Akech Aliir
October 17, 2023
Malith Machar
- Nationality: AUS/SSD
- Date of Birth: 8/06/99
- Place of Birth: Adelaide (SA)
- Position: FRD
- Height (CM): 198
- Weight (KG): 77
- Junior Assoc:
- College:
- NBL DEBUT: 9/10/22
- AGE AT DEBUT: 23
- LAST NBL GAME: 17/03/24
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 24
- NBL History: Melbourne 2023-24, 2026
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Malith Machar was born in Adelaide (SA).
NBL EXPERIENCE
Malith Machar made his NBL debut with the Melbourne United at 23 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.
In August 2022, Malith Machar signed a two-year development player deal with Melbourne United, with a team option for the second season. On the announcement of his signing, coach Dean Vickerman expressed his optimism, stating, “At 6’6 he’s a long, versatile athlete that can play at a high tempo, defend multiple positions and shoot the ball well from beyond the arc. I can’t wait to get him back in Melbourne and continue to see just how much he can do for us.”
Coming off a season where they finished on top of the ladder but suffered an early playoff exit, United entered NBL23 with championship expectations. However, the team faced significant challenges before the season even began. Star centre Jo Lual-Acuil, who had been keen to stay in Melbourne, departed for a lucrative offer in China. Jack White and Matthew Dellavedova, both under contract, secured last-minute NBA deals with Denver and Sacramento, respectively, leaving United scrambling to fill their roster.
United signed Isaac Humphries (via Adelaide), Xavier Rathan-Mayes (via Illawarra), and imports Rayjon Tucker and Jordan Caroline, while David Barlow came out of retirement to help address roster gaps. However, things went from bad to worse when Next Star Ariel Hukporti suffered a season-ending Achilles injury during the NBL Blitz in Darwin. With Humphries recovering from knee issues, the team lacked depth in the frontcourt, forcing veteran forwards Barlow, Brad Newley, and Caroline into extended minutes at centre.
Despite these setbacks, United opened their season with an overtime win against New Zealand (101–97), thanks to a stellar performance from Rathan-Mayes (33 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists). However, injuries and roster instability persisted. Shea Ili, who was expected to lead the second unit, appeared in just 13 games due to recurring concussions. Tucker, initially signed as the primary scorer, struggled to meet expectations but still managed solid averages of 17.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. Caroline (5.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists) failed to adjust to playing as an undersized centre and was replaced mid-season by Marcus Lee (9.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks).
United endured a rough start to the season (5–6), including a shock loss to Illawarra (93–79), who had only one win at the time. However, following a crucial 104–88 victory over Brisbane, where Goulding (20 points), Tucker (20 points), Lee (18 points), and Ili (15 points) delivered strong performances, United turned their season around with an 11–3 run to close out the regular season. On the final day, Tucker’s 31-point effort secured a win over Adelaide (116–107), but United narrowly missed the Play-In Qualifier due to points percentage after Perth defeated Sydney.
A key highlight of the season was Melbourne’s involvement in the NBL’s first Pride Round, spearheaded by Isaac Humphries’ public announcement as the league’s first openly gay player. Additionally, United played a marquee Christmas Day game against Sydney, drawing over 300,000 viewers despite a 101–80 loss, with Tucker leading all scorers with 31 points.
Machar appeared in four games during the season, contributing a total of one point.
2023/24
After finishing seventh and missing the postseason on percentage, Melbourne entered NBL24 without Isaac Humphries (to Adelaide), Mason Peatling (to Illawarra), David Okwera (to Perth), Makuach Maluach (to Sydney), Marcus Lee (to Tasmania), Lachlan Barker (to Tasmania), Rayjon Tucker (to Italy), Xavier Rathan-Mayes (to Turkey), Joshua Duach and David Barlow (retired). Coach Dean Vickerman brought Jo Lual-Acuil Jr (via China) and Matthew Dellavedova (via Sacramento) back to Melbourne while adding Ian Clark (via Adelaide), Luke Travers (via Perth), Tanner Krebs (via Brisbane), Flynn Cameron (via UC Riverside) and Kyle Bowen (via Saint Mary’s). Rob Loe (via New Zealand) later joined as an injury replacement, while Machar returned for his second season as a development player on a two-year deal with an option attached to NBL25.
Melbourne opened the season against South East Melbourne at John Cain Arena on September 28, where Machar (0 points in 1:18) entered late as United won 82-67 behind Travers (20 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) and Dellavedova (17 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals), while Ben Ayre (17 points) led the Phoenix.
