BIO: Nate Tomlinson was born in Melbourne (VIC) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Melbourne basketball program.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Nate Tomlinson made his NBL debut with the Melbourne Tigers at 23 years of age. He scored one point in his first NBL game.

After failing to reach the playoffs, Melbourne replaced head coach Trevor Gleeson with former Tigers star Chris Anstey, who had only retired from playing a mere 18 months earlier. Anstey brought with him another Tigers Legend, Darryl McDonald, who was announced as his assistant.

Anstey’s first signing came in the form of Seth Scott, a 6’10 forward and shortly after signed Nate Tomlinson (Via University of Colorado) and Adam Ballinger (via Adelaide) to replace the outgoing Cam Tragardh and Daniel Dillon who asked to part ways with the Tigers at seasons end.

In the weeks prior to the NBL season, Melbourne was able to sign up-and-coming talent Chris Goulding who unexpectedly became available after demise of the Gold Coast Blaze. Goulding was a highly sought after free agent in 2012, pursued by multiple teams before deciding to sign with the Tigers. Goulding’s signature resulted in the Tigers having little need for shooting guard Ron Dorsey, who was then released despite having another year on his contract. At the time of signing Goulding Tigers head coach Chris Anstey referred to the young tyro as ‘in our opinion, the absolute best Australian player that didn’t have a contract’.

Anstey and the Tigers then finalised their playing roster by signing Kevin Braswell, who led New Zealand to their first championship on the basis he would be obtaining New Zealand citizenship.

The Tigers retained the previous year’s group of Bennie Lewis, Matt Burston, Liam Rush, Lucas Walker and team captain Tommy Greer and looked to rebound from three straight years of missing the playoffs.

As soon as the season began, it became clear Braswell (10.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 2.4 steals) was battling persistent knee problems, which saw him released after five games. Having struggled through the start of the season (1-4) Melbourne signed former sixth overall pick in the NBA draft, Jonny Flynn, who had been waived by the Pistons the month prior. Upon his signing, head coach Anstey called Flynn ‘possibly the highest credentialed player in the prime of his career to ever play in the NBL.’

Flynn (17.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists) formed a potent scoring duo with Goulding (15.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists) and things instantly turned around, starting with a 30 point thumping delivered to Adelaide (96-66) who had defeated them in the season opener.

Melbourne clawed themselves back from the bottom of the ladder to finish equal with Sydney (12-16) but missed out on the top four due to the Kings having a two-point lead in their head to head match-ups.

Flynn and Seth Scott (11.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists) were selected to the All-NBL second and first teams respectively, while Tomlinson averaged 2.6 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists for the season.

2013/14
Over in the west, former Melbourne coach Trevor Gleeson had replaced Rob Beveridge, who at that time had a verbal agreement with Mark Worthington to play for the Wildcats. With Beveridge gone and Anstey knowing Worthington wasn’t keen to play for Gleeson he quickly signed him to return to play with the Tigers.

Anstey then added Canadian Scott Morrison and Stephen Dennis as imports to the core group of Lucas Walker, Nate Tomlinson and team captain Tommy Greer.

Days before the Tigers season opener Dennis injured his Achilles tendon in pre-season training, resulting in Melbourne signing former import Ayinde Ubaka, who played with Anstey during the 2011/12 season, as a last minute replacement.

The Tigers season also began with club MVP Chris Goulding and captain Tommy Greer both on the injured list and after a sluggish start (3-4) the Tigers released the underperforming Ubaka (5.3 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists) mid-season for the second time in three years. He was replaced by former LA Clippers guard Mustapha Farrakhan (10.4 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists) while the Tigers floundered through the first half of the season (6-6).

He was replaced by former LA Clippers guard Mustapha Farrakhan (10.4 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists) while the Tigers floundered through the first half of the season (6-6).

Once healthy, Goulding offensive talents were on full display, none moreso than on 9 March 2014, when he scored a career-high 50 points in the Tigers’ 92–82 win over the Sydney Kings. It was the NBL’s first individual 50-point game in the 40-minute era. He was subsequently crowned the NBL scoring champion for the 2013–14 season. With Goulding (22.8 points, 3.2 rebunds, 2.8 assists) and Worthington (14.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists) leading the team offensively, Melbourne finished the season strongly, finishing in third place and reaching the semi-finals for the first time in five seasons. Tomlinson also added 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 5.3 assists over the course of the season.

