BIO: Brian Scott “Scotty” Hopson was born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky (USA). He played college basketball for the University of Tennessee (2008-2011) before playing professionally in Greece, Israel, Turkey, Spain, China and Croatia.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Scotty Hopson made his NBL debut with the New Zealand Breakers at 30 years of age. He scored 27 points in his first game.

After finishing sixth with a 12-16 record under Kevin Braswell the previous season, New Zealand made major changes, appointing Dan Shamir as coach and Director of Basketball. Shea Ili (to Melbourne), Shawn Long (to Melbourne) and Tai Wesley (to South East Melbourne) departed, while general manager Dillon Boucher and assistant coach Michael Fitchett also left the club. The Breakers added Next Star RJ Hampton (via Little Elm High School), Rob Loe (via Cairns), Sek Henry (via Pinar Karsiyaka), Brandon Ashley (via APOEL Nicosia) and Scotty Hopson (via Hapoel Holon) among a number of new faces. Hopson had previously played under Shamir in Israel and said, “He’s pretty comfortable with my style of play, and I’m pretty comfortable with his style of coaching.”

The off-season also included a public contract dispute with Corey Webster, who sought a release to join Darüşşafaka in Turkey following the FIBA World Cup. Webster offered $100,000 towards his own buyout, with the Turkish club offering another $25,000, but the Breakers blocked the move. Reports that co-owner Matt Walsh had described Webster as the “worst statistical starting shooting guard in the NBL” added to the dispute, although Walsh later clarified the comment related to statistical comparisons from the previous season.

New Zealand opened its season against Sydney at Qudos Bank Arena on October 18, where Hopson (27 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) produced an impressive NBL debut but the Kings won 96-91. Webster (21 points) and Loe (12 points) provided support for the Breakers, while Casper Ware (27 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists) led Sydney.

Hopson (18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists across 21 games) quickly became New Zealand’s primary offensive weapon, but his first season with the Breakers was interrupted by injury. Against Cairns on October 31, Hopson (7 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists) suffered a split ligament in his knee during the second quarter of New Zealand’s 93-85 victory. Webster (23 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals) and Hampton (18 points and 3 steals) helped the Breakers close out the win after he left the game, while Cameron Oliver (23 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks) led Cairns. The injury forced Hopson to miss New Zealand’s next seven games and Glen Rice Jr (25 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.3 steals across 3 games) was signed as his injury replacement, but was suspended after only three appearances and later released following further off-court problems.

The Breakers won only two of their first nine games and eventually slipped to 4-10, but Hopson’s return helped trigger a dramatic turnaround. On December 27 at Nissan Arena, Hopson (27 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists) capped a comeback from 16 points down by hitting a three-pointer on the buzzer to defeat Brisbane 99-96. Finn Delany (18 points) also played an important role as New Zealand outscored Brisbane 28-14 in the fourth quarter and collected its third consecutive win, improving to 7-10. The shot was later named the Breakers’ Most Memorable Moment of the season.

Hopson’s best scoring game of the season came against Brisbane on February 7, where he finished with 31 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals as New Zealand ended the Bullets’ six-game winning streak with a 91-87 victory at Nissan Arena. Delany (15 points and 11 rebounds) and Henry (15 points and 5 assists) provided support, while Nathan Sobey (30 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led Brisbane. The win improved New Zealand to 14-13 and kept its playoff hopes alive entering the final game of the season.

Webster (19.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists across 11 games) had returned to his best form before being released from his contract in December to play in China. Henry (13.2 points and 3.4 assists across 26 games), Thomas Abercrombie (11.8 points and 4.3 rebounds across 28 games), Delany (11.8 points and 5.7 rebounds across 20 games), Ashley (10.5 points and 6.3 rebounds across 28 games), Loe (9.3 points and 4 rebounds across 20 games), Hampton (8.8 points and 3.8 rebounds across 15 games) and Jarrad Weeks (5.6 points across 25 games) were the Breakers’ other major contributors. Abercrombie became the first New Zealander and only the second NBL player after Daniel Kickert to complete a 50-40-90 season and was named the Breakers’ MVP and Defensive Player of the Year. Hopson was named the Members Choice MVP and earned selection to the All-NBL Second Team.

New Zealand ended the regular season against South East Melbourne in Christchurch on February 14, where Hopson (23 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, and 2 steals) led the Breakers to a 92-83 victory. Abercrombie (18 points and 5 rebounds) and Loe (18 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) provided support, while John Roberson (15 points and 8 assists) led the Phoenix. The win completed an 11-3 finish over New Zealand’s final 14 games, but the Breakers finished sixth at 15-13 and missed the playoffs on points percentage.

MELBOURNE UNITED
2020/21
After finishing fourth with a 15-13 record and losing its semifinal series to Sydney the previous season, Melbourne reshaped its roster after multiple seasons trying to get import Casey Prather back onto the court, with United and Prather mutually agreeing to terminate the second season of his contract. Jack White (via Duke University) and Japanese star Yudai Baba were added, with Baba signing a one-year NBL Special Restricted Player contract, while captain Chris Goulding re-signed on a three-year deal, David Barlow on a one-year deal, Mason Peatling on a three-year deal and Sam McDaniel on a one-year deal. Jock Landale (via Žalgiris) was added on a one-year deal weeks before the season began.

After spending the previous season with New Zealand and earning All-NBL Second Team honours, Hopson returned to the NBL after most recently playing with the Oklahoma City Blue, signing a one-year deal as Melbourne’s lone import. “I’m elated to be a part of Melbourne United,” said Hopson.

Melbourne opened the season at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on January 15, where Hopson (4 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 assists) started as United defeated Adelaide 89-65, with Lual-Acuil (16 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Goulding (16 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) leading Melbourne, while Johnson (27 points and 5 rebounds) was Adelaide’s best.

