BIO: Tony Crocker was born in San Antonio, Texas (USA).
Tony Crocker made his NBL debut with the Adelaide 36ers at 34 years of age. He scored five points in his first game.
After long-time head coach Joey Wright was released by the 36ers amidst several issues with players, Adelaide brought in former Perth Wildcats assistant Conner Henry as the new head coach. This transition also saw key players such as Nathan Sobey and Harry Froling move to Brisbane, while Obi Kyei requested a release to focus on his clothing line.
With a portion of the roster retained, including Jack McVeigh, Brendan Teys, Daniel Dillon, and Alex Mudronja, the 36ers made a series of off-season signings to strengthen their squad. They added the highly touted Next Star Josh Giddey, who had recently debuted for the Boomers, and Sunday Dech (via Illawarra) to back up Giddey on a three-year deal. In the frontcourt, five-time club MVP Daniel Johnson re-signed for three more years, while former NBA player Isaac Humphries (via Orlando Magic) and Keanu Pinder (via Europe) were brought in. Import veteran Tony Crocker was signed as the team’s second import to complete the roster.
In their season opener, Adelaide started Giddey and Humphries but were soundly defeated by Melbourne (65-89). Coach Henry adjusted the lineup for their next game, starting Donald Sloan at point guard and giving Pinder more opportunities, which resulted in a solid win over South East Melbourne (116-108). Despite early success, Sloan’s lack of interest in coming off the bench after being replaced by Giddey saw him granted a mutual release to pursue other opportunities, with Jeremy Kendle being signed as a short-term replacement.
Adelaide started strong with a 4-2 record, but the NBL Cup—a bubble tournament held in Melbourne—disrupted their momentum. The team struggled during the tournament and dropped from third place to seventh by the end of the Cup. Humphries sustained a season-ending injury, further impacting their chances. While they brought in NBA talent Brandon Paul as a replacement, it wasn’t enough to recover their form. Jack Purchase was signed as an injury replacement for Humphries but played sparingly.
Veteran forward Tony Crocker averaged 10.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists for the season. Despite his contributions, Adelaide finished the season in a disappointing seventh place with a 13-23 record.
Daniel Johnson (19.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists) led the team in scoring for the sixth time in his career and was named co-MVP alongside Josh Giddey (10.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 7.6 assists), who was also voted NBL Rookie of the Year.
Tony Crocker played one season in the NBL. He averaged 10.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 32 NBL games.
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | 34 | Adelaide | 13-23 (7) | 32 | 834.9 | 344 | 88 | 42 | 11 | 77 | 32 | 7 | 41 | 81 | 135 | 303 | 45% | 52 | 142 | 37% | 22 | 27 | 81% | 54% | 53% | 27 | Totals | 32 | 835 | 344 | 88 | 42 | 11 | 77 | 32 | 7 | 41 | 81 | 135 | 303 | 44.6% | 52 | 142 | 36.6% | 22 | 27 | 81.5% | 55% | 53% | 27 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | 34 | Adelaide | 13-23 (7) | 32 | 26.1 | 10.8 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 4.2 | 9.5 | 45% | 1.6 | 4.4 | 37% | 0.7 | 0.8 | 81% | 54% | 53% | 27 | Total | 32 | 26.1 | 10.8 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 4.2 | 9.5 | 44.6% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 36.6% | 1.6 | 4.4 | 81.5% | 55% | 53% | 27 |
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 27 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
|---|
Tony Crocker played four NCAA seasons at Oklahoma from 2006–07 to 2009–10, finishing his Sooners career with 132 games played and 125 starts, and career totals of 2,013 points, 791 rebounds and 347 assists while shooting 37.6 percent from three across 789 attempts.
After arriving in Norman as a freshman guard in 2006–07, Crocker became a fixture in Jeff Capel’s rotation and developed into a multi-year starter, with Oklahoma later noting during his senior year that he had started his last 80 games and 109 of 116 over his career to that point.
Crocker’s sophomore season (2007–08) was his first full year as a major-minute starter, and he was recognised around the league with All-Big 12 Honorable Mention, while also being named to RealGM’s Big 12 “All-Underrated Team” list for that season.
In 2008–09, Crocker started all 36 games on an Oklahoma team that went 30–6 overall and reached the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, providing backcourt scoring and spacing alongside a national contender that finished in the final AP top 10.
