BIO: Daniel James Dillon was born in Melbourne (VIC) and grew up in the Melbourne suburb of Hampton. He began playing basketball as a junior with the Bulleen basketball program before he moved to the United States in 2003 to attend North Laurel High School in London, Kentucky.

He averaged 23 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists per game for the school’s basketball team.high school basketball in the USA.

A graduate of the University of Arizona, Dillon has enjoyed a successful career both in Australia and overseas.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Daniel Dillon made his NBL debut with the South Dragons at 22 years of age. He scored two points in his first game.

Following his stint with the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Summer League, Daniel Dillon returned to Australia and signed with the South Dragons as a development player for the 2008/09 NBL season. Dillon became a part of the Dragons’ historic championship-winning team, which defeated the Melbourne Tigers 3–2 in a thrilling NBL Grand Final series. Dillon saw court time in both Game 3 and the decisive Game 5, contributing to the Dragons’ first and only NBL title before the team folded shortly after.

CAIRNS TAIPANS
2010/11
After finishing near the bottom of the ladder in 2010, the Cairns Taipans underwent a significant roster overhaul ahead of the 2010/11 season. While key players like Ian Crosswhite, Dusty Rychart, Aaron Grabau, and captain Phill Jones were retained, the rest of the roster was refreshed. Alex Loughton, returning from a stint in Spain, headlined the new signings. Daniel Dillon, who had spent the previous season in the state league, was signed as the Taipans’ backup point guard, and imports Ayinde Ubaka and Ron Dorsey replaced Julien Mills and Rich Melzer.

Despite a modest start, with only one win in the first three games, the Taipans quickly became the surprise package of the season, winning five straight games to rise from seventh to second place by Round 9. A balanced attack led by Ubaka (13.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists), Dorsey (13.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists), Loughton (11.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists), and Crosswhite (11.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists) propelled them to a third-place finish in the regular season with a 16–12 record.

In the semi-finals, the Taipans lost Game 1 to Townsville but bounced back to win the next two games, advancing to the Grand Final for the first time in franchise history. Facing the New Zealand Breakers, the Taipans were outclassed in Game 1, losing 85–67 in Auckland. Game 2 in Cairns was a thriller, going into double overtime after a miraculous three-pointer from Ron Dorsey. The Taipans pulled off an 85–81 win to force a deciding Game 3, but they fell short in the final game, losing 71–53 to the Breakers.

Dillon played a crucial role off the bench throughout the season, averaging 7.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists.

2011/12
For the 2011/12 season, Dillon joined the Melbourne Tigers under new coach Trevor Gleeson. Melbourne made significant roster changes, including signing the entire Cairns backcourt of Ubaka, Dorsey, and Dillon. They were expected to be contenders, with the addition of high-scoring forward Cam Tragardh. However, the NBA lockout saw the Tigers sign Boomers star Patrick Mills, forcing them to release long-time guard Daryl Corletto to make room for the NBA player.

The Tigers started the season well, with six wins from their first nine games. However, Mills left the team to take a more lucrative offer in China, and the Tigers’ form deteriorated. A loss to the Gold Coast Blaze saw owner Seamus McPeake storm into the locker room and fire Ayinde Ubaka on the spot without consulting Gleeson, leading to team instability. Ubaka was replaced by Myron Allen, but the Tigers lost momentum, finishing with a disappointing 11-17 record and missing the playoffs.

Dillon averaged 8.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists for the season, playing a key role in a turbulent campaign. Tragardh led the team in scoring with 16.3 points per game, earning All-NBL second-team honors and winning the Tigers’ MVP award.

After this season, Dillon left the NBL and spent the next seven years playing in Europe, where he continued his professional career. He was one of many talented Australian point guards affected by the NBL’s points cap system, which made it difficult for local players to remain in the league.

MELBOURNE UNITED
2017/18
In 2017, Daniel Dillon returned to Australia, signing with Melbourne United. However, just days after joining, Dillon suffered a significant Achilles injury while playing for Kilsyth in the state league, ruling him out for six to eight months. Though sidelined, Dillon remained with the team and was part of United’s championship-winning squad, securing his second NBL title when United triumphed in the 2018 NBL season.

ADELAIDE 36ERS
2019/20
On 16 May 2019, Dillon signed a two-year deal with the Adelaide 36ers, hoping to contribute to their backcourt rotation. Dillon played a supporting role, averaging 3.5 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists during the season. Adelaide finished seventh on the ladder with a 12-16 record, missing out on the playoffs.

2020/21
After long-time head coach Joey Wright was released from the 36ers following internal issues with players, former Perth Wildcats assistant Conner Henry was appointed as head coach. This coaching change led to several roster moves, including the release of co-captain Kevin White and the departure of Nathan Sobey and Harry Froling to Brisbane. Obi Kyei also left the team to focus on other ventures.

Adelaide retained Jack McVeigh, Brendan Teys, Daniel Dillon, and Alex Mudronja, while looking to rebuild its roster. In March 2020, the team signed Australian Boomers prospect Josh Giddey under the Next Stars program. The frontcourt was bolstered by re-signing club MVP Daniel Johnson and adding NBA-experienced big man Isaac Humphries. Keanu Pinder, who had played in Europe, also joined the team on a one-year deal.

Former Illawarra Hawk Sunday Dech joined on a three-year contract, and import guards Donald Sloan and Tony Crocker rounded out the main roster. The 36ers started the season with young stars Giddey and Humphries in the lineup but struggled in their opener, losing to Melbourne (65-89). Coach Henry quickly adjusted the lineup, inserting Sloan into the starting point guard role, resulting in a win over South East Melbourne in their second game.

Adelaide had a promising start to the season, but COVID-19 disruptions led to the creation of the NBL Cup, a tournament in Melbourne. The 36ers’ form declined during this period, and they dropped down the standings. Injuries to key players like Humphries further hurt the team’s chances, and Adelaide released interim player Jeremy Kendle and brought in Brandon Paul as a replacement.

Despite standout performances from Daniel Johnson, who averaged 19.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists, and co-MVP Josh Giddey, the 36ers finished the season with a 13-23 record, placing seventh. Dillon, contributing as a role player, averaged 3.6 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists over the course of the season, which ended in disappointment for Adelaide.

Daniel Dillon played five seasons across four NBL teams. This included the South Dragons, Melbourne Tigers, Cairns Taipans and Adelaide 36ers. He averaged 5.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2 assists in 127 NBL games.

Dan Boyce (827 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.