A constant of Australian basketball, Brad Newley has called time on a brilliant career spanning two decades.
The 38-year-old amassed more than 800 games playing on home soil and throughout Europe, finishing his career with Melbourne United in the NBL where he will look to end on a championship high.
Born in Adelaide, the athletic wing would take the traditional Australian Institute of Sport pathway before making his NBL debut with the Townsville Crocodiles in 2004 having an immediate impact winning Rookie and Sixth Man of the Year awards.
Selected by the Houston Rockets in the 2007 NBA draft, Newley would take the franchise’s advice to grow his game and did so in Europe where he had continued success in Greece, Turkey and Lithuania.
Newley represented his country with pride, first as part of the powerhouse Australian Under-19 team which won the 2003 FIBA World Cup.
In senior competition, he would reach the Olympic pinnacle in Beijing (2008) and London (2012) and played for the Boomers at three FIBA World Cups.
Returning home to Australia with his young family, Newley spent five seasons with the Sydney Kings before moving to Melbourne where he has imparted his wealth of knowledge and experience on United since 2021.
Basketball Australia Executive General Manager of High Performance and former Boomers captain Jason Smith said Newley’s presence on court would be missed and that he’d left an indelible mark on the Aussie basketball landscape.
“Throughout Brad’s illustrious career he exemplified the dedication, skill, and sportsmanship required to represent his country at the highest level. From his early days honing his craft through the national pathway, to representing Australia on the global stage, he inspired countless individuals with his talent and tenacity.
“On behalf of Basketball Australia, we thank him for his contribution and wish him well with all his future endeavours.”
Former Boomers team mate Dave Andersen remembers Newley as a baby-faced rookie at the 2008 Beijing Olympics who added energy and instantly fit into the program.
“We shared a lot of special times both playing in Europe. I remember him visiting me in Lyon, France, his team beat the crap out of us and then we shared a nice meal afterwards and those are the memories you treasure along with obviously the Olympics and the fun times with the Boomers.”
Sister Mia Murray (nee Newley), a three-time WNBL champion, said her older brother had lived out his dream.
“Mum had him in a Boomers jersey at three years of age, I’ve seen him go all starry-eyed as a 10-year-old in the presence of a young John Rillie shooting hoops at the local court to playing professionally which is something he always wanted to do.
“To think he’s gone on to achieve what he has, he’ll still walk into a local court somewhere and give everyone the time of the day and remember their names. That’s what makes him unique, he’s never been one to filter in and out of a team and not make an impact.”
