Matthew Dellavedova officially joins Melbourne United but keeps NBA door open

Matthew Dellavedova has officially joined Melbourne United, but his championship-winning NBA career isn’t over.

United has unveiled Dellavedova for the upcoming NBL season, although the Boomers guard hasn’t given up hope of returning to the world’s best basketball league in the future.

The 30-year-old plans to use the 2021-2022 NBL campaign with United as a platform to regain his fitness and form before potentially rejoining the NBA.

“It’s definitely not an end date for me in the NBA,” declared Dellavedova, who tested the market in America before deciding that United was the best option for his immediate future.

“This season I’m locked in with United and I’m excited for the year there, but my goal is to get back to the NBA.

“I think I just need to show everyone that I’m fit, healthy and well and we’ll see what happens after the season.”

And there is precedent in the NBL for Dellavedova to return to the NBA.

The Australian league is now a legitimate springboard and breeding ground to America as shown through the likes of Andrew Bogut, LaMelo Ball and United championship winner and grand final MVP Jock Landale, who recently penned a two-year deal with the San Antonio Spurs.

Dellavedova knows the eyes of the hoops world will be watching when he dons a United singlet, which is a testament to the NBL’s global surge in success and respectability.

“The NBL has done a great job of promoting that pathway and continuing to build,” he said.

“I think the NBL has always been a great league, it has just been really underrated around the world.

“Now it is getting the respect that it has deserved for a long time.

“A big part of that has been getting that Next Stars program going. Having LaMelo Ball and Josh Giddey doing so well here and then going on to bigger things in the NBA helps.

“But then you’ve also got (RJ) Hampton, (Terrance) Ferguson, Jae’Sean Tate, Will Weaver, Trevor (Gleeson) and Jock, who should have been there for a while skill and ability wise.

“It was just different circumstances, but to go from having a great year in the NBL to a guaranteed two-year deal is awesome.

“I think that also shows the respect that people have for the league.”

Dellavedova will spend the next few weeks catching up with family, including his mum and dad who he hasn’t seen for a year-and-a-half, before locking in on pre-season ahead of the 2021-22 NBL season.

He believes United is the perfect place to rebuild and refine his game, especially after missing so much NBA basketball last season through concussion and appendicitis.

“I haven’t played a ton of minutes or games over the last year and a half and I think coming to United where I’m going to get the opportunity to play a lot of minutes, have the ball in my hands, and do a lot of reps, is something that firstly I’m really looking forward to,” he said.

“And I think it is going to be great for my development and I want to continue to get better and improve my game.

“To do that, you need to get reps and it helps if you have the ball in your hands and playing with United is going to give me that opportunity to make plays and try and get open looks for Goulding and the other boys as well.

“I’m really excited to get started with United.

“I’ve been talking with Dean (Vickerman) and Goulding a fair bit and have got to know the United staff.

“I’m really looking forward to the season – it is going to be a fun year with Newley, Barlow and Goulding, who I have played with before.”

BOOMERS FUTURE

It was assumed in some quarters that Tokyo would be Dellavedova’s final Olympics, but the veteran guard insists he isn’t done just yet.

“I’m definitely planning on being there (Paris 2024),” Dellavedova said.

“I feel like I can get a lot better from where I was at in Tokyo. I just need to string a good chunk of time together.

“I think playing at United is the perfect. I’ve already been talking to the physio and the weights coach, and I’ve got a program set up.

“So, I’m very hungry and looking forward to having a good year.”

Over a fortnight has passed since the Boomers’ historic bronze in Tokyo, but Dellavedova is still buzzing.

You can hear the passion in his voice about representing Australia and playing his part in winning the men’s maiden Olympic medal.

Dellavedova’s pride went to another level when he saw an emotional Andrew Gaze tearing up as he discussed the significance of the Boomers bronze on Channel 7’s coverage.

“I did see the footage of Gazey when I was with Joey (Ingles) – I think we were getting interviewed for Channel 7 and that was the first time that I’d seen it,” he said.

“It brought a tear to my eye as well because you know how much it means to him and his dad, how much time and effort they have put in to build basketball up from the grassroots level over decades.

“You also think about all the other players that have pulled on the green and gold for the Boomers that have built the program to get it to this point.

“It is awesome that they feel apart of it, which they should because they’ve helped get the program to the point that it is now.

“We just want to continue to keep building it.”