elimination and quarterfinal rounds and moving directly into the semifinals.<p> Bruton and Smith were Sydney’s two leading offensive players, with Smith (16.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.3 steals across 36 games) again giving the Kings wing scoring and defence.<p> Other key contributors included Kendall (12.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists across 37 games), Worthington (11.2 points and 4.2 rebounds across 37 games), Barlow (10.6 points and 4.3 rebounds across 36 games), Knight (10.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists across 37 games), Crosswhite (6.8 points and 4.7 rebounds across 30 games) and Sheridan (6.5 points and 3.6 rebounds across 35 games).<p> Bruton was named to the All-NBL First Team, while Worthington won NBL Rookie of the Year as Sydney again finished with the league’s strongest regular-season record.<p> Sydney opened the semifinals at home with a 112-87 win over Cairns, taking immediate control of the series after earning the direct path into the final four.<p> Game two moved to Cairns, where Sydney won 84-82 to complete the sweep and advance to its fourth straight Grand Final series.<p> The Grand Final series opened in Sydney, where Melbourne defeated the Kings 100-93 behind Chris Anstey (24 points and 12 rebounds) and Dave Thomas (23 points), while Smith (20 points) led Sydney.<p> Game two moved to Melbourne and proved even tighter, with Anstey (30 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Thomas (23 points and 13 rebounds) leading the Tigers, while David Barlow (22 points) and Smith (16 points) kept Sydney close before Melbourne won 103-99 in overtime.<p> Game three returned to Sydney, where Melbourne completed the sweep 88-83 behind Anstey (16 points and 10 rebounds), Thomas (13 points) and Darryl McDonald (13 points), while Smith (20 points) and Bruton (15 points) were best for Sydney.<p> <b>BRISBANE BULLETS<br>2006/07</B><br>After being eliminated by Perth in the 2005/06 elimination finals, Brisbane moved on from Derek Rucker, Bobby Brannen, Lanard Copeland (to Adelaide) and Daniel Egan (to Townsville), while Sam MacKinnon, Mark Bradtke, Stephen Black, Michael Hill, Adam Gibson, Brad Williamson and Callum Baynes returned from the previous season’s group.<p> Head coach Joey Wright added CJ Bruton (via Sydney), Ebi Ere, Dusty Rychart (via Adelaide), Dillon Boucher (via Perth), Cameron Tragardh and Chris Goulding, giving Brisbane a deeper roster built around MacKinnon, Bradtke and a new championship backcourt.<p> The Bullets began the season by winning the NBL Preseason Blitz in Coffs Harbour, with Bruton named MVP of the tournament and selected in the All-Star Five before joining the regular season rotation as Brisbane’s starting point guard.<p> Bruton (14 points and 4.5 assists across 39 games) gave Brisbane another proven winner after three championships with Sydney, reuniting with Ere from the Kings’ 2004 title team and allowing Black to share more of the backcourt scoring and playmaking load.<p> Brisbane started the regular season at 3-3, and by the midway point sat at 10-5, but the Bullets then moved into one of the strongest runs in NBL history, winning their final 18 regular-season games.<p> One of Bruton’s key regular-season moments came in Brisbane’s 100-99 road win over Perth at Challenge Stadium, where Bruton (15 points) got the Bullets back in front in the final seconds before Shawn Redhage’s buzzer shot bounced off the rim, ending Brisbane’s seven-game losing streak against the Wildcats.<p> The winning streak included seven victories by 30 points or more, with Brisbane also producing a three-game stretch where it defeated Adelaide, New Zealand and Singapore by 32, 34 and 32 points, respectively.<p> Brisbane finished first with a 28-5 record, winning the minor premiership and entering the playoffs on a 18-game winning streak.<p> MacKinnon (18.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.4 blocks across 39 games) delivered one of the league’s great all-round seasons, while Ere (17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists across 39 games) gave Brisbane another explosive scoring option.<p> Other key contributors included Rychart (15.1 points and 8.1 rebounds across 39 games), Black (13.9 points and 3.8 assists across 37 games), Bradtke (10.2 points and 6.5 rebounds across 28 games), Hill (9.6 points across 39 games), Gibson (6.8 points across 39 games), Boucher (4.5 points and 1.6 steals across 39 games) and Williamson (4.5 points across 38 games).<p> MacKinnon became the first player in NBL history to win the regular season MVP and Best Defensive Player awards in the same season, while Wright was named Coach of the Year and Bruton’s arrival helped Brisbane add championship experience to a roster that already had size, defence and scoring depth.<p> Brisbane opened the semifinals at home with a 91-84 win over Sydney, with Ere (22 points) leading the Bullets in game one as the Bullets extended their winning streak to 19 games.<p> Game two moved to Sydney, where Brisbane defeated the Kings 93-86 behind Ere (23 points) and Bruton (21 points), with Bruton scoring 16 points in the fourth quarter to eliminate his former club and move Brisbane into its first Grand Final series since 1990.<p> The Grand Final series opened in Brisbane, where the Bullets defeated Melbourne 98-95 behind Black (24 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) and MacKinnon (18 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 blocks), while Chris Anstey (21 points and 9 rebounds) led the Tigers.<p> Game two moved to Melbourne, where the Tigers ended Brisbane’s 21-game winning streak with a 105-91 win behind Anstey (31 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks), with Melbourne controlling the glass 59-44 to level the series.<p> Game three returned to Brisbane, where the Bullets answered with a 113-93 win as Black (22 points) led the scoring and MacKinnon (19 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, and 3 steals) filled the box score, while Bruton (7 points and 10 assists) controlled the point guard spot without a turnover.<p> Game four moved back to Melbourne, where Brisbane defeated the Tigers 103-94 to win the championship, with Bruton (22 points, 7 assists, and 2 steals) and Rychart (21 points and 2 steals) leading the Bullets, while Rashad Tucker (17 points and 12 rebounds) and Anstey (16 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks) led Melbourne, with MacKinnon named Grand Final MVP after adding the Larry Sengstock Medal to his regular season MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, All-NBL First Team selection and Brisbane’s third NBL championship.<p> <b>2007/08</B><br>In 2007/08, Bruton averaged 19.1 points and 3.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists as the Bullets finished in third place with a 20-10 record. <P> <b>BRISBANE BULLETS<br>2006/07 - THE GREATEST NBL TEAM OF ALL-TIME?