Machar (0 points across 3 games) remained at the end of Melbourne’s rotation. His best game came against South East Melbourne on February 3, where Machar (0 points and 2 rebounds) played a season-high 7:21 as United won 99-83 and completed a four-game sweep of the Throwdown series. Lual-Acuil Jr (16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) and Cameron (15 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) led Melbourne, while Abdel Nader (18 points and 4 rebounds) was South East Melbourne’s leading scorer.
Machar’s final appearance came in game one of the Grand Final series, where Machar (0 points in 0:53) entered during the closing minute as Melbourne defeated Tasmania 104-81 behind Goulding (22 points and 4 rebounds) and Lual-Acuil Jr (20 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks), while Anthony Drmic (18 points) and Milton Doyle (16 points and 8 rebounds) led Tasmania. Machar did not play again as the JackJumpers won three of the final four games, including game five 83-81 at John Cain Arena, to secure their first championship.
2025/26
Melbourne’s NBL26 roster reset came after another Championship Series loss, with Dean Vickerman keeping Chris Goulding, Shea Ili, Tanner Krebs and Kyle Bowen while reworking the rest of the team. Matthew Dellavedova (to Sydney), Flynn Cameron (to Adelaide), Akech Aliir (to South East Melbourne), Rob Loe (to New Zealand), Marcus Lee (to Cairns), Jack White (to Turkey), Ian Clark (to South East Melbourne) and Joel Foxwell (to NCAA) departed, while Vickerman added Milton Doyle (via Tasmania), Finn Delany (via Japan), Fabijan Krslovic (via Tasmania), Tyson Walker (via Texas Legends), Jesse Edwards (via Iowa Wolves), Next Star Dash Daniels (via Centre of Excellence), Tom Wilson (via Melbourne Tigers) and Malith Machar (via Sandringham).
Melbourne opened the season in Hobart on September 18, where Machar did not play as United defeated Tasmania 88-84 behind Doyle (22 points and 3 assists), Walker (14 points and 3 steals) and Delany (12 points and 8 rebounds), while Bryce Hamilton (24 points) led the JackJumpers. Machar’s first appearance came three days later against New Zealand, where Machar (3 points) played 5:56 minutes as Melbourne defeated the Breakers 114-82, with Edwards (22 points and 6 rebounds) and Daniels (14 points and 5 rebounds) providing support, while Izaiah Brockington (21 points and 6 rebounds) led New Zealand.
Machar (1.6 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 0.1 assists, 0 steals, and 0.1 blocks across 23 games) filled a low-minute wing role in his first full roster season with United, giving Melbourne athleticism and bench depth when called on. His best early game came against Cairns on October 12, where Machar (3 points and 3 rebounds) played 9:11 minutes as Melbourne defeated the Taipans 95-60, with Edwards (16 points and 12 rebounds) and Goulding (16 points) leading United, while Alex Higgins-Titsha (16 points) was Cairns’ best.
Machar’s strongest defensive game came against New Zealand on October 19, where Machar (2 rebounds and 2 blocks) played 10:17 minutes as Melbourne defeated the Breakers 104-88, with Goulding (23 points) and Krebs (17 points and 3 rebounds) leading United, while Brockington (25 points) led New Zealand.
Machar’s best scoring game came against Perth on January 25, where Machar (7 points and 1 rebound) played 11:02 minutes and finished +15 as Melbourne defeated the Wildcats 74-73, with Doyle (24 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists) and Edwards (18 points and 17 rebounds) leading United, while Lual-Acuil Jr (24 points and 11 rebounds) was Perth’s best.
Doyle (16 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists) led Melbourne in scoring, while Walker (14.2 points, 4.4 assists, and 1.6 steals) added speed and defence and won the club’s Defensive Player of the Year award. Edwards (13.3 points and 8.4 rebounds) anchored the frontcourt and earned Melbourne’s club MVP award, while Goulding (12.8 points), Delany (11.4 points and 5.5 rebounds), Krebs (7.9 points and 3.3 rebounds) and Ili (7.3 points and 3.1 assists) were the other main contributors. Krslovic (4.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks) won the SHARE award, Bowen won the United Belt, and Machar was recognised with the GameTime by Kmart Award for his work off the court.
Melbourne won its first nine games before injuries and inconsistency pushed the club into the play-in race. United closed the regular season against South East Melbourne on February 19, where Machar (0 points) played 1:48 minutes as Melbourne defeated the Phoenix 95-91, with Doyle (25 points), Walker (23 points and 5 assists) and Edwards (17 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks) leading United, while Nathan Sobey (29 points and 7 rebounds) was South East Melbourne’s best as Melbourne finished fifth with a 20-13 record.
