NICKNAME/S: Cal

BIO: Callum Dalton was born in Logan (QLD) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Logan basketball program. Dalton received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 2016. He spent two years year there and played for the program’s state league team (2016, 2017, 2018).

FAMILY: Callum Dalton is the son of Mark Dalton who played 421 games in the NBL. His uncle is also Brad Dalton who played 290 games in the NBL.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Callum Dalton made his NBL debut with the Brisbane Bullets at 20 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

Queensland’s Cal Dalton signed a Development Player deal with the Brisbane Bullets ahead of the 2021 season. Brisbane fielded a high-scoring roster, led by Vic Law (18.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks) shooting 47% from the field, and team captain Nathan Sobey (21.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists) shooting 46%. The Bullets also boasted a strong local frontcourt featuring Matthew Hodgson (10.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks), Harry Froling (8.0 points and 4.9 rebounds), and Tyrell Harrison (5.2 points and 5.8 rebounds). Their dominance on the glass helped Brisbane finish third in offensive rebounding and second in defensive rebounds league-wide.

The Bullets showcased their potential in a win over Illawarra (97-91), where Law delivered 29 points and 9 rebounds, while Sobey added 18 points and 7 assists. However, despite their strong offensive firepower and rebounding advantage, the team struggled to maintain consistency and sat at 8-8 midway through the season.

In March, Brisbane released Orlando Johnson (6.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists) after 15 games. Lamar Patterson (14.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.5 steals) returned to the Bullets after being released by New Zealand due to injuries and form concerns. Patterson provided an immediate boost but was met with misfortune as Vic Law suffered a season-ending knee injury in his next game, leaving Brisbane with a massive void in their lineup.

At 10-8, the Bullets hovered around the playoff picture but faltered without Law. Sobey tried to step up, but Brisbane lost five of their next seven games. To stabilize the roster, BJ Johnson (10.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.9 assists) was signed midseason, helping slow the decline, though the team finished the season on an 8-10 run.

Despite flashes of brilliance, Brisbane ended the season with an 18-18 record, finishing sixth and missing the playoffs. Dalton appeared in three games but did not score. The Bullets’ season was defined by inconsistency and untimely injuries, preventing them from capitalizing on their potential.

MELBOURNE UNITED
2021/22
After a season with his hometown Brisbane Bullets, Cal Dalton joined Melbourne United for the 2021/22 NBL campaign. United, defending champions, faced significant roster changes, losing Jock Landale to the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs and Mitch McCarron to Adelaide. To rebuild, they re-signed Jo Lual Acuil, David Barlow, and Shea Ili, welcomed back Jack White from an ACL injury, and added Brad Newley, NZNBL MVP Dion Prewster, NBA champion Matthew Dellavedova, and Nigerian Olympian Caleb Agada. Ariel Hukporti, a German prospect, joined via the Next Stars program.

After a 0-2 start, Melbourne regained form, ending December with a three-game win streak and losing only once in January (5-1) while playing exclusively on the road. In January, Chris Goulding reached 5,000 career NBL points, becoming just the second active player to do so, alongside Adelaide’s Daniel Johnson.

By February, United solidified their place atop the ladder with a 12-4 record. Jo Lual Acuil led the team in scoring (16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks), earning All-NBL First Team honors. Chris Goulding (15.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists) was named to the All-NBL Second Team, while Shea Ili (8.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.4 steals) won Sixth Man of the Year. Dalton appeared in six games, averaging 1.3 points and 0.5 rebounds. United finished the regular season in first place with a 20-8 record.

In the semifinals, Melbourne faced the Tasmania JackJumpers, who had finished fourth in their debut season. United won Game 1 (74-63) but lost Game 2 in Tasmania, forcing a decisive Game 3. In a major setback, Chris Goulding was ruled out, which crippled United’s offense. The team shot a poor 20% from beyond the arc (6-29), compared to Tasmania’s 31% (10-32). Dellavedova (1-7), Agada (0-7), White (0-5), and Baba (0-2) combined for just 1-21 from three-point range. Despite staying close, United ultimately fell short (76-73), ending their season as Tasmania advanced to the Grand Final in their inaugural year.

2022/23
After finishing the previous season on top of the ladder but suffering an early playoff exit after losing star guard Chris Goulding to injury, Melbourne United entered the 2022/23 campaign with high expectations of returning as championship favourites. However, the team faced an offseason of upheaval, losing almost half of their starting lineup before their first game due to injuries and overseas opportunities.

Leading scorer Jo Lual Acuil departed for China after receiving an offer too lucrative to refuse. Jack White and Matthew Dellavedova, both under contract for the season, secured NBA deals with Denver and Sacramento just weeks before tip-off. These unexpected losses left United scrambling to rebuild their roster as most players globally had already signed contracts. To fill the void, United signed Isaac Humphries (via Adelaide), Xavier Rathan-Mayes (via Illawarra), Rayjon Tucker, and Jordan Caroline, while veteran David Barlow came out of retirement to bolster the team.

The challenges compounded when Next Star Ariel Hukporti suffered a season-ending Achilles injury during the NBL Blitz in Darwin. With Hukporti sidelined, Humphries, recovering from previous knee issues, was thrust into major minutes as the starting centre. This forced veteran forwards Barlow and Brad Newley, along with Caroline, to play out of position and log significant minutes in the frontcourt.

Despite the adversity, United opened the season with a thrilling overtime win against New Zealand (101–97), led by a standout performance from Rathan-Mayes, who tallied 33 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists. Initially recruited to anchor the second unit, Rathan-Mayes (14.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists) was thrust into the starting lineup after Shea Ili (8.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists) was sidelined with a concussion sustained during FIBA qualifying games. Ili’s recurring absences limited him to just 13 games across three stints, forcing Tucker to step into a playmaking role.

Melbourne struggled early, holding a 5-6 record after the first three months of the season. Media scrutiny mounted, calling for an import change to address the team’s struggles. Tucker (17.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists) showed flashes of brilliance but was inconsistent, while Caroline (5.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists) failed to adapt as an undersized centre and was released. To stabilize the team, United signed Marcus Lee (9.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks) in November, whose size and defensive presence sparked a midseason turnaround.

A shocking loss to Illawarra (93–79), a team with just one win at the time, became a turning point. United responded with a decisive 16-point victory over Brisbane (104–88), featuring standout performances from Goulding (20 points), Tucker (20 points), Lee (18 points), Ili (15 points), and Rathan-Mayes (8 points, 10 rebounds). This marked the beginning of an impressive 11-3 run to close the season.

Heading into the final day of the regular season, United remained in contention for a Play-In Qualifier spot. Tucker delivered a dominant performance against Adelaide (31 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) to secure a 116–107 win. However, Perth’s victory over league leaders Sydney ultimately edged Melbourne out of the playoffs on points percentage.

Dalton appeared in five games during the season, averaging 1.4 points and 0.2 rebounds.

Callum Dalton played three seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Brisbane Bullets and the Melbourne United..

Dan Boyce (817 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.