</B><br>Brisbane continued to develop its roster in 2007, adding the country's best backcourt player in CJ Bruton (via Sydney) to the existing combo of two of Australia's greatest frontcourt talents, Sam MacKinnon and Mark Bradtke. Signing Bruton also led to the Bullets moving on from long-term import duo Derek Rucker and Bobby Brannen. Ebi Ere, Bruton's backcourt partner for the Kings championship in 2004, and do-it-all forward Dusty Rychart (via Adelaide) were signed as import replacements and, with the roster having a number of scoring options, chose not to re-sign Lanard Copeland (to Adelaide) and Daniel Egan (to Townsville) and brought in defensive stopper Dillon Boucher (via Perth) who Bullets front office felt was responsible for the Wildcats eliminating the team from the playoffs the previous season, after shutting down leading scorer Stephen Black.<p>The Bullets began the season by winning the NBL Preseason Blitz (Coffs Harbour), with Bruton being named MVP of the tournament. In contrast, Brisbane began the regular season with a largely indifferent record (3-3), which by the season's mid-way point was a respectable, but not at all earth-shattering 10 wins and 5 losses. Reigning champions Melbourne (11-4) sat on top of the ladder, although Brisbane had managed to defeat them in their first matchup of the season (98-85). From here, the Bullets reached a level that has many considering this team to be the greatest of all time. Brisbane wouldn't lose for the remainder of the regular season, heading into the playoffs on a 18 game winning streak. During this time, seven of the team's victories come in wins by 30 points or more, including a run of three games against Adelaide, New Zealand and Singapore, where they won by 32, 34, and 32, respectively.<p> Mackinnon (18.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.4 blocks) would deliver perhaps the greatest season of all time, becoming the first player in NBL history to win both the Best Defensive Player and Most Valuable Player award in the same season. Making Brisbane even tougher to stop is the fact that besides MacKinnon, they had five guys who could take over a game at any time in Ere (17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists), Rychart (15.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.0 steals), Bruton (14 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists), Black (13.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists) and Bradtke (10.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists).<p>Joey Wright would be named coach of the year before leading Brisbane to a seven-point win over Sydney (91-84) in the first game of the semi-finals. Ere (22 points) led the Bullets in scoring. Game two moved to Sydney, where Ere (23 points) would again finish as the game-high scorer, but it was Bruton (21 points) that sealed the series, scoring 16 points in the fourth quarter to eliminate his former club from the playoffs (93-86).<p> Melbourne (25-8) had finished second on the ladder and defeated Cairns (2-0) to meet Brisbane in the Grand Final. Playing at home, Brisbane extended their winning streak to 21, narrowly defeating Melbourne by three points (98-95). Stephen Black (24 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) top scoring, alongside Sam Mackinnon (18 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 blocks), who came close to racking up a triple-double. Chris Anstey (21 points and 9 rebounds) would lead the Tigers in the loss.<p> Melbourne would end the streak in game two, defeating Brisbane (105-91) thanks to a huge game from Anstey (31 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks) and the Tigers dominating the Bullets on the glass (59 to 44 rebounds).<p>Brisbane returned home for game three where they had only lost one game for the entire season and made sure Anstey (9 points and 13 rebounds) wouldn't have a repeat performance. MacKinnon, Bradtke and Rychart were instrumental in keeping him off the scoreboard, limiting him to 4 of 15 shooting. Black (22 points) again finished as the game's high scorer, with MacKinnon (19 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, and 3 steals) filling every other column of the stat sheet to give the Bullets a 20 point victory (113-93).<p>In game four, Brisbane defied the odds and defeated Melbourne by nine points (103-94), despite the Tigers shooting a better percentage from the field, beyond the arc and winning the rebound battle. However, Melbourne finishing with 26 turnovers, compared to Brisbane's 14 was the true indicator of the championship. Rashad Tucker (17 points and 12 rebounds) would lead the Tigers in scoring, while the Bullets held Anstey (16 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks) well below his usual scoring averages again, making him shoot 6 from 15 from the field. Bruton (22 points, 7 assists, and 2 steals) and Dusty Rychart (21 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals) were instrumental at both ends of the floor, while MacKinnon (13 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals), who may have had his quietest game of the series, was awarded the Finals MVP.<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src=https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rf1NkY-qE5Y title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> <p> MacKinnon would become the first player to ever be selected to the All-NBL First team, win the regular season and finals MVP awards, be the defensive player of the year and win a championship in the same season (Until Chris Anstey would repeat the effort in the following season).<p> During the 2007 NBL offseason, Bruton coached the South West Metro Pirates in Queensland's state league.<p> <b>2007/08</B><br>After winning the 2006/07 NBL championship, Brisbane entered its title defence without Mark Bradtke (retired), Stephen Black (to Cairns) and Cameron Tragardh (to Wollongong), with Bradtke’s retirement leaving the Bullets without the veteran centre who had played an important role in their championship run.<p> Head coach Joey Wright retained Sam Mackinnon, Ebi Ere, Dusty Rychart, CJ Bruton, Adam Gibson, Michael Hill, Brad Williamson, Dillon Boucher, Chris Goulding, Steven Broom and David Gurney from the championship group, while adding New Zealand-born forward Craig Bradshaw, Justin Brown and rookie guard Rhys Martin.<p> Brisbane opened its title defence at the Gold Coast Convention Centre on September 19, where CJ (14 points, 3 rebounds, 9 assists, and 1 steal) directed the offence as the Bullets defeated the new Gold Coast Blaze 115-105.<p> Bruton (19.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 steals across 33 games) took on a larger offensive role, remaining Brisbane’s primary playmaker while providing outside shooting and another major scoring option alongside Ere.<p> Bruton’s best regular-season scoring game came against Sydney at the Brisbane Convention Centre on October 17, where he made six three-pointers and finished with 33 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals, but the Kings defeated Brisbane 127-117.<p> On November 10, Bruton (25 points, 3 rebounds, 10 assists, and 1 steal) made five of seven three-pointers and converted all 10 of his free throws as Brisbane defeated Perth 102-95 at Challenge Stadium, giving the Bullets an important road win over another playoff contender.