Facing Adelaide in the semifinals, Melbourne would lose the opening game of the series (101-85) thanks to an explosive performance from Gary Ervin (27 points and 7 assists).

Game two would then shift to Melbourne where Tigers guard Chris Goulding exploded for 37 points, allowing the Tigers to even the series behind a 98-87 victory.

In game three, Adelaide finished the job, demolishing Melbourne with a 102-63 victory which included holding them to a 27-point half-time score and winning every quarter by 7 points or more.

2014/15 – TIGERS BECOME UNITED
On 20 May 2014, the franchise was re-branded as Melbourne United. The change was an attempt to move away from the Melbourne Tigers junior program which was a team synonymous with ‘poaching’ young talent from other junior programs in Victoria and had negative connotations with much of Victoria’s basketball community. The name, attempting to symbolise a connection to all of Victorian basketball was a decision made by owner Larry Kestelman.

The team retained head coach Chris Anstey and added Tigers legend Daryl Corletto who had spent three years with the New Zealand Breakers. Australian Boomers players David Barlow, who had spent the past five years in Europe and Daniel Kickert signed on with the club as long time captain of the club Tommy Greer retired.

The team retained their Tigers core of Mark Worthington, Lucas Walker and Nate Tomlinson who were all chosen to share the captaincy this season and their last move was to complement the squad by signing their import talent, adding Jordan McRae and Stephen Dennis.

Adam Ballinger, who had signed a two-year deal the previous seasn, was a part of the team up until the week before the season when United chose to release him. An unfavorable situation for Ballinger as every other NBL team had completed their rosters, leaving Ballinger nowhere to negotiate. He was eventually signed by Illawarra and played the remainder of the season with the Hawks.

United’s inaugural season began with a loss to Cairns (89–61) which saw coach Chris Anstey resign soon after and replaced by his assistant Darryl McDonald.

Under McDonald, Melbourne was in fourth position for most of the season before a late fade out saw the team fall short of making the playoffs, finishing in fifth place(13-15).

Tomlinson would average 5 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists for the season.

2015/16
After finishing fifth with a 13-15 record and missing the playoffs during the club’s first season under the Melbourne United name, when Chris Anstey resigned after the opening game and assistant Darryl McDonald coached the remainder of the season on an interim basis, Melbourne appointed former NBA assistant Dean Demopoulos as head coach. Jordan McRae (to Delaware), Stephen Dennis (to Bnei Herzliya), Mark Worthington (to Cairns), Daryl Corletto (to Plymouth) and Lucas Walker (to Adelaide) departed, while Daniel Kickert remained. Demopoulos added Chris Goulding (via Zaragoza), Todd Blanchfield (via Townsville), Stephen Holt (via Canton), Majok Majok (via Helios Suns), Igor Hadziomerovic (via Boise State) and Ekene Ibekwe (via New Zealand). David Barlow remained with the club but suffered a season-ending Achilles injury before the campaign, leading to Brad Hill (via Illawarra) joining as his injury replacement. Ibekwe (to Gießen) requested a compassionate release on September 18 so he could return to Europe to be with his pregnant partner and was replaced four days later by Hakim Warrick (via Torku Konyaspor).

After sharing the captaincy during the previous season, the returning guard became Melbourne’s captain under Demopoulos. A September preseason game against Cairns was missed through injury, but he recovered before the regular season and did not miss an NBL game.

Melbourne opened the season in Townsville on October 9, where Tomlinson (2 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist) came from the bench as Blanchfield (29 points and 8 rebounds) and Warrick (21 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) led United to a 99-84 victory, while Brian Conklin (25 points and 5 rebounds) was Townsville’s best.

Tomlinson (3.6 points across 30 games) remained Melbourne’s captain and reserve guard, appearing in all 28 regular-season games and both semifinals and coming from the bench in 29 of his 30 appearances. His 30 games produced totals of 107 points, 43 rebounds, 76 assists, 8 steals and 1 block.

