The NBL’s Most Average Player for the 2018/19 Season
September 23, 2018
Marshall Nelson
- Nationality: AUS
- Date of Birth: 31/01/94
- Place of Birth: Perth (WA)
- Position: GRD
- Height (CM): 184
- Weight (KG): 85
- Junior Assoc:
- College: Rhode Island College (2014-16) / Wayland Baptist (2016-17)
- NBL DEBUT: 14/10/18
- AGE AT DEBUT: 24
- LAST NBL GAME: 11/03/22
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 28
- NBL History: Illawarra 2019, 2022
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Marshall Nelson was born in Perth (WA)
NBL EXPERIENCE
Marshall Nelson made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks at 24 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.
After a challenging 2017/18 season, Illawarra saw several key players depart, including Demitrius Conger (to Serbia), Rotnei Clarke (to Greece), Nicholas Kay (to Perth), Delvon Johnson (to Slovakia), and Cody Ellis and Rhys Martin, who both retired. In response, the Hawks made significant roster changes, adding Jordair Jett (via NZNBL), Brian Conklin (via France), David Andersen (via Melbourne), Cedric Jackson (via USA), and rookies Emmett Naar and Daniel Grida. They retained key players AJ Ogilvy, Tim Coenraad, Nic Pozoglou, and team captain Kevin White.
Illawarra began the season with a dramatic quadruple-overtime thriller, narrowly losing to Melbourne (122–123). They followed this heartbreaking defeat with a heavy loss to Perth (101–61) but rebounded with a road win against Cairns (104–93). A brief two-game win streak later in October saw the Hawks secure victories against Brisbane (86–78) and Adelaide (120–109), momentarily placing them in fifth. However, inconsistency plagued the team, and they later endured a four-game losing streak in November, including defeats to Perth (90–81), Sydney (81–90), and Adelaide (104–79). Despite flashes of potential, the Hawks finished with a 12-16 record, missing the playoffs.
Marshall Nelson had limited opportunities during the 2018-19 season, seeing action in just 15 games. Nelson’s standout performances were few but notable given his role. His best games included 8 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist against Melbourne (23 Jan 2019), 4 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists against Cairns (4 Feb 2019), and 6 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist against Adelaide (25 Nov 2018). His ability to contribute in short bursts reflected his efficiency in limited minutes.
Alongside Nelson, Illawarra was led offensively by Brian Conklin (14.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists), Todd Blanchfield (13.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists), who earned the Hawks’ club MVP award, Jordair Jett (11.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists), and AJ Ogilvy (9.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks). Despite strong individual performances, the Hawks couldn’t maintain consistency and ultimately missed the playoffs in what was one of the most competitive NBL seasons.
2021/22
Cairns underwent a rehaul prior to the 2021/22 season, with the first move being Adam Forde replacing head coach Mike Kelly. Forde, who had spent the previous season coaching the Sydney Kings, was tasked with finding new firepower for the Snakes after losing the team’s leading scorer, Cam Oliver, to the NBA the previous season.
Imports Tahjere McCall and Stephen Zimmerman were brought in, alongside Keanu Pinder (via Adelaide) and rookie Bul Kuol (Detroit Mercy) to bolster a Taipans core that already included Majok Deng, Kouat Noi, Nathan Jawai, Mirko Djeric, Jarrod Kenny, and Scott Machado, who was named team captain.
The Taipans struggled to generate wins all season due to a series of player injuries, preventing Cairns from fielding a full roster in any game that season. Despite these struggles, Forde was instrumental in developing the Taipans’ younger talent, many of whom delivered career-best seasons.
Majok Deng (14.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1 assist) had his best season to date, playing in every game for the Taipans and finishing second on the team in points per game. Keanu Pinder (10.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists) went on to be named the NBL’s Most Improved Player after doubling his points and rebounds from the previous season.
Another breakout season came from Ben Ayre (6.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists), who originally joined the team as an unpaid training player after being recommended by former 36ers coach Joey Wright. Ayre was elevated to the full-time roster as an injury replacement in April and went on to break NBL records during his eight-game tenure. On 18 April 2022, in just his sixth appearance for the Taipans, Ayre scored a team-high 20 points along with 10 assists, four rebounds, three steals, and four three-pointers in a loss to Melbourne (80–92). He became just the third player in the 2021/22 season to record 20 points and 10 assists in a game (alongside Bryce Cotton and Jaylen Adams) and the second Taipan in club history to register 20 points and 10 assists.
First-year player Bul Kuol (10.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists), who was initially told he was not guaranteed to be part of the rotation, also saw injuries thrust him into the lineup. He quickly became one of the Taipans’ most important players and was rewarded at the season’s end by being named Rookie of the Year.
Scott Machado (10.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists) sustained a heel injury in round two of NBL22, missing more than six weeks. In April 2022, he re-injured his heel and missed the rest of the season. Machado and Tahjere McCall (16.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2 steals), who led the team in scoring and assists, were selected as co-MVPs of the team as Cairns finished in second-last place (9-19).
Nelson appeared in 10 games and averaged 3.3 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists for the season.