<p> Bruton delivered another major performance against Townsville on November 29, finishing with 32 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block while making four three-pointers and converting 12 of 14 free throws as Brisbane defeated the Crocodiles 120-113.<p> One of Brisbane’s strongest wins came against Melbourne on December 22, when Bruton (30 points, 2 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) made four three-pointers and Ere (39 points) led the scoring as the Bullets defeated the Tigers 112-108, with Rychart (17 points and 12 rebounds) controlling the glass while Sean Lampley (24 points) and Chris Anstey (21 points) led Melbourne.<p> Brisbane completed the regular season at the Brisbane Convention Centre on February 16, where Bruton (7 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) helped the Bullets defeat Wollongong 129-98 and finish third with a 20-10 record, including a 13-2 record at home and 7-8 record on the road.<p> Ere (26.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.7 steals across 32 games) lifted his scoring from 17.3 points the previous season to a league-leading 26.0 points per game, earning All-NBL First Team honours as Brisbane’s leading offensive player.<p> Rychart (16.2 points and 9.3 rebounds across 32 games) remained the Bullets’ main interior scorer and rebounder, while injuries restricted reigning NBL MVP Mackinnon (14.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.3 steals across 15 games) to less than half the regular season.<p> Bradshaw (13.5 points and 5.7 rebounds across 30 games) helped replace the size lost through Bradtke’s retirement, while Gibson (11.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 4.0 assists across 33 games) took a significant step forward with increased responsibility running the offence and defending opposing guards.<p> Williamson (8.1 points across 33 games) delivered the highest-scoring season of his NBL career, while Hill (7.5 points and 3.7 rebounds across 33 games) and Boucher (3.4 points and 5.1 rebounds across 31 games) provided further depth.<p> Bruton was selected to the All-NBL Second Team and started at point guard for the Australian All-Stars, joining Ere among Brisbane’s major individual award winners.<p> The campaign also became the final season of Brisbane’s original NBL run as owner Eddy Groves encountered financial trouble through his ABC Learning Centres business and announced in March that he needed to sell the club. Bruton initially rejected an offer to play in Turkey in an attempt to help the Bullets remain in the league.<p> A consortium led by Logan businessman David Kemp was announced as Brisbane’s new ownership group on April 16, but the proposed sale later collapsed. Bruton subsequently rejected a new Bullets contract while considering lucrative overseas offers, Mackinnon requested his release and the unsuccessful search for another financially secure buyer resulted in Groves returning the club’s licence to the NBL on June 30, leaving Brisbane out of the 2008/09 season.<p> Brisbane opened the playoffs at the Brisbane Convention Centre with a 106-89 elimination-final win over New Zealand in front of 2,787 fans, with Bradshaw (23 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 block), Rychart (22 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block), Ere (22 points and 8 rebounds), Bruton (18 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) and Gibson (12 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists) leading the Bullets, while Kirk Penney (24 points and 4 rebounds), Derrick Alston (22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block) and Tony Ronaldson (14 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists) were best for the Breakers.<p> The semifinals opened at the State Netball and Hockey Centre, where Melbourne defeated Brisbane 116-98 behind Lampley (17 points), David Barlow (17 points) and Daryl Corletto (16 points), while Bruton (29 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) made seven three-pointers and Rychart (20 points and 11 rebounds) and Hill (13 points) provided support for the Bullets.<p> Game two moved to the Brisbane Convention Centre, where Anstey (26 points and 13 rebounds), Dave Thomas (26 points) and Lampley (23 points and 7 rebounds) led Melbourne, while Ere (19 points), Bradshaw (19 points) and Bruton kept Brisbane within reach before the Tigers won 115-112, completed the sweep and ended the Bullets’ championship defence. Bruton (19 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) played 41:08 minutes in the loss.<p> Instead of regrouping for another title push in 2008/09, financial struggles caught up with the franchise. Owner Eddy Groves, who had built his fortune through ABC Learning Centres, faced financial ruin, forcing him to put the team up for sale. In April 2008, Logan businessman David Kemp was announced as the new owner, but the sale later fell through. With no viable ownership stepping in, the Bullets’ license was officially returned to the NBL on June 30, 2008, marking the end of the franchise.<p> <b>NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS <br>2008/09</B><br> After the Brisbane Bullets fell into financial hardship and withdrew from the league, head coach Andrej Lemanis recruited free agent pair CJ Bruton (two-year deal) and former Breaker Dillon Boucher (three-year deal) to play for the Breakers with the explicit intentions to win a championship that season.<p><i>"The Breakers have proved they're a playoff team and I'd like to help take them up to that next level," Bruton said upon signing with New Zealand.<p>"I've seen the Breakers change their team and their culture to become more competitive. They're serious about becoming number one and I want to be a part of New Zealand's first championship. You don't play this sport just to be in it."</i><p>The duo joined the existing roster of Paul Henare, Kirk Penney, Phill Jones, Oscar Forman, Tony Ronaldson and Tim Behrendorff. The Breakers later signed import Rick Rickert and elevated development player Thomas Abercrombie into the full squad to finalise their roster.<p>Bruton's signing gave the Breakers' stability and direction at the point guard position, something that had previously been missing. Behind Bruton (16.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.7 steals) and sharp-shooting Kirk Penney (24.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists), the Breakers started the season off firing with 15 wins and 4 losses. But, the loss of Bruton to a high-ankle sprain in late December saw the Breakers stumbled through January to lose eight of their next nine games.<p> Heading into the playoffs with a win in their last game regular season game, the Breakers finished with a 18–12 record, setting the team up with their first-ever home playoff game. New Zealand went on to win their elimination playoff, routing Adelaide (131–101) to set up a best-of-three semi final series with the defending champions Melbourne. In their first-ever semi finals appearance, the Breakers suffered the same fate as Bruton's Bullets a year ago, being swept 2-0 in the semifinals.