Not to be out done by fellow Australian Boomer Joe Ingles who won a Spanish National League title this week, David Andersen has led Montepaschi Siena to a 84-73 victory against Emporio Armani Milan to claim the Italian League (LegaBasket Serie A) Championship, 4-1 in a best of seven series.

The victory etches Montepaschi Siena into the Italian history books with this being their six consecutive SerieA championship, a feat never before achieved in Italian basketball and rarely accomplished in professional sports. Andersen played 15 minutes in the series clinching win, scoring seven points, grabbing two defensive rebounds and handing out three assists in an all-round display of brilliance.

Andersen will now make his return to Australia, prepared to help Australian Boomers Coach Brett Brown’s statements regarding winning a medal in London become a reality. His return to Australia has been widely anticipated by the national team, yet a fact not widely publicised about Andersen, the former Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) scholarship holder, is that he is most likely the most successful Australian men’s basketball player ever…

Lauren Jackson clearly holds the other side of that coin.

Andersen played one season in the NBL for Wollongong in 1998/99 before using his Danish passport to take advantage of the lucrative basketball contracts available in Europe. This week’s SerieA championship for Andersen is actually his third Italian Championship (he previously won back-to-back titles with Kinder Bologna in 2001-2002), add to that the fact he also has three Euroleague Championships (2001, 2006, 2008) across his impressive curricula vitae. The Euroleague Championship is a type of champions league where the best teams from different leagues across Europe vie for each year and is considered the toughest basketball competition in the world outside of the NBA. He also has Four Russian League Championships (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008), a Spanish Championship (2009) and numerous international MVP awards besides his name.

Andersen has only recently returned to Europe after flirting with three NBA teams across the past two years (Houston, Toronto and New Orleans) and he has gone about it diligently whilst displaying the blue-collar hard work expected from a boy from Frankston. Perhaps there is no greater testament to the success of David Andersen the player than his dedication to the Australian National team where he has been a regular and vital part of the squad for more than a decade, something he has maintained while remaining modest about his many achievements.

Andersen has had a stellar season in the Italian SerieA and will finally get the chance to return home when he joins the Australian Boomers for the 2012 Farewell Games. The Boomers will face Greece in Melbourne this week as part of their preparations for the Olympic Games in a three game series, two of those games having been already sold out. Tickets can be found here. No doubt people will pack the stadiums in order to see NBA superstar Patty Mills of the Spurs or former players of Melbourne NBL teams like Joe Ingles, David Barlow and Mark Worthington… but fans shouldn’t forget about the chance available now to see David Andersen, the most successful Australian basketball player ever.

Montepaschi Siena become 2012 Italian SerieA Champions

David Andersen Houston Rockets Highlights

Mitch McCarron on What Went Wrong in Adelaide, United’s 2021 Championship & Overachieving in Cairns

Former NBL champion and Australian Boomer Mitch McCarron joins the podcast to reflect on retiring from professional basketball at just 32, what went wrong during his three seasons with the Adelaide 36ers, and narrowly missing out on representing Australia at an Olympics or World Cup. Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms. Host Dan Boyce chats with McCarron about the injuries which ultimately ended his NBL career, his transition into coaching and player relations, and why he continues to play basketball with Eltham…

Darnell Mee on Adelaide’s 2001 Heartbreak, Defending NBL legends and more

Two-time NBL champion and five-time NBL Best Defensive Player Darnell Mee returns to the podcast to revisit the unfinished stories from one of the greatest careers in Australian basketball, including Adelaide’s heartbreaking 2001 playoff exit, his decision to leave the 36ers and the fight to keep the Cairns Taipans alive. Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms. Host Dan Boyce chats with Mee about watching his son Micale build his own basketball career in Australia, the chemistry behind Adelaide’s back-to-back championships, becoming teammates…

Australia’s Greatest Basketball Associations

Junior basketball development is where the Australian basketball journey begins. Before players represent Australia or reach the NBL, most first learn the game through their local basketball association. While hundreds of rookies have entered the NBL over the years, the same junior basketball programs regularly appear in their backgrounds. Some associations have developed significantly more NBL talent than others, establishing themselves as important pathways into professional basketball. Until now, a complete record of the junior association responsible for developing every player to have competed in…

David Andersen is Australia’s most successful basketball player ever!