Melbourne opened the season 9-0 before its form slipped during the middle of the campaign, with Tomlinson remaining confident the losses were not an accurate reflection of the team. “We obviously want to win them all, but we’re playing good teams. We’re not the only good team in Australia,” he said.

One of Tomlinson’s strongest games came in Sydney on December 30, where Tomlinson (8 points, 1 rebound, and 6 assists) made all six free throws and helped Melbourne defeat the Kings 100-90. Kickert (26 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 block) made all 10 of his field-goal attempts and Warrick (21 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 block) provided support, while Josh Childress (27 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 blocks) led Sydney.

Tomlinson’s best game came in Cairns on January 13, where Tomlinson (11 points, 4 assists, and 1 steal) made three of five three-pointers without committing a turnover as Melbourne defeated the Taipans 83-65. Holt (19 points and 6 rebounds) and Goulding (19 points and 4 rebounds) led United alongside him, while Mark Worthington (22 points and 4 steals) was Cairns’ leading scorer, with the victory improving Melbourne to 12-5.

Warrick (14.2 points and 6 rebounds across 23 games) suffered a groin injury after Melbourne’s opening five games and was placed on the short-term injury waiver. Garrett Jackson (5.2 points across 6 games) (via North-West Tasmania) signed on October 29 as his short-term injury replacement and appeared in six games. Jackson’s final appearance came on November 20 before Warrick returned against New Zealand two days later, ending Jackson’s replacement stint and seeing Jackson (to North-West Tasmania) return to the Thunder.

Goulding (18.4 points and 3.7 rebounds across 29 games) led Melbourne in scoring, while Holt (15.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists across 30 games), Kickert (14.8 points and 3.8 rebounds across 28 games), Blanchfield (9.6 points and 6.5 rebounds across 30 games) and Majok (5.5 points and 7.1 rebounds across 30 games) provided the other major contributions. Kickert came close to becoming the first NBL player to record a 50-40-90 season, shooting 52.5 percent from the field, 47.2 percent from three-point range and 90.5 percent from the free-throw line but finishing four made free throws short of the minimum requirement. Goulding and Kickert were selected to the All-NBL First Team, Holt earned All-NBL Second Team honours and Warrick was named the NBL’s Best Sixth Man.

Melbourne completed the regular season against New Zealand at Hisense Arena on February 14, where Tomlinson (1 point, 1 rebound, and 1 assist) played 14 minutes as Goulding (22 points and 3 assists) and Kickert (16 points and 5 rebounds) led United, while Tai Wesley (23 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) led the Breakers to a 70-68 victory. Melbourne finished first with an 18-10 record and claimed the minor premiership.

Melbourne opened the semifinals at Hisense Arena, where Tomlinson (3 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists), Warrick (24 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 blocks), Goulding (23 points and 5 rebounds) and Holt (13 points and 4 assists) led United, while Cedric Jackson (20 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Mika Vukona (11 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals) led New Zealand as the Breakers won 91-82.

Game two moved to Vector Arena, where Tomlinson (0 points, 2 rebounds, and 5 assists), Goulding (23 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists), Warrick (17 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Kickert (16 points and 3 rebounds) led Melbourne, while Thomas Abercrombie (23 points and 4 rebounds), Cedric Jackson (19 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) and Tai Wesley (16 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks) led New Zealand as the Breakers won 91-78 and completed the two-game sweep.

2016/17
After finishing first with an 18-10 record before being swept by New Zealand in the semifinals, Melbourne entered Dean Demopoulos’ second season with significant changes to its roster. Stephen Holt (to Zaragoza), Hakim Warrick (to Olympiacos) and Daniel Kickert (to Brisbane) departed, with Kickert joining the newly re-established Bullets rather than Sydney. Cedric Jackson (via New Zealand), Ramone Moore (via Pieno žvaigždės), Devin Williams (via West Virginia), Tai Wesley (via New Zealand) and David Andersen (via ASVEL) were added, with Wesley able to play as a local under the league’s Asian player rule. David Barlow returned after missing the entire previous season with an Achilles injury, while Nate Tomlinson returned for his fifth season with the club.