<p> <b>2009/10</B><br>Having achieved their first-ever playoff appearance the season prior, coach Andrej Lemanis returned with the majority of Breakers roster intact, losing only Phill Jones (to Cairns) and Tim Behrendorff (to Wollongong). Having played with one import last season, Rick Rickert, the Breakers added Dave Thomas (via Cairns) to add veteran leadership to the club but prior to the season starting, he was forced to retire from playing in the NBL due to injury. Former NBA talent Awvee Storey was then signed as his replacement and development player Thomas Abercrombie was elevated to the full squad.<p>New Zealand struggled through the first half of the season, mainly due to missing their leading scorer Kirk Penney (23.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists) due to a back injury that saw him sidelined for nine games. In addition to this, Storey (7.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 0.8 assists) fell well short of expectations and was released after nine games with the club stating 'things weren't working out'. John Rillie (4.3 points and 1.6 rebounds), who had been released by Townsville the season prior, signed with the club as a interim replacement and appeared in 12 games.<p>New Zealand was then boosted by the midseason addition of import Kevin Braswell (9.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 2.3 steals), who played in the Breakers final seven games, winning the last six in a row.<p>New Zealand's late-season surge proved to be in vain, as the Breakers missed the playoffs during one of the closest NBL seasons of all-time. Despite New Zealand being only two games behind league leaders Perth, they would miss the playoffs and finish in fifth place (15-13).<p>Bruton appeared in all 28 games for the Breakers and averaged 16.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game.<p> <b>2010/11</B><br>A key to the Breakers' success this season were the return of both Kevin Braswell and Mika Vukona. Braswell initially decided to play the 2010/11 season with Turkish team Aliağa Belediyesi SK but before the season could start, left the team to play a second season with the New Zealand Breakers. Vukona, who had won a championship with the South Dragons in 2009, returned to the team and replaced Paul Henare as team captain. Another key move saw declining import Rick Rickert replaced with former Utah State University standout Gary Wilkinson.<p>The season began with Kirk Penney missing the start of the season while he attempted to earn a NBA contract. Failing to do that, he re-joined the Breakers after the season's first month. Despite missing Penney, the Breakers won their first five games of the season before losing to the Wildcat's in Perth (114–74).<p>Kirk Penney (20.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists) would finish as the team's leading scorer, with the Breakers finishing the regular season on top of the ladder (22–6). Wilkinson (15.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists), CJ Bruton (11.0 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists), Thomas Abercrombie (10.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists) and Vukona (8.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists) rounded out New Zealand's starting lineup, while Braswell (10.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists) add a spark from the bench, a role that would see him selected the NBL's Best Sixth Man at the end of the year.<p>This season was also notable for the impact of 22-year-old Corey Webster (4.0 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 0.9 assists), who was elevated into the Breakers' full-time roster this season and started to steal time away from Bruton this season. CJ played seven minutes less than the season prior, a testament to New Zealand much improved, much deeper roster.<p> New Zealand met fourth seed Perth in the semifinals and lost the opening game to the Wildcat's at home. The Breakers returned to New Zealand for games two and three and recovered by winning both games, qualifying for their first-ever NBL Grand Final.<p>There, the Breakers met Cairns in the championship series and coasting to a easy win in game one (85–67) after leading by as much as 31 in the third quarter. The team's then fought out a gripping game two in Cairns, which saw the game tied at the end of regulation (60-60) and at the end of the first overtime (73–73), before Cairns prevailed (85–81), sending the series to a third and deciding game.<p>With the final game played back on New Zealand soil, the Breakers recorded a comfortable win (71–53) and became the first team non-Australian team to win a NBL championship.<p>Thomas Abercrombie collected Grand Final MVP honours and while Bruton etched his name into Breakers folklore after he nailed two three-pointers in the fourth quarter to seal the game against the Cairns Taipans, winning his fourth NBL title.<p> <b>2011/12</B><br>After becoming the first New Zealand-based team to win an Australian national sporting competition, the Breakers entered their championship defence without leading scorer Kirk Penney (to Spain) and retiring foundation guard Paul Henare, while Kevin Braswell remained unavailable after suffering an Achilles injury during the off-season and Corey Webster was suspended for the season.<p> Gary Wilkinson, Thomas Abercrombie, Mika Vukona, CJ Bruton, Alex Pledger, Dillon Boucher, BJ Anthony, Leon Henry and Josh Bloxham returned from the championship group, while head coach Andrej Lemanis signed import guard Cedric Jackson and added Daryl Corletto (via Melbourne) after the Tigers released him to make room for NBA guard Patty Mills.<p> New Zealand opened its title defence at the Gold Coast Convention Centre on October 7, where CJ (11 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists) helped the Breakers defeat the Blaze 102-87.<p> Bruton (10.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists across 28 games) remained an important part of New Zealand’s guard rotation, providing outside shooting, experience and leadership alongside Jackson and Corletto while playing through a chronic knee problem during the first half of the season.<p> Bruton’s best regular-season scoring game came in the Breakers’ first appearance at Vector Arena on October 28, where he made five three-pointers and finished with 21 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal, including 14 points in the fourth quarter, as New Zealand defeated Sydney 76-59 in front of the largest crowd to attend a basketball game in New Zealand at the time, with Wilkinson (20 points) providing support while Julian Khazzouh (16 points and 12 rebounds) led the Kings.<p> The knee injury restricted Bruton to less than seven minutes against Townsville on November 24, but New Zealand recovered from a 23-point deficit to defeat the Crocodiles 88-74 behind Abercrombie (19 points), Wilkinson (18 points) and Corletto (16 points).<p> Bruton delivered one of his most efficient performances against Perth on February 2, making four of five three-pointers and scoring 14 points in only nine minutes as New Zealand defeated the Wildcats 83-77, with Wilkinson (18 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists), Jackson (15 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists, and 2 steals) and Vukona (10 rebounds) helping the Breakers overcome Redhage (15 points) and Damian Martin (9 rebounds and 7 assists).