Tigers legend joins coaching team at Melbourne United Basketball Academy

One of the NBL’s all-time greatest imports has returned to the club where he played 16 seasons and won two incredible Championships.

Lanard Copeland has joined the Melbourne United Basketball Academy (MUBA) as a coach, with the intention of giving back to the city that gave so much to him over his career.

“The academy is fantastic, I just feel like I need to give back a little bit to help these young guys fulfil their dreams,” Copeland said.

“It’s all about them being stars, and becoming stars. They see Goulding playing, they see other guys on the court and they want to be that one day, but to be that you’ve got to put the work in.”

Designed by Melbourne United Head Coach Dean Vickerman and his coaching staff, MUBA provides an opportunity for athletes aged from under 12 to 18 to be a part of an elite basketball program.

Speaking about MUBA, Vickerman said he believes having programs like this are the best ways to build pathways for the next generation of talented Victorian basketballers.

“I think having a development program within our club, the ultimate goal is having a player come through and be a development player or a contracted player with our club at some stage,” he continued.

“We instill the qualities and values that we have within our team and how we like to execute through MUBA and make sure that the high level teachings carry all the way down and prepares the player to be a development player at some stage.”

Vickerman elaborated further about MUBA, and the scholarships available for select athletes that impress the coaches at United’s Talent ID Camps, which you can register for here.

“The scholarship program that we’re looking at for next year really involves the players having full access to all the academy offers for next year.

“Also, some specialist training over the holiday period, and then there’s some inner sanctum things where we want to make them feel extremely special to the program to come in and sit in on game day with us and some practice sessions to really understand and have that next-level experience.”

Helping Vickerman develop these training and academy programs will be Melbourne United Assistant Coach Darryl “Dmac” McDonald, who is excited to give young athletes the best opportunity at furthering their basketball development.

“My job will be with, along with the other coaches, to put the plans together and implement those plans and give these kids the best opportunity to play, to get better and develop

“We’re going to have great coaches, we’ve got Matt Shanahan, Lanard Copeland, guys that know the game. The kids that are coming up, they’re going to have a great opportunity to take in as much as they possibly can.”

To learn more about MUBA, click here.