BIO: Craig Moller was born in Sutherland (NSW) and played football and basketball while attending both Lucas Heights Community School and Sydney Boys High School. He began playing basketball as a junior with the Sutherland basketball program while also playing football for the Cronulla Sharks Junior team. During that period he was part of basketball’s national junior development program and considered a future NBL player capable of representing Australia.

At age 14, the Fremantle Football Club began developing Moller via the New South Wales AFL Scholarship Scheme. Joining Fremantle on a three-year scholarship, Moller travelled to Fremantle twice a year and went on three training trips to Melbourne. At the under-16 level, he began playing for the Sydney University Australian national Football Club in the North East Australian Football League, and in 2012, he spent part of the season playing for the GWS reserves. In December 2012, he was officially drafted by Fremantle in the 2013 rookie draft.

Moller spent 2013-2015 with Fremantle but played on one AFL game. Following the conclusion of the 2015 AFL season, Moller was delisted by Fremantle.

In 2015 he began playing state league with Sutherland where he was noticed by Sydney Kings coaches and invited to attend team trainings.

FAMILY: Moller’s grandfather was born in Lüneburg and spent much of his early life in Germany. Moller’s grandmother was born in Grenoble, France. They met on the boat that they both immigrated to Australia on in the early 1950s.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Craig Moller made his NBL debut with the Sydney Kings at 21 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

Craig Moller’s entry into the NBL began during the 2015/16 season, a turbulent period for the Sydney Kings. Despite aspirations of achieving a winning record, the team faced setbacks, including a season-ending injury to star Josh Childress and the absence of key players due to injuries and illness.

In early January 2016, Moller joined the Kings as part of the training squad and quickly impressed the coaching staff. Alongside Australian centre Jordan Vandenberg, he was brought in for a tryout to replace the injured Julian Khazzouh. While Moller narrowly missed out on the final roster spot, he remained with the team as a full-time training squad member.

An injury to backup forward Jeromie Hill in early February provided Moller with his first opportunity to play in the NBL. He made his debut against Perth (10 Feb), appearing for 1 minute and 47 seconds in the final quarter. Though limited in playing time, this debut marked the beginning of his professional basketball career.

The Kings struggled throughout the season, enduring a last-place finish (6-22) despite notable contributions from Childress (21.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.7 blocks in 13 games) and Angus Brandt (8.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks). Moller’s inclusion in the roster symbolized his hard work and perseverance during a challenging year for the team.

2016/17
On 21 September 2016, Craig Moller signed with the Sydney Kings as a development player for the 2016/17 NBL season. The Kings underwent significant changes in the off-season, appointing Australian basketball icon Andrew Gaze as head coach and adding star import Kevin Lisch to the roster. Lisch, alongside Brad Newley and Aleks Maric, joined a returning core of Tom Garlepp, Jason Cadee, and Julian Khazzouh.

The season began with high expectations, with many predicting the Kings to end their playoff drought. Moller made his presence felt in the opening game, recording 4 rebounds and 1 assist in 13 minutes during a narrow 77–73 loss to the Brisbane Bullets. His hustle and defensive effort provided glimpses of his potential as a valuable role player.

Sydney enjoyed a strong start to the season, led by Lisch (16.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists), Newley (17.6 points, 5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists), and Cadee (13 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists). However, injuries and inconsistencies derailed the team’s momentum. The departure of import Michael Bryson, followed by the mid-season exit of Steve Blake, left the Kings searching for stability. Moller was promoted to the main roster following Blake’s departure, solidifying his position within the team.

Moller appeared in 13 games during the season, averaging 3.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.3 assists. His standout moments included key defensive stops and high-energy performances off the bench, which earned praise from Gaze and teammates alike.

Despite early promise, the Kings struggled to maintain their form, finishing seventh (13-15) and missing the playoffs. The season concluded with Lisch and Newley earning All-NBL Second Team honours, while Moller established himself as a reliable contributor, setting the foundation for future success in the league.

2017/18 saw the beginning of the ‘Dean Vickerman’ era with United replacing Dean Demopoulos, who struggled to fit in with the playing group. On March 17, 2017, Vickerman was appointed head coach of Melbourne United for two seasons. Shortly after, the team re-signed David Barlow and imports Josh Boone (13.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game) and Casper Ware (16.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists), then added Moller (Sydney) as a replacement for the departing Todd Blanchfield and Casey Prather (16.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists) as the team’s third import.

Melbourne won their season opener against Adelaide (99–97), with Prather (20 points) leading the team offensively. Despite United’s hot start, they won only five of their first ten games.

