BIO: Thomas Glen Joseph Wilson is a former NBL basketball player, turned Australian rules football player who now plays for the Collingwood Football Club.

Born in Melbourne (VIC), Wilson played basketball for the Sandringham Sabres and the Melbourne Tigers as a junior.

He attended Caulfield Grammar School, and in 2012, he was a member of their Australian Schools Championship winning side.

He also played cricket and Australian rules football as a junior.

Wilson represented Victoria in the 2013 NAB AFL U16 Championship.

Shortly after, Wilson was awarded a NAB AFL Level 1 scholarship. Wilson received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 2014. He spent two years year there and played for the program’s state league team (2014, 2015).

NBL EXPERIENCE

Tom Wilson made his NBL debut with the Sydney Kings at 20 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

Sydney entered the 2018-19 season with high expectations after making several key signings, including Andrew Bogut, who returned to Australia after 14 seasons in the NBA, including winning an NBA championship in 2015 with Golden State.

The Kings were the first team to take advantage of the NBL’s newly established Next Stars program, signing highly touted prospect Brian Bowen, a McDonald’s All-American who opted to play in the NBL to develop his skills for the NBA Draft. Other key additions included Jerome Randle, David Wear (via Spain), Deng Deng (via Big V – McKinnon), Kyle Adnam (via Melbourne), and Tom Wilson (via Melbourne).

Tom Wilson (0.4 points, 0.1 rebounds, and 0.1 assists) appeared in 14 games during the 2018-19 season but saw limited playing time. As a development player, Wilson’s role was primarily to provide support in practice and step in when needed during games. With a roster loaded with experienced players, Wilson’s opportunities to make an impact on the court were scarce.

Despite his limited minutes, Wilson remained an important part of the team’s development structure. His efforts in practice and commitment to staying ready for his opportunities were appreciated by the coaching staff, who saw potential in the young guard for future seasons.

The Kings finished the regular season in third place with an 18-10 record before being eliminated in the semifinals by Melbourne United. Wilson’s role remained minimal during the playoffs, as he continued to focus on developing his skills and learning from the team’s veterans.

MELBOURNE UNITED
2025/26
After spending four years playing AFL football with Collingwood, Wilson signed with United on a one-year deal after finishing his AFL career.

“It’s super exciting, it feels like a dream come true,” he said.

“I feel really privileged. It’s not an opportunity that a lot of people get. I was out of the game for five years but had a connection with (United Assistant Coach) Rhys Carter, who I actually used to play against, and he and the group always made me feel really welcome coming into Hoop City. I’m excited about the basketball player I can become with this team. I think the experiences I’ve had in basketball and in footy are only going to help me moving forward.”

Dean Vickerman said, “We had the opportunity to have him practice with us last season and I was really impressed with the guard skill set that he had. Seeing him play in our building against our guys gave us confidence that he was ready to return to the league.”

Tom Wilson played one season in the NBL. He averaged 0.8 points, 0.2 rebounds, and 0.1 assists in 12 NBL games.

Dan Boyce (837 Posts)

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