<p> On March 3, Bruton (9 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal) helped New Zealand claim a 101-99 overtime victory at Challenge Stadium, giving the Breakers another important road win over second-placed Perth as they moved closer to securing the minor premiership.<p> Bruton re-signed with New Zealand for another two seasons on March 16, ensuring he would finish his NBL career with the Breakers.<p> His final regular-season appearance came in Townsville on March 22, where Bruton (9 points and 1 rebound) made three three-pointers as New Zealand defeated the Crocodiles 76-69 and collected its 21st victory, with Abercrombie (20 points) and Wilkinson (16 points and 6 rebounds) leading the Breakers to first place with a 21-7 record for the second consecutive season.<p> Wilkinson (16.6 points and 5.8 rebounds across 33 games) led New Zealand in scoring, while Abercrombie (15.2 points and 4.6 rebounds across 33 games) increased his offensive production and remained one of the league’s strongest two-way forwards.<p> Jackson (12.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 2.2 steals across 33 games) immediately took control of the offence, leading the NBL in assists and steals, finishing fourth in league MVP voting and earning the Breakers’ club MVP award.<p> Corletto (9.8 points across 33 games) added another reliable outside shooter, while Pledger (8.6 points and 5.3 rebounds across 34 games) and Vukona (8.5 points and 6.1 rebounds across 34 games) provided interior depth and rebounding.<p> Lemanis was named NBL Coach of the Year, Jackson and Abercrombie earned All-NBL First Team selection and Wilkinson was named to the All-NBL Second Team.<p> New Zealand opened the semifinals at Vector Arena with a 99-82 loss to Townsville, with Abercrombie (20 points), Wilkinson (19 points), Jackson (15 points) and Bruton (7 points and 1 assist) leading the Breakers, while Peter Crawford (26 points), Eddie Gill (21 points and 4 steals), Elvin Mims (13 points and 3 steals) and Jacob Holmes (12 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists) helped the Crocodiles take control by winning the third quarter 30-18.<p> Game two moved to the Townsville Entertainment Centre, where Bruton (18 points and 1 assist) made four three-pointers and hit two important shots from long range during the third quarter, while Wilkinson (14 points and 6 rebounds), Jackson (14 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal), Pledger (12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block) and Abercrombie (12 points) helped New Zealand defeat Townsville 94-83 and force a deciding game, despite Gill (24 points and 5 rebounds) and Michael Cedar (15 points) leading the Crocodiles.<p> Game three returned to Vector Arena, where Bruton (20 points, 1 rebound, and 3 assists), Abercrombie (19 points) and Corletto (19 points) led New Zealand to a 97-80 win, while Crawford (24 points) and Luke Schenscher (19 points and 8 rebounds) were best for Townsville as the Breakers completed the comeback and advanced to their second consecutive Grand Final series.<p> The Grand Final series opened at Vector Arena without Abercrombie, who was sidelined by the ankle injury suffered late against Townsville, but Bruton (20 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) made five three-pointers and scored two crucial baskets during overtime, while Jackson (25 points, 8 assists, and 1 steal), Corletto (16 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals), Vukona (14 points and 5 rebounds) and Wilkinson (12 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks) led New Zealand to a 104-98 win over Perth, despite Kevin Lisch (27 points and 7 assists) and Matthew Knight (15 points) leading the Wildcats.<p> Game two moved to Challenge Stadium, where Wilkinson (28 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists), Bruton (20 points and 2 rebounds) and Pledger (14 points) led New Zealand, while Lisch (15 points), Jesse Wagstaff (15 points), Knight (13 points), Greg Hire (12 points) and Redhage (12 points) provided Perth with a balanced attack before Redhage blocked Bruton’s attempted game-winning lay-up in the final seconds to secure an 87-86 victory and level the series.<p> Game three returned to Vector Arena in front of more than 9,000 fans, where Wilkinson (23 points), Pledger (13 points) and Abercrombie (12 points and 4 rebounds) led New Zealand, while Redhage (18 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Knight (17 points and 6 rebounds) kept Perth within reach. After the Wildcats tied the game with seven minutes remaining, Abercrombie collected an offensive rebound and found the veteran guard for a three-pointer that extended the lead to seven with less than two minutes left, before another three-pointer and two late free throws helped New Zealand win 79-73 and become the first team since Sydney’s championship run from 2003 to 2005 to win consecutive titles. The performance earned the veteran guard the Larry Sengstock Medal as Grand Final MVP and delivered the fifth championship of his career. Bruton (16 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) played 23 minutes in the win.<p> <b>2012/13</B><br>After winning consecutive championships, New Zealand parted ways with leading scorer Gary Wilkinson (to Europe) and BJ Anthony (to Otago) as the Breakers looked to become the second team in NBL history to complete a three-peat.<p> Head coach Andrej Lemanis retained Cedric Jackson, Thomas Abercrombie, Alex Pledger, Mika Vukona, CJ Bruton, Daryl Corletto, Dillon Boucher, Leon Henry and Josh Bloxham, elevating Pledger into the starting centre position while adding Will Hudson (via Gold Coast) and welcoming Corey Webster back after his 12-month suspension. Reuben Te Rangi, Morgan Natanahira and Tai Webster were also added as development players.<p> New Zealand opened the season at the North Shore Events Centre on October 5, where CJ (6 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, and 1 steal) made two three-pointers, but Perth defeated the defending champions 93-72.<p> Bruton (7.8 points across 32 games) settled into a reduced role behind Jackson, providing outside shooting, experience and leadership from the Breakers’ bench as they chased a third consecutive championship.<p> Bruton’s best regular-season scoring game came in Sydney on December 8, where he made four three-pointers and finished with 18 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists, but Corin Henry (29 points), Ben Madgen (13 points) and Ian Crosswhite (12 points) led the Kings to a 75-62 win.<p> New Zealand recovered from that defeat and began a club-record winning streak, with Bruton (12 points and 1 rebound) making three of five three-pointers in only 16 minutes as the Breakers defeated Sydney 95-76 on January 24 and collected their eighth consecutive victory.<p> Bruton delivered another efficient performance against Adelaide on February 28, making all three of his three-point attempts and finishing with 11 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals in 17 minutes as New Zealand defeated the 36ers 104-79 and extended its winning streak to 13 games.