Chance praises Dellavedova following Boomers campaign

Fresh off a trip to the 2024 Paris Olympics, Matthew Dellavedova is looking as dangerous as ever heading into NBL25.

While the former NBA Champion and Olympic Bronze medalist didn’t see much extended playing time across the tournament, he brought his usual brand of intense defensive pressure and creation whenever he did hit the floor.

Alongside him for the Olympic campaign was Melbourne United Assistant Coach, Jacob Chance, who worked with the Boomers staff as a video assistant.

Looking at how Dellavedova operated across the team's time in Paris, Chance believes there are few players who embody what it means to be a Boomers player more than ‘Delly’.

“‘Del’ is the prototype Boomer in the sense of what it means to play for the front of the jersey and not the back,” he explained.

“Every time he went out there, he was unreal, all tournament. 

“Probably more impressive are the things that people don’t see and that’s part of the leader that he is. It’s really difficult in tournaments to stay ready, it’s not like playing in the NBL where you have multiple practices, we were trying to find courts late at night to get a run in, and Delly really drove those sessions from an intensity standpoint.

“He was a massive part in helping with gameplanning, he was a great sounding board for coaches, and ultimately he’s one of the best problem solvers that the game has seen.

“His IQ, his ability to see things and communicate that to his teammates and the coaching staff is elite, so he was a massive part of our problem solving.”

In NBL24, Dellavedova averaged career highs in scoring and rebounding, while also leading the league in assists per game.

With his return to Melbourne United’s home of Hoop City imminent, excitement continues to build ahead of United’s NBL25 season.

Fans will get their first opportunity to see United hit the court when they host the Brisbane Bullets at Casey Basketball Stadium next Tuesday from 6:30pm. Limited tickets remain, so get in quick to secure your spot!

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