‘Desire and expectation to win’: Delany hungry for more success

Fresh off his Basketball Champions League Asia title, Finn Delany is hungry to chance more success in the NBL with Melbourne United.

Delany was named to the tournament’s All-Star 5, putting up big numbers off the bench across his five games.

Speaking to Melbourne United Media, Delany spoke about what he took away from the tournament, and how the success has only made him more hungry to get to the start of NBL26.

“I had a really good experience,” Delany said.

“It was a quick turn around and a very different situation but it was a very cool opportunity to gain some experience in the offseason alongside some great players and coaches that I know really well.

To finish with a trophy just topped it off.

“Coming into a new club in Melbourne United and a league I’ve been away from for a few years, it’s all about being flexible, playing off really good players and creating advantages where possible.

“As a competitor you always have that want to win, which is one of the reasons why Melbourne United was so attractive to me, there’s a desire and expectation to win.”

Since coming back to Melbourne, Delany has been working closely with Assistant Coach and former United star, David Barlow.

With Barlow having played in 227 games for United, including a pair of Championship victories, Delany has been leaning on the coach as he settles into his new team.

“He (Barlow) has been huge already,” Delany explained.

“I’m excited to be working with him this season. I have so much respect for what he achieved at United and playing internationally. We played at the same club in Spain at different times so there’s already a little connection there.

“He knows my game so well having played against each other for years, but also he knows this club and the system so well, I think that makes the transition and learning process for me even easier.”

Barlow, who had a number of battles against Delany over the course of their NBL careers, had nothing but praise for the incoming forward.

“First and foremost he’s a great bloke, and I really enjoy being around him. I think he’s going to be a great asset to our group culturally,” Barlow said.

“In the brief time we’ve had on court, what’s evident is what a high-level player he is. You can just see the level of skill and the speed in which he picks up things, and even recognises situations… It's obvious that he’s an international-level basketball player.

“Playing against him, I always thought he was a really tough competitor. Over the years I saw his progression from a younger player to a dominant player in our league, which was fun to observe because I always had great respect for how he went about things.

“He got more difficult as the years went on, as his skills improved, and what was a constant was the physicality, which I loved.

“He was just a handful. Really hard to box out, super strong, a motor that went all game, played hard, he was just the type of guy that was difficult to play against.”

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