<p> The streak eventually reached 15 games before New Zealand completed the regular season at Perth Arena on March 22, where Bruton (8 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist) played 18 minutes in a 73-58 loss to the Wildcats. Despite the defeat, the Breakers finished first with a 24-4 record and topped the regular-season standings for the third consecutive year.<p> Jackson (14.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 2.8 steals across 32 games) led New Zealand in scoring, assists and steals, taking control of the offence while delivering one of the season’s historic performances against Melbourne on November 30. Jackson recorded 28 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and 4 steals for his first career triple-double as the Breakers defeated the Tigers 94-64, with Bruton (6 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block) contributing from the bench. It was only the second triple-double recorded since the NBL moved to 40-minute games in 2009/10.<p> Abercrombie (11.2 points and 4.6 rebounds across 32 games) remained one of New Zealand’s leading two-way players, while Pledger (10.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks across 31 games) successfully moved into the starting centre position.<p> Corletto (9.6 points across 32 games) supplied perimeter shooting, Vukona (8.5 points and 6.0 rebounds across 32 games) anchored the frontcourt, Hudson (8.3 points and 4.8 rebounds across 25 games) provided depth behind Pledger and Webster (7.6 points across 28 games) added further scoring from the bench.<p> Jackson led the league in assists and steals for the second consecutive season, winning NBL Most Valuable Player and All-NBL First Team honours, while Vukona was selected to the All-NBL Second Team and Abercrombie earned All-NBL Third Team selection. Lemanis was named NBL Coach of the Year.<p> New Zealand opened the semifinals at Vector Arena with an 81-64 win over Sydney, taking control of the series behind Abercrombie (15 points), Corletto (12 points), Jackson (11 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) and Pledger (8 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks), while Madgen (15 points), James Harvey (10 points) and Tom Garlepp (9 points) led the Kings. Bruton (4 points, 1 rebound, and 1 steal) played 19 minutes in the win.<p> Game two moved to the Sydney Entertainment Centre, where Bruton’s best game of the season saw him make three of four three-pointers and finish with 21 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals, while Pledger (18 points and 12 rebounds) and Abercrombie (17 points) helped New Zealand defeat Sydney 99-88 and complete the sweep. Madgen (29 points), Harvey (25 points) and Crosswhite (11 points) were best for the Kings.<p> The Grand Final produced a rematch of the previous season’s championship series against Perth, although the Wildcats entered without starting guard Damian Martin after he suffered an Achilles injury during the semifinals, leading the club to bring Brad Robbins out of retirement as his replacement.<p> New Zealand opened the Grand Final at Vector Arena with a 79-67 win over Perth, with Corletto (19 points) shooting 7-of-10 from the field and Bruton (2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 steal) contributing in 18 minutes, while Kevin Lisch (19 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals), Shawn Redhage (17 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Matthew Knight (13 points and 12 rebounds) led the Wildcats.<p> Game two moved to a sold-out Perth Arena in front of 13,527 fans, where Jackson (14 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals) and Corletto (11 points) provided support for New Zealand, while Lisch (14 points), Redhage (14 points) and Jesse Wagstaff (10 points) led Perth. The Wildcats moved within one point with 28 seconds remaining, but Corletto made a free throw, Redhage missed a desperation attempt and the veteran guard converted two late free throws as New Zealand won 70-66, completed a clean sweep of the postseason and became the second team in NBL history to win three consecutive championships. Jackson was named Grand Final MVP, while the victory delivered Bruton his sixth NBL championship. Bruton (16 points and 1 steal) made four of five three-pointers and played 19 minutes in the win.<p> b>2013/14</B><br>After winning three consecutive championships with New Zealand, Lemanis was named head coach of the Australian men's national basketball team. His departure saw assistant Dean Vickerman elevated to head coach and tasked with extending the Breakers championship streak.<p> Vickerman was taking over a Breakers squad that had lost star import Cedric Jackson (Europe) and Dillon Boucher through retirement and, as a result, started the season poorly, losing three out of their first four games. The poor start led to Vickerman sending out a SOS to former Breakers favourite and two-time champion Gary Wilkinson (15.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists), who joined the team in late October. Then in December, perhaps motivated by the team's sluggish start, veteran CJ Bruton (6.1 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists) let it be known he would retire at the end of the season just prior to playing the 500th game of his career. By January, the Breakers made a second move and brought in Casey Frank (5.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.6 assists) to replace the injured Alex Pledger (10.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks), who had multiple stints on the sidelines and only managed to appear in 13 games.<p> American guard Kerron Johnson (12.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.1 steals), who had signed as a replacement for Jackson, struggled to fill the large void left at the point guard spot, and Thomas Abercrombie (15.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists) had to shoulder the load for much of the season, finding himself with a lack of space due to Johnson's lacklustre range. After not being able to put more than two consecutive wins together all year, they ended their season in seventh place (11–17).<p>The positives for the season came in the form of career-high scoring efforts from young guard duo Corey Webster (8.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists) and Reuben Te Rangi (5.4 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.6 assists) whose improving play showed promise for the Breakers future.<p>On 21 March 2014, Bruton played his final NBL game in front of a huge Breakers' crowd at Vector Arena in a loss to Cairns (83-95). With his family and friends in attendance, he recorded 11 points, 3 assists and 1 rebound in what was his 516th NBL game.<p> Also this season, Bruton was also named in the Sydney Kings 25th Anniversary Team (10 October 2013) in recognition of his efforts during his time in with the club.<p>
- Place of Birth: Harlem, New York (USA)
- Position: PG
- Height (CM): 192
- Weight (KG): 89
- Junior Assoc: None
- College: Westchester CC (1984–1986) Texas A&M (1986–1988)
- NBL DEBUT: 7/04/94
- AGE AT DEBUT: #VALUE!
- LAST NBL GAME: 14/03/08
- AGE AT LAST GAME: #VALUE!
- NBL History: North Melbourne 1994-98 | Victoria 1998-03 | Melbourne 2004-08
