BIO: Shane McDonald was born in Horsham (VIC) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Horsham basketball program.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Shane McDonald made his NBL debut with the Singapore Slingers at 22 years of age. He scored nine points in his first game.

As a rookie, McDonald averaged 7.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists for the Singapore Slingers but with the team failing to invest the same amount of money during the team’s second year as they did in the first season, the roster struggled to be competitive and finished with a dismal record (6-24). Singapore withdrew the following season due to financial reasons.

PERTH WILDCATS
2008/09
After four seasons of leading the Wildcats, coach Scott Fisher decided it was time to return to his family in the US. Upon Fisher’s announcement that he would not return after leading the Wildcats to within one game of the grand final, a worldwide search was conducted for the hiring of the team’s next coach. Ultimately, Fisher’s replacement would be Conner Henry, a former college teammate of Fisher’s who had been with the Wildcats since 2006 as a assistant coach.

The core of the Wildcat’s roster, Shawn Redhage (University of Utah), Alex Loughton, Peter Crawford and Paul Rogers, would all return, with the only major changes to the team’s local roster being the additions of Ben Knight (via Singapore), Chris Goulding (via Brisbane) and Rookie Stephen Weigh. As a result of Shawn Redhage becoming a naturalised Australian (Jan 08), the Wildcats had the luxury of being able to sign two new imports with athletic forward Isiah Victor (via Sydney) and Darnell Hinson (via West Sydney), who both delivered debut NBL seasons the year prior.

Perth entered the season fighting off multiple injuries, with guards Adam Caporn, Brad Robbins, and Peter Crawford all fighting through knee issues. The team even placed starting centre Rogers on the deactivated list due to a lingering knee complaint. The additional roster spot allowed Perth to pull off a major recruiting coup, beating Melbourne Tigers and South Dragons for the signature of former Boomers point guard Luke Kendall.

At the mid-way point of the season, Rogers returned to the lineup, forcing the Wildcat’s to release Kendall (8.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals), who had become a key reserve with Robbins managing only three games over the season. Kendall signed a deal to play with Melbourne shortly after, who needed a replacement for Sam MacKinnon after medical staff advised him not to return to play. Team captain Rogers (9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks) played in only two games before a ruptured disc in his back that required surgery kept him out of the remaining games.

Perth’s efforts during the regular season were a carbon copy of the one before. The Wildcats were a force at home (11-4) but couldn’t win on the road (6-9), finishing in fourth place (17-13) for the second year in a row. Shawn Redhage (19.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists) would lead the team in scoring and rebounding, earning selection to the Al-NBL Second Team along the way. Hinson (13.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.7 steals), Loughton (13 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists) and Victor (12.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists) all playing key roles also.

Once into the postseason, Perth faced fifth seed Townsville, who defeated them in the Elimination Finals (96-103), delivering a abrupt end to their season and ending their playoff run and ensuring Henry’s tenure lasted only one season.

McDonald would limited playing opportunities with the Wildcats, appearing in only five games and scoring a total of five points.

MELBOURNE TIGERS
2011/12
With Trevor Gleeson replacing Alan Westover as coach, the Tigers off-season began with a re-tooling of the roster, which featured a glut of big men. With Corey Williams, Eric Devendorf, Luke Nevill and Wade Helliwell all exiting, coach Trevor Gleeson recruited the entire Cairns Taipans backcourt of Ayinde Ubaka, Ron Dorsey and Daniel Dillon to complement high-scoring forward Cam Tragardh. With Daryl Corletto, Liam Rush, Lucas Walker and Tommy Greer (who was named team captain) the Tigers looked to have turned their lop sided roster around and were primed for a successful season.

It was then the NBA, and its lock-out that saw the Tigers decide to reshuffle the deck.

With NBA free-agent and Australian Boomers player Patrick Mills without a contract, he headed home and negotiated a deal to play with Melbourne while he awaited the NBA’s decision to re-start the season. Mills, who became the first ‘active’ NBA player to compete in the NBL, forced the team to release long-time guard Daryl Corletto (who later signed with New Zealand) to make room for the NBA star.

