David Barlow to retire, join United coaching staff
Melbourne United foundation player and club legend David Barlow has announced his retirement, with the 20-year pro set to enter the club’s coaching staff.
The decision comes after spending the better part of two decades as one of Australia’s premier basketball players, cashing threes and winning championships across the globe.
No team felt his impact quite like Melbourne United, where he captured two championships after joining the club at its inception in the 2014/15 season.
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‘DB’, as he often goes by, ranks in the top five of every major statistical category across United’s history, and ranks second all-time in games played for the organisation.
Despite this, Melbourne United Head Coach Dean Vickerman said stats will never truly be able to capture the impact Barlow had on the entire organisation.
“He’s the fabric of this club,” he said.
“When an outside person thinks of Melbourne United, they think of Chris Goulding and David Barlow.
“His numbers will never indicate the value he’s had at this club and will have in the future. Helping the team get to the playoffs and winning championships are the statistics that really matter.”
THANK YOU DB ?
— Melbourne United (@MelbUnited) September 1, 2022
David Barlow has today announced his retirement - with the 20-year pro set to enter the club's coaching staff.
From the entire organisation, we would like to thank & congratulate Dave on a tremendous playing career.
Full story: https://t.co/vMX3FVQzaL pic.twitter.com/j908UMU3lU
While not an easy decision to make, DB said he will continue to do whatever he can as a coach to help propel United to more success.
“I’m a basketball player for life, I’ll always be playing the game in whatever capacity that is,” he said.
“I looked at how I could help United in our continued search for championships… and the club and I came to the decision that it was probably as a member of the coaching staff.”
Having operated as an on-court coach over much of his career with United, Barlow believes he is uniquely equipped to smoothly transition to the coaching bench.
“All the experiences I've been lucky enough to have as a player combined with my passion for basketball strategy have enabled me to be a valuable teacher within the playing group over the last couple of years.
“That has put me in good stead to move into the coaching staff and remain a teacher in a different capacity.”
Assistant Coach David Barlow has a nice ring to it ? pic.twitter.com/FxDUtwUNyC
— Melbourne United (@MelbUnited) September 1, 2022
Vickerman said he expects the club legend to slot into his coaching staff seamlessly and is excited about what the forward can continue bringing to the club.
“He’s already brought so much to the coaching staff in the preseason in the way that he views the game, his knowledge of our personnel and how he sees them,” Vickerman said.
“His knowledge from sharing the court with them gives us extra information that’s crucial as a coach.
“He sees the game at an elite level from all his experiences internationally, playing overseas, playing at Olympics and World Championships, he’s got so much experience from the highest level, we’re privileged to have him on our staff.”
While there remains a chance Barlow could suit up for Melbourne again should the circumstances necessitate it, he praised the love and support he has received from United fans, and the entire basketball community as a whole throughout his career.
“I feel incredibly grateful to have experienced all I have as a professional basketball player… I'm grateful and thankful for the fans for coming on this journey with us as a team and with me individually,” he continued.
“It all comes back to the wider basketball community which I have so much love for, especially here in Melbourne.
“For me growing up, playing locally and working my way through everything a junior basketball player in our city is, and then progressing to be a professional player has given me such a love for the basketball community.
“Now I’m going through the journey with my son who’s 10 years old playing junior basketball and I’m seeing the same things… it fills me with so much love.”
From the entire Melbourne United organisation, we would like to thank and congratulate David Barlow on a tremendous playing career and all the amazing moments he helped create, while eagerly anticipating what new memories he will manufacture as a coach.
Thank you DB.
David Barlow’s accolades and milestones:
- 5x NBL Champion (2004, 2005 Sydney) (2008, 2018, 2021 Melbourne)
- All-NBL 3rd team (2009)
- 2x Olympian (2008, 2012)
- 3x FIBA World Cup/World Championships (2006, 2010, 2019)
- NBL Stats - Games Plays - 366, Points Scored - 3126, Rebounds - 1297, 3 Pointers Made - 539 (36th all time)
- Melbourne United Stats - Games Played - 206 (2nd in club history), Points Scored - 1272 (3rd), Rebounds - 636 (2nd), 3 Pointers Made - 290 (2nd), Steals - 88 (4th), Blocks - 55 (5th), Assists - 224 (5th)
- Holds the NBL record for the best ‘perfect game’: 37-points, 14-14 shooting 8-8 from three in 2007.
Career Timeline:
- 2020-21 - NBL Champion
- 2019 - Represented Australia at FIBA World Cup (4th place finish)
- 2019 - Represented Australia against USA in Melbourne (first time in history the Boomers defeated USA)
- 2019 - Became all time leader of NBL finals games played
- 2018-19 - NBL runner up
- 2017-18 - NBL champion
- 2014 - Signed with Melbourne United
- 2013-14 - Signed with Euroleague team Zielona Gora
- 2012 - Represented Australia at the London Olympics
- 2011-12 - Signed with ACB club Murcia
- 2011 - Named Captain of the Australian Boomers for SINO series against China
- 2010 - Re-signed with Zaragoza in Spanish ACB
- 2010 - Represented Australia at FIBA World Cup
- 2009-10 - Spanish LEB gold champion
- 2009-10 - Signed with Spanish club Zaragoza
- 2008-09 - NBL runner up
- 2008 - Represented Australia at the Beijing Olympics
- 2007-08 - NBL champion
- 2007-08 - NBL All Star
- 2007 - NBL record for FGs/3FGs made in a game without missing (14/14, 8/8)
- 2007 - Signed with Melbourne Tigers
- 2006 - Represented Australia at FIBA World Cup
- 2005-06 - NBL runner up
- 2004-05 - NBL champion
- 2003-04 - NBL champion
- 2003-04 - Signed with Sydney Kings
- 2002-03 - Named Metro State newcomer of the year
- 2002-03 - Metro State conference champions
- 2002-03 - Scholarship to Metro State University
- 2001-02 - NBL Development player, Victoria Titans
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