- Championships: 3
- North Melbourne (1994), Melbourne (2006, 2008)
#VALUE!
Darryl McDonald played fifteen seasons across three NBL teams. This included the North Melbourne Giants, Victoria Titans, Victoria Giants and Melbourne Tigers. He averaged 12.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 7.2 assists in 486 NBL games.
CAREER RANKINGS:
– 18th in total games played.
– 28th in total points
– 46th in total rebounds
– 2nd in total assists
– 1st in total steals
– 49th in total blocks
– 11th in assists per game.
– 13rd in steals per game.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Brisbane Bullets Assistant Coach Darryl MacDonald started historic NBL career 30 years ago today! 🫡#RIVERCITYSTRONG pic.twitter.com/C69pZpN6iX
— Brisbane Bullets (@BrisbaneBullets) February 12, 2024
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-08 | 43 | Melbourne | 22-8 (2) | 37 | 838.0 | 270 | 112 | 151 | 22 | 90 | 63 | 13 | 88 | 46 | 99 | 211 | 47% | 16 | 56 | 29% | 56 | 79 | 71% | 54% | 51% | 15 |
| 2006-07 | 42 | Melbourne | 25-8 (2) | 39 | 1,191.0 | 412 | 137 | 203 | 33 | 104 | 68 | 10 | 123 | 66 | 156 | 335 | 47% | 28 | 96 | 29% | 72 | 99 | 73% | 54% | 51% | 21 |
| 2005-06 | 41 | Melbourne | 25-7 (2) | 37 | 1,366.0 | 483 | 150 | 259 | 26 | 124 | 80 | 21 | 138 | 68 | 181 | 385 | 47% | 36 | 105 | 34% | 85 | 122 | 70% | 55% | 52% | 23 |
| 2004-05 | 40 | Melbourne | 17-15 (6) | 34 | 689.0 | 256 | 102 | 122 | 24 | 78 | 55 | 9 | 76 | 43 | 88 | 192 | 46% | 12 | 49 | 24% | 68 | 101 | 67% | 53% | 49% | 14 |
| 2003-04 | 39 | Melbourne | 20-13 (5) | 34 | 799.0 | 261 | 110 | 170 | 33 | 77 | 53 | 17 | 91 | 58 | 100 | 218 | 46% | 20 | 68 | 29% | 41 | 73 | 56% | 52% | 50% | 18 |
| 2002-03 | 38 | Victoria | 9-21 (10) | 30 | 1,215.0 | 435 | 172 | 225 | 44 | 128 | 73 | 22 | 128 | 66 | 167 | 386 | 43% | 42 | 119 | 35% | 59 | 101 | 58% | 50% | 49% | 29 |
| 2001-02 | 37 | Victoria | 21-9 (1) | 35 | 1,250.0 | 419 | 177 | 256 | 36 | 141 | 81 | 17 | 123 | 71 | 159 | 349 | 46% | 35 | 112 | 31% | 66 | 109 | 61% | 52% | 51% | 23 |
| 2000-01 | 36 | Victoria | 22-6 (1) | 34 | 1,355.0 | 523 | 170 | 270 | 32 | 138 | 92 | 11 | 132 | 58 | 197 | 402 | 49% | 39 | 119 | 33% | 90 | 109 | 83% | 58% | 54% | 29 |
| 1999-00 | 35 | Victoria | 20-8 (4) | 36 | 1,432.0 | 498 | 144 | 281 | 32 | 112 | 89 | 15 | 139 | 71 | 187 | 411 | 45% | 29 | 103 | 28% | 95 | 132 | 72% | 53% | 49% | 29 |
| 1998-99 | 34 | Victoria | 16-10 (3) | 23 | 951.0 | 256 | 114 | 188 | 25 | 89 | 56 | 6 | 98 | 51 | 97 | 198 | 49% | 12 | 47 | 26% | 50 | 76 | 66% | 55% | 52% | 23 |
| 1998 | 34 | North Melbourne | 9-21 (11) | 17 | 672.0 | 212 | 74 | 117 | 22 | 52 | 39 | 2 | 77 | 38 | 73 | 163 | 45% | 10 | 40 | 25% | 56 | 80 | 70% | 53% | 48% | 21 |
| 1997 | 33 | North Melbourne | 18-12 (3) | 35 | 1,602.0 | 617 | 218 | 312 | 69 | 149 | 116 | 9 | 145 | 94 | 235 | 449 | 52% | 29 | 98 | 30% | 118 | 159 | 74% | 59% | 56% | 30 |
| 1996 | 32 | North Melbourne | 15-11 (7) | 28 | 1,271.0 | 490 | 148 | 279 | 53 | 95 | 108 | 20 | 104 | 71 | 188 | 357 | 53% | 18 | 72 | 25% | 96 | 139 | 69% | 58% | 55% | 30 |
| 1995 | 31 | North Melbourne | 18-8 (2) | 34 | 1,556.0 | 596 | 191 | 355 | 55 | 136 | 129 | 18 | 166 | 84 | 231 | 429 | 54% | 15 | 62 | 24% | 119 | 163 | 73% | 59% | 56% | 32 |
| 1994 | 30 | North Melbourne | 19-7 (3) | 33 | 1,510.0 | 580 | 188 | 330 | 57 | 131 | 147 | 26 | 184 | 78 | 227 | 408 | 56% | 9 | 44 | 20% | 117 | 169 | 69% | 59% | 57% | 30 | Totals | 486 | 17697 | 6308 | 2207 | 3518 | 563 | 1644 | 1249 | 216 | 1812 | 963 | 2385 | 4893 | 48.7% | 350 | 1190 | 29.4% | 1188 | 1711 | 69.4% | 56% | 52% | 32 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-08 | 43 | Melbourne | 22-8 (2) | 37 | 22.6 | 7.3 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 5.7 | 47% | 0.4 | 1.5 | 29% | 1.5 | 2.1 | 71% | 54% | 51% | 15 |
| 2006-07 | 42 | Melbourne | 25-8 (2) | 39 | 30.5 | 10.6 | 3.5 | 5.2 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 3.2 | 1.7 | 4.0 | 8.6 | 47% | 0.7 | 2.5 | 29% | 1.8 | 2.5 | 73% | 54% | 51% | 21 |
| 2005-06 | 41 | Melbourne | 25-7 (2) | 37 | 36.9 | 13.1 | 4.1 | 7.0 | 0.7 | 3.4 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 3.7 | 1.8 | 4.9 | 10.4 | 47% | 1.0 | 2.8 | 34% | 2.3 | 3.3 | 70% | 55% | 52% | 23 |
| 2004-05 | 40 | Melbourne | 17-15 (6) | 34 | 20.3 | 7.5 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 2.6 | 5.6 | 46% | 0.4 | 1.4 | 24% | 2.0 | 3.0 | 67% | 53% | 49% | 14 |
| 2003-04 | 39 | Melbourne | 20-13 (5) | 34 | 23.5 | 7.7 | 3.2 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 2.9 | 6.4 | 46% | 0.6 | 2.0 | 29% | 1.2 | 2.1 | 56% | 52% | 50% | 18 |
| 2002-03 | 38 | Victoria | 9-21 (10) | 30 | 40.5 | 14.5 | 5.7 | 7.5 | 1.5 | 4.3 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 4.3 | 2.2 | 5.6 | 12.9 | 43% | 1.4 | 4.0 | 35% | 2.0 | 3.4 | 58% | 50% | 49% | 29 |
| 2001-02 | 37 | Victoria | 21-9 (1) | 35 | 35.7 | 12.0 | 5.1 | 7.3 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 4.5 | 10.0 | 46% | 1.0 | 3.2 | 31% | 1.9 | 3.1 | 61% | 52% | 51% | 23 |
| 2000-01 | 36 | Victoria | 22-6 (1) | 34 | 39.9 | 15.4 | 5.0 | 7.9 | 0.9 | 4.1 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 3.9 | 1.7 | 5.8 | 11.8 | 49% | 1.1 | 3.5 | 33% | 2.6 | 3.2 | 83% | 58% | 54% | 29 |
| 1999-00 | 35 | Victoria | 20-8 (4) | 36 | 39.8 | 13.8 | 4.0 | 7.8 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 0.4 | 3.9 | 2.0 | 5.2 | 11.4 | 45% | 0.8 | 2.9 | 28% | 2.6 | 3.7 | 72% | 53% | 49% | 29 |
| 1998-99 | 34 | Victoria | 16-10 (3) | 23 | 41.3 | 11.1 | 5.0 | 8.2 | 1.1 | 3.9 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 4.3 | 2.2 | 4.2 | 8.6 | 49% | 0.5 | 2.0 | 26% | 2.2 | 3.3 | 66% | 55% | 52% | 23 |
| 1998 | 34 | North Melbourne | 9-21 (11) | 17 | 39.5 | 12.5 | 4.4 | 6.9 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 4.5 | 2.2 | 4.3 | 9.6 | 45% | 0.6 | 2.4 | 25% | 3.3 | 4.7 | 70% | 53% | 48% | 21 |
| 1997 | 33 | North Melbourne | 18-12 (3) | 35 | 45.8 | 17.6 | 6.2 | 8.9 | 2.0 | 4.3 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 4.1 | 2.7 | 6.7 | 12.8 | 52% | 0.8 | 2.8 | 30% | 3.4 | 4.5 | 74% | 59% | 56% | 30 |
| 1996 | 32 | North Melbourne | 15-11 (7) | 28 | 45.4 | 17.5 | 5.3 | 10.0 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 0.7 | 3.7 | 2.5 | 6.7 | 12.8 | 53% | 0.6 | 2.6 | 25% | 3.4 | 5.0 | 69% | 58% | 55% | 30 |
| 1995 | 31 | North Melbourne | 18-8 (2) | 34 | 45.8 | 17.5 | 5.6 | 10.4 | 1.6 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 0.5 | 4.9 | 2.5 | 6.8 | 12.6 | 54% | 0.4 | 1.8 | 24% | 3.5 | 4.8 | 73% | 59% | 56% | 32 |
| 1994 | 30 | North Melbourne | 19-7 (3) | 33 | 45.8 | 17.6 | 5.7 | 10.0 | 1.7 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 0.8 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 6.9 | 12.4 | 56% | 0.3 | 1.3 | 20% | 3.5 | 5.1 | 69% | 59% | 57% | 30 | Total | 486 | 36.4 | 13.0 | 4.5 | 7.2 | 1.2 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 3.7 | 2.0 | 4.9 | 10.1 | 48.7% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 29.4% | 0.7 | 2.4 | 69.4% | 56% | 52% | 32 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 32 | 13 | 19 | 11 | 4 | 10 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- Bulleen (2003)
Derrick McDonald played with Bulleen in the 2003 state league season.