The Tigers started the season with six wins, and three losses before Mills (averaging 18.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 5 assists) up and left to play in China on a much larger contract.

The remainder of the season could be described as tumultuous at best. The peak of this was highlighted by majority owner Seamus McPeake storming into the Tigers’ locker room and unleashing a tirade on the players before firing Ubaka on the spot following Melbourne’s loss to Gold Coast (73-60) at the State Netball and Hockey Centre. Ubaka’s sacking occurred without coach Trevor Gleeson being aware, as both he and captain Tommy Greer were participating in a post-game press conference. Ubaka’s sacking would contravene one of the key agreements of Gleeson’s hiring that he have the final say on all player movements.

Ubaka (12.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists) was immediately snapped up by Wollongong, where he saw out the rest of the season. Shortly after Melbourne signed Myron Allen (9.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists) as his replacement.

After the loss to the Blaze and Ubaka’s axing, the Tigers would reel off three straight losses and then finish their campaign by losing seven of their next nine games. The Tigers would miss the playoffs, finishing the regular season with a 11-17 record. Cam Tragardh (16.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists) finished the year as Melbourne’s leading scorer, won the Tigers club MVP award and earned a spot on the All-NBL second team.

After the loss to the Blaze and Ubaka’s axing, the Tigers would reel off three straight losses and then finish their campaign by losing seven of their next nine games. The Tigers would miss the playoffs, finishing the regular season with a 11-17 record. McDonald would average 4 points, 0 rebounds, and 1 assists alongside Cam Tragardh (16.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists) who was selected for the All-NBL second team after leading the Tigers in scoring and winning the club’s MVP award.

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS
2015/16
After winning the 2015 NBL Championship and claiming their fourth title in five years, New Zealand retained Dean Vickerman as coach and almost all of its championship roster, with Rhys Carter (to Sydney) and Ekene Ibekwe (to Melbourne) departing. Australian guard Shane McDonald (via Nunawading – SEABL) was signed to replace Carter, while rookie American big man Charles Jackson (via Tennessee Tech) replaced Ibekwe. New Zealand’s preseason was disrupted by Alex Pledger recovering from off-season foot surgery, Thomas Abercrombie being sidelined with a hamstring strain and Corey Webster leaving for the United States to trial with the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans, leading the Breakers to elevate development players Shea Ili and Tai Wynyard, add Everard Bartlett (via Hawke’s Bay) as Webster’s temporary replacement and sign Finn Delany as a development player.

McDonald had been ready to retire before a late call from Vickerman pushed those plans back for another season. He was expected to provide experienced backcourt depth behind Cedric Jackson while also being capable of playing behind Webster at shooting guard.

New Zealand opened the season in Adelaide on October 7, where McDonald (7 points and 2 rebounds) produced his best game of the season in his Breakers debut, while Cedric Jackson (14 points and 6 assists) and Bartlett (13 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals) led the scoring around him. Matthew Hodgson (18 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks) led Adelaide to a 90-71 victory, with the Breakers missing Webster, Abercrombie and Pledger and trailing 51-26 at halftime, giving New Zealand its second-lowest first-half score and second-largest halftime deficit in club history at the time.

McDonald (1.3 points across 22 games) came from the bench in every appearance and played 21 of New Zealand’s 28 regular-season games. No injury was reported during the season, with his seven regular-season non-appearances coming while he remained outside the main rotation. Ili (1.6 points across 21 games) later moved ahead of him in the playoff rotation, leaving McDonald with only 26 seconds in game two of the semifinals and no appearance in New Zealand’s other four playoff games.

