CJ Bruton
February 2, 2021
Thalo Green
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 5/06/78
- Place of Birth: Salem, Oregon (USA)
- Position: FRD
- Height (CM): 200
- Weight (KG): 100
- Junior Assoc:
- College: Washington (1997–2000)
- NBL DEBUT: 3/10/03
- AGE AT DEBUT: 25
- LAST NBL GAME: 26/11/04
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 26
- NBL History: Melbourne 2004 | Sydney 2005
- Championships: 1
- Sydney (2005)
BIO: Thalo Green was born in Salem, Oregon (USA) where he attended South Salem High School.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Thalo Green made his NBL debut with the Melbourne Tigers at 25 years of age. He scored six points in his first game.
After Sydney ended Melbourne’s previous season in the qualifying finals, Marcus Timmons (to Cairns), Greg Blake (to Victoria), Matt Rueter and Nathan Taylor exited the team. Head coach Lindsay Gaze retained Andrew Gaze, Mark Bradtke, Lanard Copeland, Stephen Hoare, David Smith, Neil Mottram, Daryl Corletto and Luke McMillan, while adding Darryl McDonald (via Victoria), David Donaldson and import Thalo Green (via Rockhampton).
Green made his NBL debut at 25 years old against Brisbane on October 3, finishing with 6 points and 3 rebounds in 13:55 minutes as Melbourne won 97-88, with Gaze (20 points and 6 rebounds) and Bradtke (16 points, 16 rebounds, and 4 blocks) leading the other Tigers.
Green (7.6 points across 34 games) became a regular part of Melbourne’s rotation during his first NBL season, providing athleticism and scoring from the forward positions.
Green produced one of his best all-round games against West Sydney on December 5, finishing with 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists as Melbourne defeated the Razorbacks 105-100, with Copeland (25 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Gaze (20 points and 4 rebounds) leading the other Tigers.
His season-high scoring game came against New Zealand on December 17, where Green finished with 19 points, 2 assists, and 1 steal, while Gaze (21 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals) and Thomas (19 points and 7 rebounds) provided support before the Breakers defeated Melbourne 98-83.
Green matched his season-high three days later against Victoria, finishing with 19 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal as Melbourne defeated the Giants 100-72, with Gaze (17 points and 4 assists) and Bradtke (15 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists) helping the Tigers return to the winners’ list.
After Melbourne’s opening three games, Dave Thomas (via Canberra) joined the Tigers and became an important member of Lindsay’s frontcourt rotation.
Gaze (21.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists across 35 games) and Copeland (18.5 points and 3.2 assists across 35 games) remained Melbourne’s two leading offensive players, while Bradtke (15.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists across 32 games) led the NBL in rebounding and earned All-NBL First Team honours. Thomas (15.8 points, 9 rebounds, and 1.9 steals across 30 games), Hoare (9.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists across 30 games), McDonald (7.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1.6 steals across 34 games) and Green provided the other main contributions, with McDonald winning the NBL Best Sixth Man award.
Melbourne completed the regular season in Newcastle on February 29, where Green (13 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block) played 23:49 minutes as the Tigers defeated Hunter 107-91, with Gaze (18 points and 6 assists) and Bradtke (16 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 steals) helping Melbourne secure fifth place with a 20-13 record.
The elimination final opened at the State Netball and Hockey Centre, where Melbourne recovered from a ten-point halftime deficit to defeat Adelaide 111-107 behind Gaze (31 points), Bradtke (25 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Thomas (23 points and 3 steals), while Martin Cattalini (31 points) and Dusty Rychart (27 points) led the 36ers. Green (3 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist) played 9:32 minutes in the win.
The quarterfinals moved to Brisbane, where Stephen Black (24 points) led the Bullets to a 112-101 win despite Copeland (23 points), Gaze (20 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Thomas (12 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks) keeping Melbourne within reach. Green (10 points, 1 rebound, and 1 block) played 11:03 minutes in the loss.
SYDNEY KINGS
2004/05
Thalo Green’s time with the Kings was cut short due to a persistent virus that impacted his performance. Green, a versatile and hardworking player, began the season as a key rotational piece for the defending champions but struggled with health issues that limited his effectiveness on the court.
In eight games with the Kings, Green averaged 5.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game, providing energy and defensive intensity off the bench. However, as his condition worsened, it became clear that he would not be able to contribute at the level required for Sydney’s championship aspirations. As a result, the Kings made the difficult decision to release him early in the season.
