No. 43–Melbourne United | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Shooting guard | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
League | NBL | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Launceston, Tasmania, Australia | 24 October 1988||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Listed height | 192 cm (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Listed weight | 92 kg (203 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
High school | Brisbane State (Brisbane, Queensland) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing career | 2006–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2006–2009 | Southern Districts / Brisbane Spartans | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2006–2008 | Brisbane Bullets | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2008–2009 | Perth Wildcats | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2009–2012 | Gold Coast Blaze | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2010–2012 | Northside Wizards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2012–2014 | Melbourne Tigers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2013 | Gladstone Port City Power | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2014–2015 | CAI Zaragoza | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015–present | Melbourne United | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2016 | Auxilium Torino | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2023 | Paris Basketball | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stats at Basketball Reference | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
|
Christopher James Goulding (born 24 October 1988) [1] is an Australian professional basketball player for Melbourne United of the National Basketball League (NBL). He made his debut in the NBL in 2006 as a development player with the Brisbane Bullets, going on to play for the Perth Wildcats and Gold Coast Blaze, before settling in Melbourne. In the NBL, Goulding is a three-time championship winner and a two-time All-NBL First Team honouree. He also won the league's scoring title in 2014 and claimed Grand Final MVP honours in 2018. Goulding is a regular with the Australian Boomers, but he also holds a British passport thanks to his father, which allowed him to play as a local in Spain and Italy between 2014 and 2016. [2] [3]
Goulding was born Launceston, Tasmania. [4] He attended West Launceston Primary School and spent a lot of time around Australian rules football thanks to his father Steve who played professionally for North Melbourne and Claremont. [5] He first started playing basketball recreationally while in Launceston, [5] and upon moving to Queensland with his family as an 8-year-old, [4] [5] he began to play it competitively. [5] In Brisbane, he continued primary school at Gumdale State School and then attended secondary school at Brisbane State High School. [5] He graduated from Brisbane State High in 2005. [6] As a junior, he played for the Southern Districts Spartans. [7]
Goulding began his professional career as a development player with the Brisbane Bullets during the 2006–07 NBL season. [8] He made his NBL debut and lone appearance of the season on 23 December 2006 against the Townsville Crocodiles, recording one assist in 5½ minutes. [9] The Bullets went on to win the NBL championship in March 2007, earning Goulding his first title. [10] He appeared in 15 games for the Bullets during the 2007–08 NBL season, [9] but following the club's collapse, he moved west for the 2008–09 NBL season to play for the Perth Wildcats. [5]
For the 2009–10 NBL season, Goulding returned to Queensland to play for the Gold Coast Blaze. [11] He spent three seasons with the Blaze before they too collapsed following the 2011–12 season. [5]
For the 2012–13 NBL season, Goulding joined the Melbourne Tigers. [12] [13] In December 2012, he was named MVP of the NBL All-Star Game for his 24 points. [14] [15]
After a stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2013 NBA Summer League, [16] Goulding continued on with the Tigers for the 2013–14 NBL season. [17] On 9 March 2014, he scored a career-high 50 points in the Tigers' 92–82 win over the Sydney Kings. It was the NBL's first individual 50-point game in the 40-minute era. [18] He was subsequently crowned the NBL scoring champion for the 2013–14 season with a league-best 23.0 points per game. [19]
After a stint with the Dallas Mavericks during the 2014 NBA Summer League, [20] Goulding moved to Spain for the 2014–15 season to play for CAI Zaragoza. [21] He averaged 8.6 points per game in 33 Liga ACB games, and 11.5 points per game in 16 EuroCup games.
Goulding returned to Australia for the 2015–16 season and re-joined the Melbourne franchise, now known as Melbourne United. [22] He helped United win the minor premiership after they finished the regular season in first place with an 18–10 record. However, they were defeated in the semi-finals by the New Zealand Breakers. [23] Following the conclusion of the NBL season, Goulding moved to Italy to play out the season with Auxilium Torino. [24] [25] He averaged 4.2 points per game in 10 LBA games.
Goulding returned to United for the 2016–17 NBL season, [26] but he played 22 of a possible 28 games after separate left ankle sprains. [27] [28] United missed the finals in 2016–17 with a sixth-place finish and a 13–15 record, and following the season, he opted for surgery on his left ankle, which sidelined him for eight to ten weeks. [28]
The 2017–18 NBL season saw Goulding lead United back to the top of the table with a first-place finish and a 20–8 record. They went on to reach the NBL Grand Final series, where they defeated the Adelaide 36ers 3–2 in the best-of-five series. Goulding claimed his second NBL championship while winning the Grand Final MVP. [29]
Returning to United once again for the 2018–19 season, [30] [31] Goulding helped lead United back to the NBL Grand Final series, where they lost 3–1 to the Perth Wildcats.
