United Secures Return of Aussie Great

One of Australia’s most successful basketball exports is returning to the NBL, with NBA champion Matthew Dellavedova agreeing to a two-year deal to re-join Melbourne United.

Dellavedova previously spent one season in Melbourne after a glittering NBA career that consisted of 499 appearances across two stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers – including a championship in 2016 – and three seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks.

He was also a member of the bronze medal winning Boomers side from the Tokyo Olympics.

Following a selection to the All-NBL Second Team in NBL22, Dellavedova returned to the NBA with the Sacramento Kings, however a finger injury prevented him from touching the court in the side’s recent NBA Playoff run.

“I’m really excited to be coming back to Melbourne United,” Dellavedova said.

“I want to come back and win a Championship here. It’s a great club that has a really strong culture and I’m happy to be back a part of it.

“I had a lot of fun the year I was here. There’s excitement about getting to play with a lot of those same guys we had success with a year ago. It was a great group of guys, some I knew and some I grew close with."

“There are so many things that Delly brings to the table,” Melbourne head coach Dean Vickerman added.

“It starts with his competitiveness and his grit to just want to win. You never feel like you’re out of a game when you’ve got him on the floor.

“He’s a leader by actions, diving on the floor, winning loose-ball possessions, taking charges, and by his play, we saw he can really get hot with his three-ball and ability to score.

“The way he assesses the game, his total understanding of how to run a team, is unmatched, and we think he can bring that from either guard position.”

Dellavedova has joined former teammate Jo Lual-Acuil Jr in committing to United, along with new signings Tanner Krebs, Flynn Cameron, Luke Travers, Campbell Blogg and Kyle Bowen.