Vale Darryl Pearce

The NBL is saddened by the loss of one of the League’s great players, Darryl Pearce.

Nicknamed ‘The Iceman’, Pearce played 374 games with the Adelaide 36ers and North Melbourne Giants through a storied career from 1982-1995. 

He won two championships, one in 1986 with the 36ers in a season where he averaged 19.3 points per game, and the other in 1994 with the Giants, where he was a valued veteran presence on the squad. 

Pearce was one of the great scorers and shooters in NBL history, sitting 13th all-time in three-point makes. 

A member of the Adelaide 36ers Hall of Fame, Pearce's number 4 jersey is retired by the club. 36ers Executive Chairman Grant Kelley said it was an incredibly sad day for the club.

“Darryl was one of our Invincibles and his no.4 jersey hangs proudly from the rafters,” Kelley said. 

“He was an inaugural inductee to the club Hall of Fame, and one of the best shooters the NBL has ever seen. 

“Our thoughts and prayers go to the entire Pearce family and the wider basketball community at this time.” 

Adelaide will honour Pearce's legacy by observing a moment of silence, and wearing black armbands, during Monday’s match against the Illawarra Hawks.

Across his career, Pearce averaged 15.6 points, 3.2 assists and had a 41.9% three-point shooting percentage, with his best scoring season coming in 1984, when he recorded 26 points per game. He was the first player in NBL history to hit 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800 and 900 three-pointers.

Pearce always delivered in the big moments, shooting 40%+ from three-point land in the four Grand Finals he appeared in and at the 1988 Olympics. 

Pearce was inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002. 

The NBL sends its deepest condolences to the Pearce family during this difficult time.