On December 16, Prather went down with a dislocated elbow in the second quarter of Melbourne’s win over Illawarra (84–78) and was subsequently ruled out for a minimum of eight weeks. While United looked for an injury replacement, development player Felix Von Hofe was elevated into the team until they signed former NBA talent Carrick Felix. Felix joined the team in December, and with his addition, the team sparked a strong run home, finishing 15–3 for the remainder of the season.

Moller averaged 3.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game, while Melbourne finished in first place (20-8) and faced fourth-seed New Zealand in the semifinals. In Game 1, Prather (15 points) led the team in scoring despite starting on the bench and helped secure an 11-point win (88–77). Prather (12 points) then contributed to Melbourne’s overtime victory in Game 2 (88–86) to sweep the series and progress to the Grand Final.

In the Grand Final series opener, Casper Ware (20 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) came out firing in the first half before leaving the game with a hip injury. Chris Goulding (26 points) stepped up with an impressive shooting display to give Melbourne the victory (107–96) at Hisense Arena. Adelaide’s Daniel Johnson (18 points) and Mitch Creek (14 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists) led the 36ers.

In Game 2, Adelaide came out firing, led by Majok Deng (18 points), Mitch Creek (17 points), and Ramone Moore (17 points), securing a 15-point win (110–95) to tie the series. Melbourne’s Casey Prather (20 points) and Chris Goulding (19 points) were the standouts. However, the 36ers’ win came at a cost, with import Josh Childress (13 points and 8 rebounds) going down with a shoulder injury, ruling him out for the rest of the series.

Game 3 in Melbourne saw tensions explode at halftime, with Adelaide’s Nathan Sobey clashing with Casey Prather after a buzzer-beating three-pointer. Sobey was ejected after a disqualifying foul, and the game ended in a narrow Melbourne victory (101–98). Casper Ware (25 points), Prather (23 points), and Goulding (15 points) were among United’s best, while Majok Deng’s missed game-tying three-pointer sealed the win.

Game 4 in Adelaide saw the 36ers dominate early, leading 55–31 at halftime before securing a 90–81 victory. Daniel Johnson (29 points, 10 rebounds) and Casey Prather (23 points) were the top scorers for their respective teams.

In the deciding Game 5, Goulding (23 points), Ware (23 points), and Prather (19 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 steals) led Melbourne to a commanding 100–82 win in front of a sold-out Hisense Arena, securing their first title since rebranding from the Tigers. Adelaide’s Shannon Shorter (20 points) top-scored for the 36ers. Chris Goulding was named Finals MVP after averaging 16.6 points and 3.6 rebounds across the five-game series. Casey Prather made history by becoming the first player in NBL history to win three consecutive championships in his first three seasons.

2018/19
Melbourne entered the 2018/19 season looking to defend their championship. They retained their core group by first re-signing team captain Chris Goulding (14.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists) and David Barlow (6.5 points and 4.5 rebounds) before securing Josh Boone (10.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks) and Casper Ware (18.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists) on one-year deals despite strong interest from overseas teams.

Moller (3.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.7 assists) had standout performances, including 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 steal in a win against Brisbane (94–81) on January 6, 2019, and 10 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block in a win against Cairns (98–85) on November 3, 2018. His defensive presence and hustle plays were key in Melbourne’s rotation as they finished the regular season in second place (18-10).

Melbourne faced Sydney in the semifinals, winning Game 1 (95–73) with Moller contributing 4 rebounds and 2 assists. In Game 2 (90–76), Moller added 2 points and 3 rebounds as United advanced to the Grand Final series against Perth.

The Grand Final series saw Moller contribute defensively, with notable games including 7 rebounds in Game 1 (81–71) and 4 rebounds and 2 assists in Game 3 (67–95). Despite Melbourne’s efforts, Perth claimed the championship in Game 4 (97–84), led by Bryce Cotton (28 points) and Terrico White (20 points). Moller’s role as a defensive anchor added depth throughout Melbourne’s campaign.

With Sydney having underdelivered under Andrew Gaze, the Kings took a different direction in 2019, appointing Will Weaver, an Australian Boomers assistant coach, as their new head coach. Following Melbourne United’s decision not to exercise the optional third year of Craig Moller’s contract, he returned to Sydney, signing a two-year deal on April 15, 2019.

Sydney’s other key moves included re-signing Kevin Lisch (6.9 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.1 steals) on a multi-year deal, replacing imports Jerome Randle with Casper Ware (via Melbourne) and David Wear with Jae’Sean Tate. Local talent Xavier Cooks (Winthrop University), Shaun Bruce (via Adelaide), and Lucas Walker (via Cairns) were also added to the roster.

Through the NBL’s ‘Next Stars’ program, the Kings acquired Didi Louzada, who had just been drafted by the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans, further bolstering their squad.