In December 2019, Goulding played his 300th NBL game. [13] [32] [33] [34]
On 17 July 2020, Goulding re-signed with United on a three-year deal. [35] He was ruled out for the majority of February 2021 with a low grade calf strain. [36] In June 2021, he played his 350th NBL game. [37]
In January 2022, Goulding reached 5000 NBL points, becoming just the second active player to reach the milestone behind Daniel Johnson of the Adelaide 36ers. [38]
On 25 August 2022, Goulding signed a two-year contract extension with United. [39] In the 2022–23 season, he reached 1000 career 3-pointers and 400 NBL games. [40] Following the NBL season, he joined Paris Basketball of the LNB Pro A. [41] [42]
In the 2023–24 NBL season, Goulding was named United Club MVP for the second straight year. He made 140 three-pointers, more than anyone else in the 40-minute era and the fourth most in league history. He was also named to the All-NBL First Team. [43]
On 10 April 2024, Goulding extended his contract with United until the end of the 2026–27 season. [44] In October 2024, he played his 450th NBL game, a milestone just 30 players in the history of the NBL have achieved. [45] On 9 November 2024, he scored 46 points and made nine 3-pointers, which included a 25-point third quarter, in a 106–97 win over the Perth Wildcats. [46]
Between 2006 and 2009, Goulding played with the Southern Districts Spartans in the QBL (2006) [47] and SEABL (2007–09). [48] [49] In 2006, he was a member of the Spartans' championship-winning team. [50] As a member of the Spartans for three seasons in the SEABL, Goulding won East Youth Player of the Year two consecutive seasons in 2008 and 2009 while also making the All-Star Five in his last year. [51] In 2008, he averaged 24.5 points per game to finish second in the competition and had a season-high 43 points during the season. In 2009, averaged 20.8 points to finish fifth, second in free throw percentage (83%), ninth in three-point percentage (39%) and seventh in assists (three). [48] Between 2010 and 2012, he played three seasons for the Northside Wizards in the QBL, earning All-League Team honours in 2010. [52] In 2013, he had a three-game stint with the QBL's Gladstone Port City Power. [53]
As a youth, Goulding represented Australia in under-18s, under-19s and under-20s, [54] including playing at the 2007 FIBA Under-19 World Championship in Serbia. [55] In 2014, he played for the Australian Boomers at the FIBA World Cup in Spain. [55] He went on to play for the Boomers at the 2015 FIBA Oceania Championship and the 2016 Rio Olympics. [55] In 2018, he won a gold medal with the Boomers at the Commonwealth Games, and in 2019, he competed at the FIBA World Cup in China.
In February 2021, Goulding was named in the Boomers' Olympic squad. [56] He helped Australia win the bronze medal. [57]
In November 2024, Goulding joined the Boomers for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers. [58]
Goulding is the son of Steve and Christine. [33] He is married to wife Molly. [13] [32] His father played and coached at North Launceston Football Club, and was inducted into the AFL Tasmania Hall of Fame in 2008. [4]
Due to his father being English, Goulding holds a British passport. [2] [3]
Andrew Barry Casson Gaze is an Australian former professional basketball player and coach. He played 22 seasons in the National Basketball League (NBL) with the Melbourne Tigers from 1984 to 2005, winning the league's MVP award seven times and winning the scoring title 14 times. He also guided the Tigers to two NBL championships, in 1993 and 1997, and was named an All-NBL First Team member for a record 15 consecutive years. Gaze has been described as one of the greatest players Australia has ever produced.
Melbourne United is an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. United compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at John Cain Arena.
Brad Newley is an Australian professional basketball player for the Frankston Blues of the NBL1 South. After starting his career in Australia, playing for the Australian Institute of Sport and the Townsville Crocodiles, Newley was drafted 54th overall by the Houston Rockets in the 2007 NBA draft. He never played in the NBA and instead carved out a career in Europe, playing in Greece, Turkey, Lithuania, and Spain between 2007 and 2016. Between 2016 and 2024, he played in the National Basketball League (NBL) for the Sydney Kings and Melbourne United.
Adam Matthew Gibson is an Australian former professional basketball player who is a development coach for the South East Melbourne Phoenix of the National Basketball League (NBL). He played 16 years in the NBL for the Brisbane Bullets, South Dragons, Gold Coast Blaze, Adelaide 36ers and Phoenix. He is a two-time NBL champion, having won his first in 2007 with the Bullets and his second in 2009 with the Dragons. He is also a five-time All-NBL Team member and was crowned the NBL Best Defensive Player in 2009.