Hopson (11.9 points and 3.5 rebounds across 34 games) spent much of the season providing scoring and playmaking from the bench and would finish second in voting for the NBL’s Best Sixth Man award.

With Melbourne short-handed against Illawarra on February 10, Hopson (21 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) produced his best game to that point as United defeated the Hawks 91-88 at WIN Entertainment Centre to improve to 6-0. McCarron (17 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists) and Baba (13 points) provided support, while Jessup (24 points) led Illawarra.

Hopson was ruled out with an adductor strain in early March, an injury that forced him to miss seven consecutive games from March 7 through March 27 before returning to the lineup in early April. The injury came at a difficult time for United, who were already managing a number of injuries throughout the roster.

Hopson (19 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Melbourne against New Zealand on April 10 as United defeated the Breakers 84-78 at John Cain Arena, with Landale (15 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks) and Goulding (14 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists) providing support, while Delany (33 points and 5 rebounds) led New Zealand. Hopson suffered an ankle sprain late in the game and failed a fitness test ahead of Melbourne’s next game against Brisbane, forcing him to miss his eighth and final game of the season.

Hopson’s best scoring game came against New Zealand on April 28, where he finished with 25 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals in just under 20 minutes as Melbourne defeated the Breakers 90-76 at John Cain Arena for its tenth consecutive win. Lual-Acuil (23 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Goulding (19 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) provided support, while Webster (20 points, 6 assists, and 3 steals) was New Zealand’s best.

Landale (16.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks across 41 games) led Melbourne in scoring and earned All-NBL First Team honours, while Goulding (15.7 points across 36 games) remained the team’s leading perimeter scorer despite missing six games with a low-grade calf strain. McCarron (9.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.4 steals across 42 games) joined Goulding on the All-NBL Second Team, while Lual-Acuil (9.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks across 41 games) was named the NBL’s Best Sixth Man ahead of Hopson. White (9.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks across 11 games) had emerged as one of the leading Rookie of the Year candidates before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury in April which required around 12 months rehabilitation, leading Melbourne to sign former United big man Andersen (1.3 points across 6 games) as an injury replacement. Baba (7.8 points across 36 games), Ili (6.6 points across 34 games) and Peatling (5.9 points and 4 rebounds across 39 games) added further depth to United’s rotation.

COVID restrictions forced Melbourne’s final regular-season game to be relocated from Victoria to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on June 6, where Hopson (19 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist) shared team-high scoring honours as United defeated Adelaide 102-80. Landale (19 points and 9 rebounds) and Lual-Acuil (16 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks) provided support, while Crocker (27 points and 5 rebounds) led Adelaide as Melbourne finished first with a 28-8 record, three games clear at the top of the ladder.

Victorian rivals South East Melbourne awaited in the semifinals, with the Victorian lockdown forcing all three games to be played without crowds at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena. Melbourne opened the series with a 96-78 win behind Landale (26 points) and Hopson (22 points and 3 assists), while Moore (17 points) and Creek (15 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) led the Phoenix.

South East Melbourne responded in game two, defeating Melbourne 90-79 behind Sykes (26 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals), Creek (26 points and 4 rebounds) and Wetzell (20 points and 8 rebounds). Hopson (19 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 blocks), Goulding (14 points and 3 rebounds) and Lual-Acuil (11 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks) led Melbourne as the Phoenix forced a deciding game three.

Melbourne fell behind 32-15 early in the second quarter of game three before its defence locked in, holding South East Melbourne to 42 points the rest of the night while scoring 69 themselves. Landale (27 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks) equalled his season-high while shooting 11-13 from the floor and 3/3 from beyond the arc, while Goulding (14 points and 2 steals) played his 350th NBL game, McCarron (11 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Hopson (9 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) helped Melbourne win 84-74 and advance to the Grand Final. Te Rangi (22 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals), Creek (19 points and 9 rebounds) and Sykes (15 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists) led the Phoenix.

Western Australia’s border restrictions meant Perth, despite being the lower seed, hosted the opening two games of the Grand Final series at RAC Arena, with the Wildcats without injured league MVP Cotton (23.5 points, 5.7 assists, and 1.5 steals across 32 games). Melbourne took game one 73-70 behind Goulding (23 points and 2 steals) and Landale (17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks), while Hopson (3 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) came off the bench. Blanchfield (27 points and 7 rebounds), White (10 points and 5 rebounds) and Mooney (8 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 steals) led Perth.

Game two remained at RAC Arena, where Hopson (9 points and 3 rebounds), Goulding (21 points), Baba (15 points and 4 rebounds) and Landale (12 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 assists) helped Melbourne win 83-74 and take a 2-0 series lead. Mooney (17 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists), Blanchfield (13 points and 8 rebounds), Norton (12 points) and White (12 points) kept Perth within reach.

Melbourne returned home for game three in front of a crowd capped at 5,000 under COVID restrictions at John Cain Arena. Hopson (12 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) provided a scoring burst in the third quarter and knocked down a three-pointer on the buzzer to give United a 58-52 lead, while Landale (15 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks), Goulding (14 points and 4 rebounds) and Peatling (12 points) helped Melbourne hold off Perth 81-76 to complete the 3-0 sweep. White (14 points), Mooney (14 points and 13 rebounds) and Blanchfield (11 points and 11 rebounds) led the Wildcats as Melbourne claimed the franchise’s sixth championship and its second under the Melbourne United branding, with Landale named Finals MVP.

Scotty Hopson played two seasons in the NBL, playing for both the New Zealand Breakers and the Melbourne United. He averaged 14.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 55 NBL games.