Age Just a Number for Resurgent Newley

When a basketballer enters the professional ranks they can only dream of having the career longevity that has blessed Brad Newley over the years.

Now 38 years of age and heading into his 20^th season as a professional, Newley’s globetrotting journey seems to have him settled in Melbourne. After stints in Greece, Turkey, Lithuania and Spain, Newley returned to the NBL in 2016 with Sydney.

Then, after five years with the Kings, and one final traipse through Greece with AEK Athens in 2017, Newley arrived in Melbourne ahead of NBL21.

Such is the success demanded of United in the current NBL landscape that it is certainly no retirement team, and the growth of our domestic competition on the world stage means it is far from a retirement league.

For Newley, age is just a number – and he is still prepared to contribute.

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Father Time waits for no athlete, but the two-time Commonwealth Games gold medal winner says as long as he believes he can compete at the top table, he will continue to do so.

“I love the game,” Newley told NBL Media. “You speak to anyone who works long careers in whatever they do, whether it’s medicine or teaching or anything, they just like doing their job.

“In my mind if you can still do what you do at the highest level then do it. There’s no shame in playing a little bit less, you’ve done a lot of things in the past and now is the time to enjoy it and pass it on to the next generation of Aussies coming through.

“I’m lucky enough that I have children who are at an age where they can come and watch me play and I can talk basketball with them and that’s a big reason why I still like playing, I can come home and talk to my kids about it and have them tell me what I’m doing wrong.

“There are a number of factors as to why I’m going to keep playing, but the main one is I can still play at a high level, and I want to win a title with Melbourne.

“I’ve still got that hunger to win a title here in Australia. I want to win one here with Melbourne before I’m done.”

Of that Australian side to have won gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, Newley is the last member still playing professionally.

Many of his teammates in that competition are now well established coaches within the Australian coaching scene.

CJ Bruton takes charge of the Adelaide 36ers, Luke Kendall and Sam Mackinnon are now assistants with South East Melbourne, and Brad Davidson is an assistant at the University of Hawaii.

Newley playing at the 2006 Commonwealth Games

Mark Worthington, who came out of retirement for one last season with Willetton in NBL1 West, has also spent time coaching in the division in which he currently plays.

Reading through the names on that list of teammates indicates just how impressive Newley’s longevity at the top level has been, and goes some way to showcase just how much basketball he’s experienced over his glittering career.

He says he feels like he’s found his place in Melbourne though.

“The way Victorians go about their sport, I feel like I have the same mentality,” he said.

“Personally I’ve always loved coming to Melbourne. I’ve always had pretty good success coming from interstate to play in Melbourne, and even as a junior I got my start playing here in some big games at nationals.

“It’s a basketball town and a sporting city. I want to stay in sport when I stop playing – whenever that is – and there are potentially a few opportunities for me here in Melbourne.

“To be able to play another year here with United is very exciting for me, and I just want to make the most of it and do what I can to help the team get back to the top.”

Newley and Melbourne will open their NBL24 campaign against local rivals South East Melbourne on Thursday, September 28.