Koppens re-signs as a Development Player

Melbourne United is excited to announce that Tom Koppens has re-signed with the club as a Development Player (DP) for the NBL25 season.

Koppens, 21, appeared sparingly for last year’s minor premiers, but showcased continual growth across the season.

Speaking to MU Media, Koppens touched on his elation to be locked in for another campaign.

“When it comes to development, I think Melbourne’s the place to be,” he said.

“It’s obviously a pretty prestigious club, and having played all my junior basketball in Melbourne, this was always the ultimate dream, to be a part of this team and learn under guys like Chris Goulding and Matthew Dellavedova.

“I’ve had this first year to settle into the pro environment and now I think I’ll be even more ready to contribute to the team when needed.

“I’m super excited to be a part of it again, we came so close to winning a championship and I wanted to be with this group as we make another run at it this year.”

Koppens has been showcasing his skill in the NBL1 South with the Sandringham Sabres, averaging 14.3 points and 11 rebounds per game, while shooting the ball at over 41% from three.

Head Coach Dean Vickerman believes the young forward has all the skills to be a valuable piece for his NBL25 side.

“As someone who started as a training player and got upgraded to a DP when we saw his commitment to the program and his development, 'TK' is someone we wanted to keep at United,” he explained.

“The progress we saw from him as a member of our scout team, he was able to be multi-positional, guard everyone on the court, and even play as a five at times.

“His calling card at this level will be as a versatile defender who plays at a really high pace.”

Koppens joins Chris Goulding, Matthew Dellavedova, Shea Ili, Luke Travers, Kyle Bowen, Flynn Cameron, Tanner Krebs and Rob Loe as contracted players for the NBL25 season.

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