Sydney moved quickly to reinforce their frontcourt, signing Rolan Roberts as Green’s replacement. Roberts, a powerful forward, brought a different dynamic to the team with his rebounding, shot-blocking, and interior scoring. His arrival bolstered the Kings, who went on to finish the regular season in first place with a 21-11 record under head coach Brian Goorjian.
Despite his shortened season, Green was still part of the Kings’ early push toward their historic three-peat. Sydney entered the playoffs as minor premiers and dominated the Brisbane Bullets in the semifinals, sweeping the series 2-0. In the Grand Final, they overwhelmed the Illawarra Hawks in three straight games (96-73, 105-80, 112-85), securing their place as the first team in NBL history to win three consecutive championships.
Thalo Green played two seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Melbourne Tigers and the Sydney Kings. He averaged 7.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 42 NBL games.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-05 | 26 | Sydney | 21-11 (1) | 8 | 97.0 | 42 | 15 | 12 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 39 | 36% | 4 | 19 | 21% | 10 | 15 | 67% | 46% | 41% | 14 |
| 2003-04 | 25 | Melbourne | 20-13 (5) | 34 | 473.0 | 260 | 82 | 26 | 31 | 51 | 14 | 11 | 29 | 80 | 95 | 214 | 44% | 32 | 83 | 39% | 38 | 60 | 63% | 54% | 52% | 19 | Totals | 42 | 570 | 302 | 97 | 38 | 37 | 60 | 16 | 12 | 41 | 91 | 109 | 253 | 43.1% | 36 | 102 | 35.3% | 48 | 75 | 64.0% | 53% | 50% | 19 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-05 | 26 | Sydney | 21-11 (1) | 8 | 12.1 | 5.3 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 4.9 | 36% | 0.5 | 2.4 | 21% | 1.3 | 1.9 | 67% | 46% | 41% | 14 |
| 2003-04 | 25 | Melbourne | 20-13 (5) | 34 | 13.9 | 7.6 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 6.3 | 44% | 0.9 | 2.4 | 39% | 1.1 | 1.8 | 63% | 54% | 52% | 19 | Total | 42 | 13.6 | 7.2 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 6.0 | 43.1% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 35.3% | 0.9 | 2.4 | 64.0% | 53% | 50% | 19 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 19 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- Rockhampton 2002-03 | Gold Coast 2004, 2011, 2017-19 | Melbourne 2005-06 | Logan 2008 | Southern Districts 2009
In 2011, Green played for the Gold Coast Rollers in the QBL where their season ended after a heart-breaking 87-86 loss to Brisbane in their knockout quarter-final. Green would miss the playoffs due to failing to appear in enough games to qualify, as did captain Jason Aucoin (knee injury), Christian Salecich (World University Games) and Adam Gibson (Boomers camp).
Green retired from state league play in 2019, while playing for the Gold Coast Rollers.
COLLEGE
Green played college basketball at Washington during the 1997–98 season and competed with the Huskies from 1997 to 2000 before completing his degree prior to 2003.
In the 1997–98 season under head coach Bob Bender, Washington finished 10–17 overall and 5–13 in Pac-10 Conference play, with Green appearing in 26 games as a freshman reserve and averaging 3.5 points and 1.2 rebounds per game while shooting 41.3% from the field.
During that freshman campaign, he recorded a season-high 12 points in a non-conference matchup and logged multiple games with at least 10 minutes played, contributing off the bench in Pac-10 competition against programs including Arizona, UCLA and Stanford.
In 1998–99, Washington improved to 18–13 overall and 9–9 in Pac-10 play, earning an NIT appearance, and Green played 29 games while increasing his averages to 6.8 points and 2.4 rebounds per game across 17.3 minutes per contest, shooting 44.7% from the floor and 33.3% from three-point range.
That season included a 17-point performance in conference play and multiple double-figure scoring outings as he moved into a larger rotation role.
In the 1999–2000 season, Washington finished 20–10 overall and 11–7 in Pac-10 play and returned to postseason competition, and Green appeared in 30 games, averaging 9.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 46.5% from the field and 38.2% from three-point range.
Across his three-year Washington career, Green played in 85 games, totaling over 600 career points and contributing in regular-season Pac-10 play and postseason competition, including NIT appearances during the late 1990s rebuilding period under Bender.
LIFE AFTER BASKETBALL
During his time in Australia Green worked as a high school teacher.
Related
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