BIO: Max Darling was born in Nelson (New Zealand).

NBL EXPERIENCE

Max Darling made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks at 20 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

In April 2020, the Hawks’ season began under significant adversity, as the team entered voluntary administration. One month later, creditors voted to liquidate the Hawks, leaving the NBL to step in and ensure the club’s survival. On 17 June 2020, the NBL announced that Dorry Kordahi, Bryan Colangelo, and Michael Proctor had secured the license for the team.

Under the new ownership, the club rebranded as The Hawks in an effort to broaden its appeal across New South Wales. Shortly after, Brian Goorjian, a legendary Australian basketball coach, was announced as head coach.

As part of the restructuring, all player contracts had to be renewed. Sam Froling and Emmett Naar were the only full-time roster members retained. The team began rebuilding by signing Deng Adel, who had recently completed a stint with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, and Cam Bairstow, returning to Australia after a season in Lithuania cut short by COVID-19. Both were members of the Australian Boomers squad. Additionally, Justinian Jessup joined under the NBL Next Star Program on a two-year deal, while imports Tyler Harvey and Justin Simon were brought in to lead the team’s offense and defense, respectively.

Off-court drama surrounded the team’s early season. Fan-favorite players AJ Ogilvy and Tim Coenraad were initially omitted from the roster, though both were later added as injury replacements. A campaign by fans to reinstate the ‘Illawarra’ name also gained traction. This culminated in the NBL reinstating the Illawarra name ahead of the club’s first home game, following increased membership and corporate support.

On the court, Illawarra faced challenges throughout the season. Cam Bairstow, after missing nine games with a hip issue, was ruled out for the remainder of the season. Daniel Grida ruptured his ACL while playing in the state league, further depleting the roster. Deng Adel (5.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists) struggled to make an impact in the NBL and requested a mid-season release to preserve his NBA prospects.

Max Darling contributed as a development player, appearing in 14 games and averaging 0.7 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.2 assists. Despite limited opportunities, Darling gained valuable experience under Goorjian’s system.

From Round 16, the Hawks surged to win eight of their final 10 games, securing their first playoff berth since 2017. Offensively, the team struggled, averaging 81.5 points per game—the lowest in the league. Key contributors included Tyler Harvey (20.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.4 steals), Justinian Jessup (13.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.2 steals), Cam Bairstow (11.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists), and Sam Froling (11.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks). However, Illawarra posted the worst field goal percentage in the NBL (42.5%), with free-throw shooting at 69.4%.

The Hawks entered the playoffs in third place (20-16) but were defeated in a three-game semifinal series by defending champions Perth.

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS
2023/24

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS
2024/25
New Zealand reshaped its roster after Anthony Lamb (to Trento), William McDowell-White (to Berlin), Izayah Le’Afa (to Sydney), Justinian Jessup (to Ulm), Finn Delany (to Shizuoka), Mantas Rubstavicius (to Panevezys), Zylan Cheatham (to Nagoya), Mangok Mathiang (to Ningbo), Dan Fotu and Dom Kelman-Poto exited the team, while Thomas Abercrombie and Cameron Gliddon retired.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright was the only returning player who had averaged more than four points per game, with Max Darling, Dane Pineau, Carlin Davison and Alex McNaught also remaining from the previous season’s group.

Head coach Mody Maor (to Nagasaki) was replaced by Petteri Koponen (via Helsinki), who added Matt Mooney (via Trento), Sam Mennenga (via Cairns), Mojave King (via Indiana), Mitch McCarron (via Adelaide), Jonah Bolden (via Sydney), Sean Bairstow (via Richmond), Grant Anticevich (via Gottingen), Freddie Gillespie (via Belgrade), Karim Lopez (via Badalona) and Kaia Isaac (via Canterbury).

After spending NBL24 as a development player, the 23-year-old was elevated to the full roster on a two-year deal with a third-year team option, having returned from winning consecutive New Zealand NBL championships with Canterbury.

The Breakers opened the season at HoopsFest with a 91-87 win over Brisbane, where the newly elevated forward started and added 1 assist in 16 minutes, while the returning point guard (20 points and 11 assists) and Auckland-born recruit (22 points and 7 rebounds) led New Zealand and Keandre Cook (25 points) was Brisbane’s best.

Darling (5.4 points across 21 games) earned regular minutes and multiple starts, shooting 50 percent from the field and 35 percent from three while providing size and floor spacing across both forward positions.

Jackson-Cartwright (18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.6 steals across 21 games) and Mooney (16.1 points, 4.4 assists, and 1.6 steals across 29 games) led New Zealand offensively, while Mennenga (11.7 points and 5.3 rebounds across 29 games), Lopez (9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds across 25 games) and King (8.5 points across 17 games) provided the other main contributions.

