BIO: Brett Rainbow was born in Melbourne (VIC) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Melbourne basketball program.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Brett Rainbow made his NBL debut with the Melbourne Tigers at 18 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

Coming off a title in 1993, the Tigers recorded their best record in franchise history with 19 wins and 7 losses, finishing top of the NBL ladder. The strength of the Tigers saw minimal playing opportunities for Rainbow, playing in only one game for the season and failing to register a stat.

1995
In 1995, Mark Bradtke requested some time off to allow him to support his wife Nicole’s tennis career as she travelled abroad and miss the first two-thirds of the season. Around that same time, Chris Anstey, a part of the Tigers junior program, also informed the club that he would return, having signed a deal to play with rival club South East Melbourne. Melbourne coach Lindsey Gaze appealed via the NBL tribunal, which ruled that Anstey could not leave the Tigers as long as they could match the contract, which they did.

After some extremely creative salary tweaking, the Magic then signed Anstey to a one year deal worth $180,000 which the Tigers had no interest in matching, allowing Anstey to shift clubs. Once Anstey had signed with the Magic, he renegotiated his contract to a 3-year, $181,000 contract, remaining higher than the Tigers contract not to break any NBL salary cap rules of the time.

The Tigers added forward Matt Reece (via Gold Coast) and centre Blair Smith (via Brisbane) to cover the loss of Bradtke and Anstey.

Andrew Gaze (33.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 2.3 steals), Lanard Copeland (25.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.7 steals) and Dave Simmons (14.7 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks) led the team offensively, during a season which saw a merry-go-round of league leaders, during the regular season, Brisbane, Sydney, North Melbourne, South East Melbourne and Melbourne all sat in the number one spot on the ladder some point. With Melbourne narrowly sitting among the top eight team’s (10-7), Bradtke (11.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.2 blocks) would return to playout the Tigers’ last nine games for the season.

The Tigers would scrape into the playoffs, claiming the eighth seed (14-12), their worst result since 1988. With Bradtke out of form and the team still adjusting to him being back in the lineup, Melbourne was eliminated by the Perth Wildcats in the first round (1-2).

Rainbow saw limited opportunities to play, appearing in only six games and scoring a total of 8 points.

Some oldschool NBL Dunk Comp highlights #straightfromthetapes pic.twitter.com/8GqXQ3x4wm— RANDOM HOOPS (@HoopsRandom) May 23, 2024

Rainbow as not offered a contract to return for the 1996 season but did enough to impress during his time playing in the state league to gain another deal to play with the Tigers in 1997.

1997
After reaching the 1996 Grand Final before losing game three to South East Melbourne, Melbourne moved on from long-time import Dave Simmons and brought in Jarvis Lang. Brett Rainbow returned to the Tigers after not being offered a contract for 1996, having performed strongly enough outside the NBL to earn another opportunity with the club. Rainbow had already built a reputation as one of the league’s best athletes, winning three consecutive NBL Slam Dunk titles from 1993-95, but returned to a Melbourne roster containing established stars Andrew Gaze, Lanard Copeland and Mark Bradtke.

Rainbow (1.2 points across 13 games) remained at the end of Lindsay Gaze’s rotation, playing 56 minutes for the season. His best game came against Perth on May 3, where Rainbow (6 points, 1 rebound, and 1 block) made 3-of-5 field goals in 8:49, with the six points matching his NBL career high.

Melbourne stumbled to a 3-9 start as Lang battled knee problems and the Tigers lost a victory over Adelaide after Bradtke was ruled to have returned from his stint with the Philadelphia 76ers without the required clearance. Lang was subsequently released and replaced by Marcus Timmons, who had spent the previous season with Illawarra and immediately gave the Tigers the athleticism and versatility they had been missing. Melbourne closed the regular season with 14 consecutive victories and finished second at 19-11. Gaze (30.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.4 steals) played every game, led the league in scoring and won the MVP award, while Copeland (23 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists), Bradtke (20.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks) and Timmons (17.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.5 blocks) gave Melbourne one of the league’s most productive groups.

Melbourne defeated North Melbourne 107-99 in the opening semifinal as Gaze (39 points), Bradtke (25 points and 15 rebounds) and Copeland (20 points) overcame a Giants side led by David Stiff (24 points and 13 rebounds). The Tigers then won game two 112-105 to complete the sweep and return to the Grand Final against defending champion South East Melbourne.

Rainbow (1 point) received 2:33 of court time in game one as Melbourne crushed the Magic 111-74 behind Copeland (29 points and 6 rebounds), Timmons (24 points and 9 rebounds) and Gaze (23 points and 9 assists), extending the Tigers’ winning streak into the Grand Final. South East Melbourne answered with an 84-78 victory in game two behind Anstey (21 points and 8 rebounds), while Copeland (28 points) led Melbourne.

Game three went to Melbourne 93-83 as Copeland (26 points and 6 rebounds), Gaze (22 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists), Bradtke (21 points and 11 rebounds) and Timmons (20 points and 13 rebounds) overcame Ronaldson (26 points and 8 rebounds), giving Rainbow his first NBL championship.

1998
Melbourne entered the NBL’s final winter season defending the championship it had won after a remarkable 17-game winning streak the previous year. Lindsay Gaze kept the championship group together, with Andrew Gaze, Lanard Copeland, Mark Bradtke, Marcus Timmons, Warrick Giddey, Ray Gordon, Blair Smith, Daniel Egan, Brett Jefferies, Erik Wickstrom and Brett Rainbow all returning. Rainbow had earned his way back onto Melbourne’s roster in 1997 after spending the previous NBL season outside the league, entering 1998 as an NBL champion and already a three-time NBL Slam Dunk champion after winning the contest in 1993, 1994 and 1995.