Marshall Nelson played two seasons the Illawarra Hawks. This included the Illawarra Hawks. He averaged 2.6 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 0.8 assists in 25 NBL games.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 28 | Cairns | 9-19 (9) | 10 | 89.1 | 33 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 12 | 34 | 35% | 6 | 21 | 29% | 3 | 6 | 50% | 45% | 44% | 6 |
| 2018-19 | 25 | Illawarra | 12-16 (7) | 15 | 97.7 | 33 | 17 | 11 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 18 | 11 | 34 | 32% | 5 | 16 | 31% | 6 | 6 | 100% | 45% | 40% | 8 | Totals | 25 | 187 | 66 | 28 | 21 | 4 | 24 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 30 | 23 | 68 | 33.8% | 11 | 37 | 29.7% | 9 | 12 | 75.0% | 45% | 42% | 8 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 28 | Cairns | 9-19 (9) | 10 | 8.9 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 3.4 | 35% | 0.6 | 2.1 | 29% | 0.3 | 0.6 | 50% | 45% | 44% | 6 |
| 2018-19 | 25 | Illawarra | 12-16 (7) | 15 | 6.5 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 32% | 0.3 | 1.1 | 31% | 0.4 | 0.4 | 100% | 45% | 40% | 8 | Total | 25 | 7.5 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 2.7 | 33.8% | 0.0 | 29.7% | 0.4 | 1.5 | 75.0% | 45% | 42% | 8 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 8 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- Perth (2014–2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2026), Canberra (2018), Rockingham (2022–2023), Willetton (2024), Kalamunda (2025)
Nelson joined Perth Redbacks for the 2014 SBL season and began his Australian state league career with the club, averaging 7.9 points, 2.63 rebounds and 1.07 assists across 30 games.
A return to Perth Redbacks followed for the 2015 SBL season, when he came back after his first year in the United States and averaged 11.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.33 assists in 12 games.
Perth Redbacks brought him back for the 2017 SBL season and the campaign ended with a championship, with Nelson scoring 17 points, grabbing three rebounds and handing out four assists in the Grand Final win over Joondalup. Across 20 games he averaged 15.45 points, 4.55 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
Canberra Gunners signed him for the 2018 SEABL season and he carried a heavy offensive load on a winless team, averaging 16.1 points and 3.2 assists in 15 games.
He returned to Perth Redbacks for the 2019 SBL season and produced the best scoring year of his state league career to that point, leading the league at 27.96 points per game while also averaging 6.33 rebounds and 4.62 assists across 24 games. That season brought SBL scoring champion honours and All-SBL First Team selection.
Perth Redbacks regained him for the 2021 NBL1 West season and he averaged 20.07 points, 6.42 rebounds and 4.92 assists in 14 games, helping the team reach the NBL1 National Finals after the Redbacks made the West playoffs.
Rockingham Flames added him for the 2022 NBL1 West season and the move resulted in both a state title and a national title. He averaged 21.85 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.25 steals in 20 games, earned All-NBL1 West First Team honours, scored 19 points in the Grand Final win over Geraldton, and was then named to the NBL1 National Finals All-Star Five after Rockingham defeated Frankston in the national championship game.
The 2023 NBL1 West season kept him with Rockingham Flames and again ended deep into September, with the Flames winning the minor premiership before falling in the preliminary final in the West and then reaching the NBL1 National Finals championship game. In 23 games he averaged 15.78 points, 4.22 rebounds, 6.17 assists and 1.09 steals, while a second straight NBL1 National Finals All-Star Five selection followed.
Willetton Tigers signed him for the 2024 NBL1 West season and he produced one of the standout individual finals performances of the year, pouring in 48 points with eight three-pointers in the semi-final win over Rockingham. He added 26 points and nine assists in the preliminary final, scored 19 points in the Grand Final loss to Mandurah, and finished the season averaging 19.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.3 steals across 23 games.
Kalamunda Eastern Suns secured him for the 2025 NBL1 West season and he delivered another elite offensive campaign, averaging 24.58 points, 6.79 rebounds, 5.37 assists and 2.21 steals in 19 games. His biggest night came with 50 points and eight three-pointers in a win over Perth, one of the highest single-game totals in the league that season.
Perth Redbacks signed him again for the 2026 NBL1 West season, marking another return to the club where his state league career began.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Sweden - Jämtland Basket (2019–2020) | Iceland - U.M.F. Grindavík (2021) | Italy - PSA Sant'Antimo (2024–2025)
Nelson joined Jämtland Basket for the 2019–20 Swedish Basketball League season, playing his first season in Sweden. He averaged 8.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals in 14 games, and scored 19 points in a 121–112 overtime win over Wetterbygden Stars on 30 December 2019.
Nelson joined U.M.F. Grindavík for the 2020–21 Úrvalsdeild karla season in Iceland. He signed on 3 February 2021, averaged 16.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.4 steals in eight games, and his season ended after he broke a finger in April 2021.
Nelson joined PSA SantAntimo for the 2024–25 Serie B Basket season in Italy. He signed in July 2024, averaged 16.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals in 16 games, and PSA announced his contract release on 19 December 2024.
COLLEGE
Marshall Nelson began his US college basketball journey at the Community College of Rhode Island for the 2014–15 season, where he adapted quickly to the American junior college level and appeared in 24 games, averaging 9.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game while shooting efficiently from the perimeter. His performance that season earned him Region 21 NJCAA all-conference honours and featured a season-high 22 points in the final game.
Following his freshman year at CCRI, Nelson transferred to Wayland Baptist University ahead of the 2015–16 season, playing 32 games for the Pioneers and averaging 9.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game in NAIA competition, helping his team compete through Sooner Athletic Conference play.
In the 2016–17 season at Wayland Baptist, Nelson upped his production over 20 games, averaging 12.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.45 assists per game while shooting 42.5 percent from the field and 79.2 percent from the free throw line. On December 10, 2016, he delivered a career-best performance with 43 points in a 102–99 overtime win over Sul Ross State, the most points by a Pioneer in the 21st century and one of the highest single-game totals in school history, earning Sooner Athletic Conference Player of the Week honours for that effort.
Across his NAIA college career, Nelson’s scoring ability and all-around guard play were hallmarks of his development, finishing his senior year with averages that reflected growth in shooting, playmaking, and consistency as a backcourt contributor.
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