BIO: Stephen Black was born in Melbourne (VIC). Black received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 1998. He spent two years there and played for the program’s state league team (1998, 1999).

FAMILY: Stephen Black is the son of Alan Black who played 245 games in the NBL.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Stephen Black made his NBL debut with the Perth Wildcats at 18 years of age. He scored five points in his first game.

Black played five seasons with the Perth Wildcats, the same team where his father Alan had championship success, before joining the Brisbane Bullets in 2003.
Stephen Black earned All-NBL Third Team honours with the Brisbane Bullets during the 2004/05 season.

He joined the Cairns Taipans in 2007, retiring at the end of the 2008/09 NBL season having played 298 NBL games. Black played 11 seasons in the NBL.

1999/00
After making his NBL debut with Perth during the previous season, Stephen Black returned to the Wildcats in 1999/00 looking to establish himself as a regular member of the rotation. Black had scored 5 points in his only appearance during 1998/99 while continuing his development at the Australian Institute of Sport, where he had received a scholarship in 1998. He also entered the season in the unusual position of playing under his father, Alan Black, who had returned to coach Perth in 1998. The Wildcats were coming off a disappointing sixth-place finish (13-13) and an opening-round playoff elimination against Adelaide, with Todd Lichti, James Crawford, Clinton McDaniel and Sidney Goodman among those no longer on the roster. Captain Andrew Vlahov, Ricky Grace, Scott Fisher, Anthony Stewart, Paul Rogers, James Harvey and Greg Smith returned, while the club underwent an ownership change when Kerry Stokes handed control of the Wildcats to Vlahov and former Chicago Bulls centre Luc Longley. Having previously been removed as Perth coach just two games into the 1990 season, Alan Black was now hoping to guide the Wildcats back to the Grand Final, this time with his son on the playing roster.

Perth opened the season against defending champions Adelaide at the Adelaide Arena on October 2, where Black (6 points, 2 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 steal) played 27 minutes and led the Wildcats in assists. Rogers (20 points and 11 rebounds) provided the main scoring threat inside, while Stewart added 17 points and 6 assists, but Brett Maher (25 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists) helped Adelaide secure a 109-89 victory. Despite the defeat, Black’s passing was a promising sign as he attempted to establish himself in the NBL after spending much of the previous season with the AIS program.

Black (4.4 points across 32 games) became a regular member of Perth’s backcourt rotation in his second NBL season, appearing in 24 of the Wildcats’ 28 regular-season games and all eight postseason contests. His playing time was highest during the opening months, when he was regularly given opportunities to relieve Grace and provide another ball-handling option. Although his role became smaller as the season progressed, he remained an efficient outside shooter, making 19 of his 46 three-point attempts (41 percent) and converting 30 of 33 free throws (91 percent). Black’s 32 appearances represented a considerable increase from his single game the previous season, giving him valuable experience alongside Perth’s established veterans.

His highest-scoring performance came against West Sydney at the Whitlam Centre on October 15, where Black recorded 12 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 18 minutes. He made three of his six field-goal attempts, including both three-point attempts, and converted all four free throws without committing a turnover. Rogers (21 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks) led Perth’s scoring, while Grace added 15 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists. Derek Rucker (29 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal) was outstanding for West Sydney, leading the Razorbacks to a 95-85 victory. The result left Perth winless after three games, but Black’s efficient shooting provided one of the few positives in a difficult start to the campaign.

Black produced arguably his strongest all-round game against Wollongong at the Perth Entertainment Centre on October 30, contributing 9 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists in 16 minutes. He made his only field-goal attempt, a three-pointer, and converted all six free throws without a miss, giving Perth an important scoring contribution off the bench. Fisher (21 points and 6 rebounds) led the Wildcats, while Harvey added 18 points and 2 rebounds. Melvin Thomas (23 points and 8 rebounds) was Wollongong’s leading scorer, but Perth held on for an 89-86 victory. Black’s efficiency and playmaking were particularly valuable in the narrow result as the Wildcats continued recovering from their opening three defeats.

As the season developed, Black found himself competing for opportunities in an increasingly experienced backcourt. Grace (14.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 7.6 assists across 35 games) remained Perth’s primary playmaker, directing the offence and creating opportunities for the team’s numerous scoring options. Stewart (12.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists across 36 games) supplied additional ball-handling and outside shooting, while Harvey (8.2 points across 36 games) made considerable progress after averaging just 1.7 points during his rookie season. Despite the competition for minutes, Black continued to provide a reliable option from the bench, particularly through his passing and perimeter shooting. He missed four consecutive games during February before returning to the rotation in March, with no confirmed reason established for his absence.

Perth’s frontcourt was led by Rogers (18.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks across 36 games), who emerged as the Wildcats’ leading scorer and rebounder. His outstanding season was rewarded when he became the first Perth player to win the NBL Most Valuable Player award, also earning selection to the All-NBL First Team. Vlahov (14.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.9 steals across 36 games) remained the team’s captain and another important frontcourt contributor, while Fisher (12.9 points and 6.4 rebounds across 35 games) provided additional experience, scoring and rebounding. With several established players occupying the majority of available minutes, Black continued to develop within a lineup increasingly capable of challenging for the championship.

