Pro Deal a Decade Coming for Starling

Photo: Brandon Hancock, Archie Creative

Over a decade after arriving on Australian shores with the goal of becoming a professional athlete, Alex Starling will finally earn his chance to play at the highest level in NBL24.

The now 34-year-old arrived in Australia as an international prospect with AFL side, the Sydney Swans. Despite never having played the sport ahead of his arrival with the Swans, 2005 premiership coach Paul Roos labelled Starling as a “phenomenon” at the time.

“Alex is not only an outstanding basketballer, but he has also played American football as well,” Roos said of Starling in 2012.

“We saw an amazing athlete with great speed, great hands and an incredible capacity to learn a new game.”

Following three years playing Australian rules football, Starling returned to basketball with the Woodville Warriors in the Premier League – the competition now known as NBL1 Central.

Since then, he’s been a dominant force in South Australian basketball. In the past nine seasons he’s won three championships, three Defensive Player of the Year awards, two MVP awards and two Grand Final MVP awards.

It's been quite the journey for Starling, and now he has his chance to shine in the NBL.