He was part of Melbourne’s state league program in 2007.
In 2008, he linked with Warrnambool, featuring with the Seahawks during the pre-season period.
He then suited up for Hume City in the 2009 state league season.
McDonald returned to Bulleen in 2014 after arriving from Hume City, and he remained part of the Boomers group in 2015 when he was noted as a scoring option off the bench during a difficult Big V season.
McDonald joined Knox for the 2017 SEABL season, adding another Victorian state league stop to his record.
McDonald joined Melbourne for the 2018 state league season and then played for the Melbourne Tigers in the 2019 NBL1 South season. In 2019 he appeared in 17 games and averaged 3.0 points, 0.7 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 0.8 steals per game, hitting 13 three-pointers at 31.0 per cent and all four of his free throws, while Melbourne finished 12–9 in sixth place. His 2019 season included a 10-point outing against Dandenong in April.
McDonald later added an RMIT stop to his state league career and was part of the Redbacks side that finished runners-up in Big V Division 1 in 2022.
McDonald joined Keysborough for the 2024 Big V season. He played 22 games and averaged 3.6 points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game while shooting 38.0 per cent from three and 90.9 per cent at the foul line. His better scoring games included 10 points against Western Port in May, 9 points against Sunbury in June, and a season-high 13 points with four assists against Bellarine in July.
McDonald joined Blackburn for the 2025 Big V Championship Men season. Early in that stint he scored six points against Shepparton in March and then faced former club RMIT with Blackburn in April.
McDonald joined Waverley for the 2026 NBL1 South season, wearing number 10.
FIBA EXPERIENCE
Played for Boomers as a naturalised Australian during the 2001 FIBA Oceania Qualifers.
It is August 2001, the Boomers take on Team USA during their tour of Australia. pic.twitter.com/OV8AdRfzwJ
— Pleb (@NBLPleb) April 14, 2026
NBA EXPERIENCE
Spent time in the NBA development league (CBA) playing for Sioux Falls Skyforce and Oklahoma City Cavalry
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Canada - Cape Breton (1993)
McDonald joined the Cape Breton Breakers for the 1993 Canadian National Basketball League season, playing his first season in Canada.
McDonald played for Cape Breton in the NBL’s inaugural 1993 season, where the Breakers finished as the regular-season leaders with a 30–16 record while playing home games at Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia, alongside league MVP and scoring champion Lee Campbell.
In the 1993 playoffs, Cape Breton swept the Edmonton Skyhawks 3–0 in the semi-finals before losing the championship series 3–1 to the Saskatoon Slam, with the finals staged in Saskatoon due to travel costs, and McDonald was recognised individually as a 1993 league All-Star and a 1993 NBL All-League selection.
COLLEGE
McDonald played college basketball at Westchester Community College from 1984 to 1986 before transferring to Texas A&M, where he competed from 1986 to 1988.
During his two seasons at Westchester CC, McDonald developed into a junior-college standout guard and earned All-Region honors while helping the program compete in NJCAA postseason play.
In his sophomore season at Westchester, he averaged over 20 points per game and was recognized among the top junior-college guards in the region, which led to his recruitment to the Southwest Conference at Texas A&M.
McDonald joined a Texas A&M program coached by Shelby Metcalf for the 1986–87 season, where the Aggies finished 20–12 overall and 9–7 in Southwest Conference play, earning an NCAA Tournament berth.
In that 1986–87 season, McDonald appeared in 32 games and averaged 7.3 points per game while shooting 46.2% from the field and 73.3% from the free-throw line, adding 2.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per contest in a reserve role.
Across those 32 games, he totaled 233 points, recorded 67 rebounds, dished 57 assists, and contributed 21 steals while helping Texas A&M reach the NCAA Tournament Round of 32.
As a senior in 1987–88, McDonald played 29 games and averaged 11.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, increasing his offensive role within the Aggies’ rotation.
During the 1987–88 campaign, Texas A&M finished 14–15 overall and 6–10 in Southwest Conference play, and McDonald led the team in several games in scoring while shooting 47.7% from the field and 78.8% from the free-throw line.
Across his two NCAA seasons at Texas A&M, McDonald appeared in 61 games, scored 558 total points, averaged 9.1 points per game, and recorded 163 rebounds and 126 assists while competing in the Southwest Conference.
His collegiate tenure included participation in the 1987 NCAA Tournament, marking the only NCAA Tournament appearance of his college career.
AWARDS
- 1x time NBL 6th Man (2004)
- 3x All-NBL First Team
- 2x All-NBL Second Team
- 4x All-NBL Third Team
- 7x NBL Assists Leader
- 10x NBL Steals Leader
COACHING HISTORY
Coached Melbourne Tigers BIGV program with Warrick Giddey in 2005.
From 2007 onwards McDonald has served as the coach of the Wesley College Firsts boys' basketball team.
McDonald served as the head coach of the Melbourne Tigers during the 2010/11 season after Al Westover was sacked.
Prior to the 2014/15 NBL season McDonald joined Melbourne United as an assistant coach to Chris Anstey. When Anstey was stood down in first month of the season McDonald took over the role of head coach after Round 1. Under McDonald, Melbourne was in fourth position for most of the season before a late season fade out saw the team miss the finals with a 13-15 win-loss record.
McDonald was involved with basketball coaching with the Australian Basketball Development (AUBD), a basketball program run by Sedale Threatt and his son Sedale Threatt Jr.
Mid-way through the 2021/22 season Darryl signed on as coach with Melbourne United, assisting head coach Dean Vickerman.
At the end of the 2022/23 season, McDonald left United to join the Brisbane Bullets as an assistant coach under Justin Schueller.
After his first year as assistant coach with Brisbane, McDonald acted as head coach for the Northside Wizards in the NBL1.
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