His best game of the season came against Perth on 19 October, where Darling (15 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks) shot 5-of-7 from the field and 4-of-6 from three as New Zealand defeated the Wildcats 89-85. Mooney (28 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals) made seven three-pointers and Jackson-Cartwright (13 points, 9 assists, and 5 steals) controlled the backcourt, while Tai Webster (20 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Kristian Doolittle (15 points and 11 rebounds) led Perth.

Having entered the game with only five points across his first four Breakers appearances, the performance established Darling as a genuine rotation option and helped New Zealand improve to 3-1.

A groin injury then sidelined Darling for the next five games, with New Zealand entering the FIBA break at 7-3 while he remained unavailable.

During the break, Gillespie (6.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks across 9 games) was released (to Milan) and Tacko Fall (via Nanjing) joined as his replacement. Fall (11.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks across 18 games) became New Zealand’s primary interior scorer and rim protector over the remainder of the season.

Darling (3 points and 1 rebound) returned against Illawarra on 28 November after more than a month on the sidelines, but Lachlan Olbrich (21 points) and Trey Kell (17 points) led the Hawks to a 109-71 win.

One week later, Darling (12 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks) shot 4-of-5 from the field and made both of his three-point attempts during a 97-70 loss to Melbourne. Rob Loe (25 points) and Jack White (16 points and 10 rebounds) led United, while the performance gave Darling his season-high rebounding total and his second-best scoring game of the year.

New Zealand lost eight consecutive games following the FIBA break before returning to the winner’s list against Cairns on New Year’s Eve, where Darling (9 points and 1 steal) made 3-of-5 shots as the Breakers won 92-68. Mooney (23 points, 10 assists, and 3 steals) and Fall (21 points and 12 rebounds) led New Zealand, while Tanner Groves (21 points and 8 rebounds) was Cairns’ best.

Jackson-Cartwright won the Breakers’ MVP and Members Choice awards, King was named Defensive Player of the Year and Mennenga’s performance against Tasmania (29 points and 9 rebounds) was voted the Fans’ Moment of the Year.

After beginning the season 6-2 and entering the FIBA break at 7-3, New Zealand won only three of its final 19 games and finished ninth with a 10-19 record, missing the postseason.

New Zealand closed the season with a 96-82 loss to Illawarra, where Darling (10 points) shot 4-of-5 from the field and made both of his three-point attempts, Fall (16 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks) and Lopez (12 points and 6 rebounds) provided support, while Tyler Harvey (29 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists) led the Hawks.

2025/26
Following a 10-19 season that left New Zealand ninth and outside the playoffs, the Breakers entered 2025/26 without Matt Mooney, Jonah Bolden (to Illawarra), Mojave King (to Cairns), Grant Anticevich, Freddie Gillespie, Tacko Fall, Tai Wynyard, Dane Pineau (retired) and Mitch McCarron (retired), while Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Sam Mennenga, Karim Lopez, Sean Bairstow and Carlin Davison returned.

Coach Petteri Koponen returned for a second season and added Reuben Te Rangi (via Tasmania), Izayah Le’Afa (via Sydney), Rob Loe (via Melbourne), Taylor Britt (via Canterbury), Izaiah Brockington (via Vancouver) and Rob Baker II (via Berlin).

Max Darling returned for the second season of the two-year full-roster agreement he signed in 2024, which included a third-year team option.

Darling (2.8 points and 1.4 rebounds across 22 games) appeared mainly off the bench and made one start, with a fractured eye socket requiring surgery and sidelining him for six weeks during the middle of the season.

His best game came against Adelaide on January 24, where Darling (12 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 block) made all four three-point attempts in 11 minutes as New Zealand lost 112-110 in overtime, with Brockington (24 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Lopez (21 points and 11 rebounds) leading the Breakers while Bryce Cotton (33 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists) starred for Adelaide.

Jackson-Cartwright (17.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.8 steals across 34 games) and Mennenga (17.8 points and 6.8 rebounds across 28 games) led New Zealand, with Brockington (16.1 points and 3.8 rebounds across 33 games) and Lopez (11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals across 31 games) providing further support. Jackson-Cartwright earned All-NBL Second Team honours and Mennenga won the NBL’s Next Generation Award.

Darling (1 assist) played 11 minutes in New Zealand’s final regular-season game on February 19 as Mennenga (32 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Jackson-Cartwright (19 points and 13 assists) led the Breakers to a 115-84 win over Cairns, leaving New Zealand seventh with a 13-20 record and outside the postseason.

The separate Ignite Cup Final was played three days later, where Darling (2 points and 1 assist) appeared for six minutes as New Zealand defeated Adelaide 111-107.

Max Darling currently plays for the New Zealand Breakers and has played 58 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 3.1 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.4 assists since entering the league in 2021.