Brad Newley joins the podcast to reflect on an incredible basketball career that’s taken him from Adelaide to Athens, through Olympic Games, the EuroLeague, and a long homecoming run in the NBL.
Born in the Adelaide suburb of Lower Mitcham, Newley’s journey began with the Forestville Eagles before taking him across South Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland during his school years. After a standout stint at Pasadena High alongside Joe Ingles, he earned a scholarship to the AIS in 2003. Just a year later, he exploded onto the NBL scene with the Townsville Crocodiles, winning both Rookie of the Year and Best Sixth Man, and earning MVP honours at the 2004/05 NBL All-Star Game.
He shares what life’s been like since stepping away from the pro game, his thoughts on how junior player development has evolved, and the legacy of that historic 2003 junior men’s gold medal alongside Andrew Bogut.
We revisit his breakout rookie season with the Crocodiles, including 35 All-Star Game points and memorable performances against Brisbane and New Zealand, and how that momentum led to NBA interest and a decision to build his career in Europe. Newley recounts over a decade playing abroad, including time in Turkey, Greece, Lithuania, and Spain, before finally returning to the NBL with Sydney.
Brad opens up about leading the Kings during their resurgence under Andrew Gaze, his role in the 2020 Grand Final series that was cancelled due to COVID-19, and the significance of finishing his career with Melbourne United under Dean Vickerman. He also discusses the evolution of his role from star to veteran, the challenges of the modern NBL, and what it was like sharing the floor with NBA icons as part of the Boomers squad that faced the 2008 “Redeem Team.”
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From Olympic highs to NBL heartbreak, European adventures to a fairytale finish—this episode captures the full scope of Brad Newley’s remarkable basketball story.
Listen now:
iTunes – Spotify – Libsyn – TuneIn
🏀 What Brad’s been doing since hanging up the boots (2:00)
🏀 The impact of technology on junior basketball development (7:00)
🏀 Winning gold at the 2003 FIBA U19 World Championship and its impact (11:00)
🏀 His breakout rookie season with the Townsville Crocodiles (21:00)
🏀 Preparing for the NBA Draft and the lead-up experience (28:00)
🏀 A decade-long run in Europe and playing in the EuroLeague (34:00)
🏀 Returning to the NBL with the Sydney Kings (41:00)
🏀 The 2020 NBL Grand Final series and Sydney’s withdrawal due to COVID (51:00)
🏀 Finishing his career with Melbourne United (59:00)
🏀 Facing the Redeem Team at the 2008 Olympics (105:00)
All of this and a whole lot more…
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.