With New Zealand sitting 1-3, Webster (19.8 points across 28 games) returned after failing to secure a roster position with New Orleans. Duane Bailey (0.7 points across 3 games; to Plymouth) was removed from the full-time roster to create room for Webster and was offered the opportunity to remain as a training player and provide injury cover before signing with Plymouth in November, while Bartlett (4.7 points across 32 games) was retained for the remainder of the season after originally joining as Webster’s temporary replacement. The Breakers won nine of their next eleven games to improve to 10-5 before losing five of the following six and eventually suffering a six-game losing streak.

Abercrombie (14 points and 6.3 rebounds across 31 games), Cedric Jackson (12.8 points, 6 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.3 steals across 33 games), Tai Wesley (11.7 points and 4.9 rebounds across 26 games) and Charles Jackson (10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds across 33 games) provided the main support around Webster. Pledger (6.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks across 31 games) returned from his foot surgery to provide rim protection, while Mika Vukona (6.2 points and 7.4 rebounds across 29 games) remained a major presence inside. Cedric Jackson led the NBL in assists for the fourth time in his four NBL seasons, while Webster earned All-NBL Second Team honours.

New Zealand finished the regular season against minor premiers Melbourne at Hisense Arena on February 14, where McDonald (4 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists) played more than 14 minutes as Wesley (23 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) and Vukona (10 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists) led the Breakers, while Chris Goulding (22 points and 3 assists) was Melbourne’s best. New Zealand won 70-68 to complete a five-game winning streak and finished fourth with a 16-12 record, edging Adelaide for the final playoff position.

New Zealand opened its semifinal series against first-placed Melbourne at Hisense Arena, where McDonald did not play as Cedric Jackson (20 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals), Abercrombie (16 points and 4 rebounds), Vukona (11 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals) and Pledger (8 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks) led the Breakers to a 91-82 victory, while Hakim Warrick (24 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 blocks) and Goulding (23 points and 5 rebounds) led Melbourne.

Game two moved to Vector Arena, where McDonald (0 points) played only 26 seconds as Abercrombie (23 points and 4 rebounds), Cedric Jackson (19 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals), Wesley (16 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Webster (13 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals) led New Zealand, while Goulding (23 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists), Warrick (17 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Daniel Kickert (16 points) led Melbourne. The Breakers won 91-78, completed the 2-0 sweep and advanced to their fifth Grand Final in six seasons.

Perth hosted game one of the Grand Final at Perth Arena, where McDonald did not play as Webster (19 points and 2 steals), Cedric Jackson (14 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals), Charles Jackson (11 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Vukona (11 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) led New Zealand, while Nathan Jawai (15 points), Matthew Knight (14 points and 5 rebounds) and Casey Prather (11 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks) led Perth. New Zealand recovered from a 13-point deficit and briefly moved ahead during the second half before Perth regained control and won 82-76.

Game two moved to Auckland, where McDonald again did not play as Cedric Jackson (13 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals), Abercrombie (12 points and 5 rebounds), Pledger (11 points and 4 rebounds) and Wesley (11 points and 2 steals) led the Breakers, while Jermaine Beal (20 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Jesse Wagstaff (13 points) led Perth. Webster (10 points) made a three-pointer with 18 seconds remaining to put New Zealand four points ahead before the Breakers held on for a 72-68 victory and forced a deciding game.

The deciding game returned to Perth Arena in front of 13,090 fans, where McDonald did not play as Abercrombie (21 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals) and Charles Jackson (7 points, 12 rebounds, and 1 block) led New Zealand, while Prather (19 points and 5 rebounds), Beal (14 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Damian Martin (10 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 steals) led Perth. Martin held Cedric Jackson (0 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists) scoreless on five field-goal attempts and forced him to foul out early in the fourth quarter before being named Grand Final MVP, with Perth handing New Zealand its first playoff series loss to the Wildcats and first Grand Final series defeat in a 75-52 victory.

Shane McDonald played four seasons across four NBL teams. This included the Singapore Slingers, Melbourne Tigers, Perth Wildcats and New Zealand Breakers. He averaged 4.6 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 57 NBL games.