The Kings suffered a major injury setback when Kevin Lisch fractured his left ankle in Round 2. He was ruled out for two months, and Sydney signed import Deshon Taylor (6.6 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1 assist), who had been released by the Adelaide 36ers, as a temporary replacement. Lisch returned for the final three games of the regular season, contributing to Sydney’s first-place finish with a 20–8 record.

Moller played in Sydney’s first 11 games of the season before a right ankle injury sidelined him for 16 games. During his absence, Sydney relied on their depth to maintain their dominance. Moller (7.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists) returned for the Kings’ final regular-season game, just in time for their playoff push.

Weaver built a Kings team that delivered a balanced attack. Casper Ware (19.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists) led the team in scoring, while Jae’Sean Tate (16.4 points, 6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals) showcased an all-around game that earned him All-NBL First Team honours, Kings club MVP, and ultimately an NBA contract with the Houston Rockets. Andrew Bogut (8.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 blocks) remained a defensive anchor, earning a spot on the All-NBL Second Team.

In the semifinals, Sydney defeated Melbourne in a hard-fought series (2-1). The Kings advanced to face Perth in the Grand Final.

Game 1 of the Grand Final series was a nail-biter, with the Kings losing 88–86. Kevin Lisch led Sydney in scoring with 17 points. Ahead of Game 2 in Perth, the league decided to play all remaining games without fans due to the emerging COVID-19 pandemic. In an empty arena, Sydney evened the series at 1–1 with an 83–81 win, led by Jae’Sean Tate (21 points on 7-of-9 shooting) and a dominant performance from Andrew Bogut (24 points and 14 rebounds).

In Game 3, Perth secured a commanding 111–96 victory behind career-high performances from Nick Kay (30 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Bryce Cotton (31 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists). Sydney struggled defensively, with Jae’Sean Tate (16 points) leading their scoring.

Before Game 4, Sydney withdrew from the series due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions. Several Kings players, with commitments overseas, faced concerns about returning home amidst growing uncertainties. The league awarded Perth the championship based on their 2-1 series lead, securing their 10th title. Bryce Cotton, averaging 30.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists over the series, was named Grand Final MVP for the second time in four years, becoming the first player in Wildcats history to win league MVP, Grand Final MVP, and a championship in the same season.

2020/21
The Kings faced significant roster turnover after their runners-up finish in 2020. All-NBL First Team forward Jae’Sean Tate and head coach Will Weaver both signed with the NBA’s Houston Rockets, while veterans Kevin Lisch, Andrew Bogut, and Lucas Walker retired. Assistant coach Adam Forde stepped into the head coaching role and retooled the roster with import Jarell Martin (17.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists), Angus Glover (via Illawarra), and rookie Dejan Vasiljevic (15.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists). Sydney also signed Tom Vodanovich as an injury replacement for Xavier Cooks, who suffered a preseason foot injury.

The Kings struggled early, losing three of their first four games and sitting in seventh place. Mid-season, the NBL Cup—a centralized tournament held in Melbourne to mitigate COVID-19 travel issues—helped the Kings find form. Sydney finished the Cup with a 4-4 record, then won consecutive games at home to break into the top four by Round 12.

Casper Ware (17.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists) and Jarell Martin led the offense, with Martin’s best game coming against New Zealand, where he scored 29 points. Dejan Vasiljevic and Jordan Hunter emerged as key players, with Hunter (9.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks) finishing runner-up for Most Improved Player and Vasiljevic earning Rookie of the Year honours. Xavier Cooks (10.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists) made an impact late in the season, recording a career-high 19 points and 11 rebounds against Illawarra in Round 21.

Despite flashes of brilliance, Sydney’s three-point shooting (33.4%, tied for worst in the league) and road struggles (50% away losses) proved costly. A stretch of five losses in seven games, including two blowouts, saw Sydney drop out of playoff contention, finishing fifth with a 19-17 record.

In 2021, Moller opted to play in Europe rather than re-sign with the Kings, joining Würzburg in Germany. However, a knee injury sidelined him for over a year, limiting his impact overseas.

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX
2023/24
After injuries kept Moller off the court for two seasons, the 203cm forward signed a deal to play with South East Melbourne, adding length, athleticism, and versatility to the roster.

“I hope to bring leadership and professionalism to the group, having played with some of Australia’s best earlier in my NBL career. It helps knowing the league, many familiar faces, the pace it’s played at, how its refereed, so I’ll hopefully be able to slot straight back in,” Moller said after signing the deal.

Moller had played under coach Mike Kelly at Melbourne United, winning a championship in 2018. He was coached by Kelly at the 2017 World Uni Games alongside his new Phoenix teammates Rhys Vague and Matt Kenyon.

Craig Moller played six seasons across three NBL teams. This included the Sydney Kings, Melbourne United and South East Melbourne Phoenix. He averaged 4.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1 assists in 147 NBL games.

Dan Boyce (828 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.