His senior season (2009–10) included one of the biggest single-game stat lines of his NCAA career when he exploded for a career-high 33 points and 13 rebounds against Centenary, drilling seven threes and setting a Big 12 record for points in a half with 29 in the first half alone.
Crocker’s Oklahoma résumé also featured late-game shot-making moments that became part of the Sooners’ season stories, including a dramatic four-point play against Baylor in February 2008 that helped swing the result in overtime, with Oklahoma’s season review later highlighting his seven points in the final 21 seconds of that win.
Across his four-year NCAA run, Crocker’s year-by-year production peaked statistically as a senior at 11.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game in 32.3 minutes, while his overall Oklahoma averages finished at 10.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.
Whilst we try to source as much information as we can for every player who has ever played in the NBL some information on a player profile may be missing. If you have additional information on a player you'd like us to add to a profile, please send it to us using the enquiry form below.
Submissions are then sent to info@aussiehoopla.com
Former Sydney Kings and Townsville Crocodiles big man Rolan Roberts joins the podcast to reflect on his time in Australia, including joining the Kings mid-season and helping them complete their historic 2005 NBL three-peat. Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms. Host Dan Boyce chats with Roberts about playing under Brian Goorjian, becoming a key interior presence for Sydney, and being part of the Kings team that became the first in NBL history to win three straight championships. The episode also dives into…
READ MOREAt some point over the next 12 months, the Boomers are going to have to make a decision that Australian basketball has managed to avoid for almost two decades. Who exactly is this team built around now? Since 2010, that answer was simple. It was Patty Mills’ team. Mills has been the primary scorer for the Boomers for nearly two decades and few Australian victories have been recorded without a major scoring performance from Patty. But as the Boomers move toward the 2027 FIBA World…
READ MOREA player arriving in the NBL with NBA experience always creates interest. Fans get excited when their team signs a former NBA player, commentators mention it during broadcasts, and every article about that player usually links their NBL performance back to their NBA résumé. Sometimes, we see a big-time college prospect use the NBL as a springboard to the NBA and never return. Other times, established NBA veterans come to Australia looking for a fresh opportunity. And in many cases, local talent develops in the…
READ MOREOver the years, Aussie Hoopla has taken a deep dive into the full list of players who have competed in both the NBL and the NBA. You can see the full list of NBL players who have played in the NBA here: Names from every decade since the 1980s have featured, including NBL legends like Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Lanard Copeland and Rob Rose, alongside a long list of imports who used the NBL as a stepping stone to the world’s biggest stage. But with…
READ MOREFormer Adelaide 36ers star Julius Hodge joins the podcast to reflect on one of the most dominant short stints in NBL history, his journey from the NBA to Australia, and the impact he made during the 2007/08 season. Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms. Host Dan Boyce chats with Hodge about his incredible all-around performances, triple-doubles, and what it was like adjusting to the Australian game mid-season. The episode also dives into his time playing in the NBA and overseas, his perspective…
READ MOREBelow is an up-to-date roster for each NBL team and a list of rumours and potential signings derived from discussions with NBL staff and media. Players listed as contracted come from information supplied by the National Basketball League. * = Denotes import player ** = Naturalised Australian DP = a member of the team's development roster SRP = the previously named Asian player exception denoting an Asian player who qualifies as a local in the NBL. MP = Marquee players listed as known Click here…
READ MORECurrent head coach of the Akita Northern Happinets, Mick Downer joins the podcast to discuss the differences between coaching in Japan and the NBL, his stints with Perth, Cairns, Brisbane and Adelaide over the past 25 years, and his time with the Australian Boomers program. Visit dunk.com.au for your next set of basketball uniforms. Host Dan Boyce chats with Downer about what he learnt stepping into the head coaching role in a non-English speaking country, as well as providing updates on NBL talent in Japan…
READ MOREWe wrap up our seven-part deep dive into one of Aussie hoops’ fiercest rivalries — Sydney vs Illawarra — as the modern era turns the heat all the way up and the Freeway Series swings wildly from season to season. Host Dan Boyce picks things up after the Hawks’ rebirth under new ownership and Brian Goorjian — a fresh start that quickly turns into a brutal reality check, including the worst season in franchise history (3–25) — before Illawarra pulls off one of the great…
READ MORE