Rainbow (1.6 points across 10 games) remained at the end of Lindsay’s rotation, playing 48 minutes and scoring 16 points for the season.

Rainbow’s strongest performance came against Townsville at the Melbourne Sports & Entertainment Centre on February 10, where he matched his season-high with 3 points and added 2 rebounds in 5:35. Gaze (39 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) and Timmons (30 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) carried Melbourne as the Tigers edged the Crocodiles 115-111.

Gaze (31.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.4 steals across 32 games) remained Melbourne’s dominant offensive force, leading the NBL in scoring, earning All-NBL First Team honours and winning his seventh and final league Most Valuable Player award. Copeland (22.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.2 steals across 26 games) remained the Tigers’ other major perimeter scorer, while Timmons (19.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.4 steals across 32 games) was the only member of Melbourne’s established core to increase his scoring from the championship season. Bradtke (15.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks across 30 games) continued to anchor the interior, while Giddey (3.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4 assists across 32 games) provided rebounding and playmaking around the established scorers.

The defending champions won only four of their first ten games before recovering during the second half of the season and carrying a four-game winning streak into the playoffs. Melbourne finished fifth at 16-14, level with Brisbane but placed behind the Bullets after losing the season series 2-1, giving Brisbane home-court advantage for the elimination finals.

Rainbow did not play in game one at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, where Gaze (34 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) and Timmons (16 points and 7 rebounds) led Melbourne. Steve Woodberry (24 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block) produced Brisbane’s strongest performance, with the Bullets defeating the Tigers 93-80 and moving within one victory of advancing.

Game two moved to Melbourne Park, where Rainbow (2 points and 1 rebound) played 5:34 and made one of two field-goal attempts. Copeland (22 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) and Bradtke (20 points and 6 rebounds) led Melbourne, while Leroy Loggins (27 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) made four three-pointers as Brisbane overwhelmed the Tigers 114-81, completing the two-game sweep and ending Melbourne’s championship defence.

1998
Melbourne was able to return with its entire Grand Final roster intact. While the Tigers had surprised the league in 1997, both with their 17-game consecutive win streak and their championship win, in 1998, the team fell far short of expectations. In hindsight, the Tigers’ core group had reached the downside of their careers with Gaze and Copeland (both 33 y/o), veterans Ray Gordon (32 y/o), and Warrick Giddey (30 y/o) all over thirty, while the average of a NBL player in 1998 being 26 years of age. This left Mark Bradtke (28 y/o) and Timmons (26 y/o) as the players on the team scoring over six points per game and under 30 years of age. Melbourne would start the season slowly, winning four of their first ten games, but head into the playoffs on a four-game winning streak, finishing in fifth place (16-14). Once into the finals, Melbourne was swiftly eliminated in the first round in two straight games by Brisbane, who featured a versatile four-person rotation just as potent as the Tigers. The four-man combo of Steve Woodberry (26.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.4 steals), Leroy Loggins (17.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals), Chuck Kornegay (16.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks) and CJ Bruton (15.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.8 steals) proving too strong in their game one win at home (93-80) and their 33 point demolition of the Tigers in game two (114-81).

Gaze (31.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.4 steals) would lead the league in scoring, be included in the All-NBL first team and earn his eighth and final league MVP in a year where the Tigers slowly began to fade away from championship contenders from this season onwards.

The core group of Copeland (22.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.2 steals), Bradtke (15.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.5 blocks), Gordon (4.1 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists) and Giddey (3.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists) all saw their numbers decline from the previous season with Timmons (19.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, and 1.4 steals) the only player on the roster to have a better season than the one prior. Rainbow would see minimal playing time, appearing in only ten games and scoring a total of 16 points.

1998/99
With the NBL changing its schedule to become a summer sport in 1998, the Tigers were able to pull together one last run from its aging roster. Gaze (33.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists), Lanard Copeland (25.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists), Marcus Timmons (20.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.3 blocks) and Bradtke (17.1 points, 13.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.9 blocks) combined to average a ridiculous 97 points per game. Rainbow would only appear in two games, failing to score

Melbourne won 17 games for the season and earned a playoff rematch with Brisbane, who had eliminated Melbourne during last year’s playoffs. The Tigers would avenge that result and defeat the Bullets in two straight games. in the semifinals, the Tigers would then face long-time rivals Brian Goorjian and the Victoria Titans, and even with star import Marcus Timmnons (31 points and 9 rebounds) delivering a unstoppable performance, the Titans held on to win (80-77) with Tony Ronaldson (17 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists) top scoring for the victors and Paul Maley (16 points) having a efficient game off the bench, making seven of his nine shots in 22 minutes of court time.

In game two, the Titans led the Tigers in all four quarters and again came away victorious (94-87). Mike Kelly (19 points and 7 rebounds) would step up, making 7 of his 12 shots, and Ben Pepper (15 points, 13 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks) delivered his best game of the series, shooting a efficient 7 of 12 from the field.

Brett Rainbow played five seasons the Melbourne Tigers. He averaged 1.2 points, 0.4 rebounds, and 0.2 assists in 32 NBL games.

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