Melbourne hosted Tasmania in the Play-In Qualifier at John Cain Arena, where Machar (2 rebounds) played 3:18 minutes as United defeated the JackJumpers 82-68 behind Delany (33 points and 6 rebounds), Doyle (19 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Krebs (11 points), while Nick Marshall (20 points and 6 rebounds), Josh Bannan (16 points and 5 rebounds) and David Johnson (16 points) led Tasmania.
The Play-In Game moved to RAC Arena, where Perth ended Melbourne’s season 95-77 behind Lual-Acuil Jr (28 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 blocks), Doolittle (24 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Windler (18 points and 9 rebounds), while Doyle (13 points), Edwards (12 points and 8 rebounds) and Walker (12 points) led United, and Machar (3 points) played 1:53 minutes in the loss.
Malith Machar currently plays for the Melbourne United and has played 32 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 1.3 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 0 assists since entering the league in 2022.
CURRENT CONTRACT:
Melbourne United – 1 Year Deal (2026-27)
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 26 | Melbourne | 20-13 (5) | 23 | 101.4 | 36 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 33 | 36% | 6 | 18 | 33% | 6 | 10 | 60% | 48% | 45% | 7 |
| 2023-24 | 24 | Melbourne | 20-8 (1) | 3 | 9.5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0% | 0 | 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 23 | Melbourne | 15-13 (7) | 6 | 12.1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 60% | 0 | 2 | 0% | 0 | 2 | 0% | 50% | 0% | 2 | Totals | 32 | 123 | 42 | 17 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 15 | 41 | 36.6% | 6 | 21 | 28.6% | 6 | 12 | 50.0% | 45% | 44% | 2 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 26 | Melbourne | 20-13 (5) | 23 | 4.4 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 36% | 0.3 | 0.8 | 33% | 0.3 | 0.4 | 60% | 48% | 45% | 7 |
| 2023-24 | 24 | Melbourne | 20-8 (1) | 3 | 3.2 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 23 | Melbourne | 15-13 (7) | 6 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 60% | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0% | 50% | 0% | 2 | Total | 32 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 36.6% | 0.0 | 28.6% | 0.2 | 0.7 | 50.0% | 45% | 44% | 2 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- Forestville (2022–2023), Knox (2024), Sandringham (2025)
Machar, born on 6 August 1999, joined the Forestville Eagles for the 2022 NBL1 Central season and made an immediate impact as a long, athletic wing scorer.
With Forestville in 2022, Machar averaged 15.2 points and 7.8 rebounds across the season, numbers that rounded out to the 16 points and eight rebounds noted in contemporary coverage, while also knocking down 45 percent from three-point range. He helped the Eagles reach the NBL1 Central preliminary final, produced 22 points and 12 rebounds against Central Districts in July, scored 24 points against South Adelaide in April, and had 18 points and 16 rebounds against North Adelaide late in the regular season.
Machar returned to Forestville for the 2023 NBL1 Central season. He opened the year with 25 points and nine rebounds in a win over the Southern Tigers, delivered 26 points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks in the preliminary final win over West Adelaide to send the Eagles into the decider, and then played in the 2023 NBL1 Central Grand Final as Forestville finished runner-up.
Machar joined the Knox Raiders for the 2024 NBL1 South season and became part of a group that added more athleticism and scoring punch to the defending national champions. Knox finished 13–9 in the regular season and exited the South finals in the elimination final, but the Raiders regrouped for the National Finals and successfully defended the national title. In that national-finals run, Machar had nine points and eight rebounds against Maitland, 12 points and six rebounds in the semi-final against Eltham, and 10 points, five rebounds and two blocks in the championship-game win over Mackay.
Machar joined the Sandringham Sabres for the 2025 NBL1 South season and emerged as one of the league’s most productive forwards. He averaged 21.12 points, 5.00 rebounds, 1.12 assists and 0.77 blocks per game, earned selection in the NBL1 South Men’s All Second Team, and was part of a Sandringham side that recovered from an 0–6 start to storm through the second half of the season.
During Sandringham’s 2025 title run, Machar delivered a series of major finals performances. He scored 25 points in the qualifying-final win over Hobart, had 27 points on 6-of-10 three-point shooting in the semi-final against Eltham, and added 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting in the preliminary-final win over Mount Gambier. In the NBL1 South Grand Final, he was central to Sandringham overturning a 46–35 halftime deficit against Melbourne, finishing with 28 points on 10-of-17 shooting, including 5-of-10 from deep, as the Sabres won 99–80. Sandringham also won the rebound count 54–39 and shot 47.2 percent from the field in that decider, with Machar’s outside shooting and downhill scoring helping drive the second-half surge.
After winning the South title, Machar continued to produce at the 2025 NBL1 National Finals. He had 17 points and four rebounds in Sandringham’s opening national-finals game and then scored 29 points with five made threes against Geraldton, but the Sabres fell short of the national championship game.
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