After the opening round, Tomlinson (3.9 points across 25 games) continued in a reserve role, making one start and averaging 11.9 minutes per game. No injury was reported for Tomlinson during the season. His three non-appearances came against Brisbane on December 17, Sydney on February 4 and Illawarra on February 6, with no injury attached to any of the absences in the available team or game material.

United fell to 3-6 before Jackson (10 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.4 steals across 9 games) was released on November 9, with the club describing the decision as a strategic change designed to give the team its best chance of winning. Casper Ware (via ASVEL) arrived as his replacement shortly after. Ware (22.1 points, 4.5 assists, and 1.3 steals across 18 games) immediately changed Melbourne’s direction, with United winning 10 of its final 18 games. “He is high energy, has a great background, he’s a willing passer and he’ll help us with his scoring punch,” Demopoulos said.

Williams (3.2 points and 4 rebounds across 16 games) suffered a knee injury against Brisbane in December and was sidelined for five weeks, leading Melbourne to sign Josh Boone (via Pınar Karşıyaka) as his temporary injury replacement. Once Williams returned to full fitness, United released him on January 31 (to Greensboro) so Boone could remain for the playoff push. Boone (10.1 points and 9.3 rebounds across 12 games) quickly became the league’s leading rebounder and finished as Melbourne’s best player in several advanced metrics, including PER, ORtg, DRtg, eFG%, TRB% and BLK%.

Moore (10.1 points across 20 games) suffered a calf injury against Adelaide on January 12 and missed Melbourne’s final eight games. Lasan Kromah (via Promitheas Patras) was signed the following day as his injury replacement but scored only three points on 14 per cent shooting across three games before being released (to Körmend). Andersen (10.3 points and 4.5 rebounds across 19 games) also missed roughly six weeks with a knee injury, while Wesley (8.8 points and 3.5 rebounds across 28 games) remained one of only two United players to appear in every game.

With Chris Goulding and Todd Blanchfield unavailable through injury, Tomlinson received his only start of the season against Sydney at Hisense Arena on November 12 and finished with 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in 29 minutes as the Kings defeated Melbourne 87-71. Andersen (12 points and 3 rebounds) and Wesley (12 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) led United, while Kevin Lisch (30 points and 5 rebounds) was Sydney’s best.

Tomlinson’s best game came at the WIN Entertainment Centre on January 7, where he made all six field-goal attempts, including both three-pointers, and finished with 16 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal as Illawarra defeated Melbourne 106-88. Ware (21 points and 4 assists) and Wesley (15 points and 5 rebounds) were United’s other leading performers, while Rotnei Clarke (25 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals) led the Hawks.

Goulding (16.9 points across 22 games) remained Melbourne’s leading local scorer despite missing six games with separate ankle problems, while Blanchfield (8.8 points and 3.9 rebounds across 22 games), Barlow (5.1 points across 19 games) and Majok Majok (5.7 points and 5.9 rebounds across 28 games) provided the other major contributions. Barlow missed the opening nine games with a calf injury after his Achilles injury had wiped out the entire previous season, while Majok joined Wesley as the only United players to appear in all 28 games. Tomlinson, Goulding and Blanchfield were the only other players to appear in at least 75 per cent of Melbourne’s games as injuries and the three mid-season import changes prevented United from establishing a consistent rotation. Melbourne finished with the second-worst true shooting percentage in the league and struggled to execute in close games, while Ware’s impact was recognised with selection to the All-NBL First Team. Demopoulos’ relationship with parts of the veteran group also became strained before Melbourne and its coach parted ways following the season.

Melbourne entered its final game already eliminated from playoff contention but drew 9,545 fans to Hisense Arena, where Tomlinson (0 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist) played four minutes as Perth defeated United 96-94. Boone (27 points and 11 rebounds) and Ware (27 points, 6 assists, and 2 steals) led Melbourne, while Casey Prather (26 points and 11 assists) was Perth’s best, leaving United sixth with a 13-15 record.

Nate Tomlinson played five seasons the Melbourne Tigers. This included the Melbourne Tigers. He averaged 4.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 139 NBL games.