The Wildcats further strengthened their rotation in January by signing former Melbourne Tigers import Marcus Timmons (12.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals across 16 games). Timmons, who had previously won an NBL championship with Melbourne in 1997, made his Perth debut against Wollongong on January 26 and gave the Wildcats another athletic perimeter option. His arrival increased competition for minutes, particularly among Perth’s younger guards, but added valuable scoring and postseason experience as the team began to establish itself among the league’s leading contenders.

Perth finished the regular season with eight consecutive victories, completing an impressive turnaround from its 0-3 start to secure third place with a 22-6 record. Adelaide and Townsville also finished with 22 wins and six losses, with the three teams separated by tiebreaking criteria. Although Black’s playing time had decreased during the second half of the season, he remained part of the Wildcats’ postseason rotation, giving him an opportunity to compete for a championship under his father in just his second NBL campaign.

The Wildcats began their quarterfinal series against West Sydney at the Whitlam Centre on March 15, where Black (2 points and 1 rebound) played six minutes off the bench as Perth suffered a 91-80 defeat. Vlahov (15 points and 4 rebounds) led the Wildcats’ scoring, while Grace contributed 14 points and 5 assists. Rucker (29 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals) dominated for the Razorbacks, whose victory left Perth needing consecutive wins to avoid another opening-round playoff exit.

Game two moved to the Perth Entertainment Centre on March 17, where Black played three minutes and recorded 1 assist without scoring as the Wildcats responded with a 99-88 victory. Rogers (25 points and 18 rebounds) controlled the paint, while Grace added 20 points and 9 assists to help Perth establish a more balanced offensive attack. Rucker (25 points and 7 assists) again led West Sydney, but the Wildcats levelled the series at one game apiece and forced a deciding contest on their home court.

The quarterfinal decider followed on March 19, with Black contributing 2 points in four minutes as Perth defeated West Sydney 82-74. Rogers (19 points and 12 rebounds) provided the main interior scoring threat, while Timmons added 17 points and 7 rebounds. Simon Dwight (17 points, 3 rebounds and 2 blocks) was West Sydney’s leading scorer, but Perth completed a 2-1 series comeback and advanced to the semi-finals, giving Black his first opportunity to play beyond the opening round of the NBL playoffs.

Perth faced Townsville in the semi-finals, beginning with game one at the Perth Entertainment Centre on March 24. Black contributed 5 points and 1 assist in five minutes, connecting on two of his three field-goal attempts, including a three-pointer. Grace (24 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists) led the Wildcats, while Timmons contributed 20 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Mike Kelly (29 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists) was Townsville’s leading scorer, but Perth held on for a narrow 104-101 victory to take a 1-0 series advantage.

The Crocodiles responded in game two at the Townsville Entertainment Centre on March 31, defeating Perth 101-78 to force another deciding contest. Black played ten minutes, finishing with 4 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals, providing one of his stronger defensive contributions of the postseason. Grace (16 points and 5 assists) led Perth’s scoring, while Rogers added 13 points and 8 rebounds. Sam Mackinnon (23 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals) was outstanding for Townsville, whose victory levelled the series at 1-1 and placed the Wildcats under pressure to secure another road win.

Game three was played in Townsville on April 2, where Black recorded 1 assist in four minutes without scoring as Perth secured a commanding 104-84 victory. Grace (21 points and 11 assists) directed the offence, while Rogers contributed 20 points and 12 rebounds as the Wildcats established control of the contest. Robert Rose (33 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists and 4 steals) was the Crocodiles’ leading performer, but Perth completed a 2-1 series victory to reach its first Grand Final since 1995. The result also meant Alan Black had guided the Wildcats back to the championship series with his son Stephen on the roster.

Perth faced the Victoria Titans in the Grand Final, travelling to Melbourne Park for game one on April 7. Black played six minutes, recording 1 rebound and 1 assist without scoring as the Wildcats secured an important 84-78 road victory. Rogers delivered a dominant performance with 24 points and 20 rebounds, while Grace added 19 points and 6 assists. Tony Ronaldson (25 points and 2 rebounds) led Victoria, but Perth took a 1-0 series advantage and moved within one victory of securing the club’s fourth NBL championship.

The deciding Grand Final game was played at the Perth Entertainment Centre on April 12, with Black contributing 2 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist in nine minutes as the Wildcats attempted to complete the championship sweep. Timmons delivered the defining performance with 27 points, 6 rebounds and 5 steals, connecting on seven three-pointers, while Stewart added 20 points and 7 rebounds. Darryl McDonald (25 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals) led the Titans, but Perth secured an 83-76 victory to complete a 2-0 Grand Final series win. Timmons was named Grand Final MVP as Stephen collected his first NBL championship, sharing the achievement with his father Alan, who became a championship-winning coach with the Wildcats a decade after his first stint in charge. Perth claimed its fourth NBL title, completing a memorable father-and-son championship season and securing what would prove to be the club’s final championship at the Perth Entertainment Centre.

Stephen Black played eleven seasons across three NBL teams. This included the Perth Wildcats, Brisbane Bullets and Cairns Taipans. He averaged 13.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 298 NBL games.

CAREER RANKINGS:

– 44th in total assists