David Barlow is an Australian former professional basketball player. He has won five championships in the National Basketball League (NBL).
Mark Worthington is an Australian basketball player for the Willetton Tigers of the NBL1 West. He played 11 seasons in the National Basketball League (NBL).
Dean Vickerman is an Australian professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach of Melbourne United of the National Basketball League (NBL). He was born and spent his early life in Warragul, Victoria.
Rhys Jarred Carter is an Australian former professional basketball player and current assistant coach for Melbourne United of the National Basketball League (NBL). He had a near 20-year career, playing 282 NBL games, over 110 games in Sweden, over 200 SEABL/NBL1 games, and time in the British Basketball League, Big V and Premier League.
Jason Robert Cadee is an Australian professional basketball player for the Adelaide 36ers of the National Basketball League (NBL). He debuted in the NBL in 2010 and won the NBL Best Sixth Man Award in 2020.
Todd Blanchfield is an Australian professional basketball player for the Illawarra Hawks of the National Basketball League (NBL). He began his NBL career in 2009 with the Townsville Crocodiles, where he played six seasons. Between 2015 and 2023, he played for Melbourne United (2015–17), Sydney Kings (2017–18), Illawarra Hawks (2018–20) and Perth Wildcats (2020–23). In 2017, he won a gold medal with Australia at the FIBA Asia Cup.
Mitchell Robert Norton is an Australian professional basketball player for the Brisbane Bullets of the National Basketball League (NBL). He began his NBL career in 2011 with the Townsville Crocodiles before joining the Illawarra Hawks in 2016 following the collapse of his hometown team. After two seasons with the Hawks, he joined the Perth Wildcats and won two NBL championships in five seasons. He has also played for the Townsville Heat in the Queensland Basketball League and the Southland Sharks in the New Zealand NBL.
Shaun Bruce is an Australian professional basketball player for the Sydney Kings of the National Basketball League (NBL). He began his NBL career in 2012 and has played for the Cairns Taipans, Brisbane Bullets, Adelaide 36ers and Sydney Kings. He helped the Kings win back-to-back NBL championships in 2022 and 2023.
Matthew Dylan Kenyon is an Australian professional basketball player for the South East Melbourne Phoenix of the National Basketball League (NBL). He debuted in the NBL in 2016 and played two seasons for the Brisbane Bullets before playing a season in the NBA G League. He returned to the NBL in 2021 with the Tasmania JackJumpers.
Nathan Adam Sobey is an Australian professional basketball player for the South East Melbourne Phoenix of the National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the Wyoming Cowboys before debuting in the NBL in 2014 for the Cairns Taipans. He was a member of the Australian Boomers team that won bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Nicholas Colin Kay is an Australian professional basketball player for Shimane Susanoo Magic of the Japanese B.League. He played college basketball for the Metro State Roadrunners before beginning his professional career in the National Basketball League (NBL). He won two NBL championships with the Perth Wildcats in 2019 and 2020. He also won a New Zealand NBL championship and league MVP honours with the Wellington Saints in 2019. In 2021, he won a bronze medal with the Australian national team at the Tokyo Olympics.
The 2020–21 NBL season was the 38th season for Melbourne United in the NBL, and the 7th under the banner of Melbourne United.
Tohiraukura Makaere Smith-Milner is a New Zealand professional basketball player for the Brisbane Bullets of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He has previously played in the Australian NBL for Melbourne United, South East Melbourne Phoenix and Adelaide 36ers, and has represented the New Zealand Tall Blacks.
The 2018–19 NBL season was the 36th season for Melbourne United in the NBL, and the 5th under the banner of Melbourne United.
The 2017–18 NBL season was the 35th season for Melbourne United in the NBL, and the 4th under the banner of Melbourne United.
Cameron Tragardh is an Australian former professional basketball player who played 13 seasons in the National Basketball League (NBL). He made his debut in the NBL in 2003 and played for the Townsville Crocodiles, Brisbane Bullets, Wollongong Hawks, Melbourne Tigers, and Cairns Taipans across his career. He was named NBL Most Improved Player in 2008 and NBL Best Sixth Man in 2015. He was also named to the All-NBL Team twice.
Goulding appeals to European clubs because he has an English passport so can play on the continent as a local player.
Goulding was a development player in Brisbane when current Adelaide coach Joey Wright led the Bullets to the 2007 title.
Goulding's parents Steven and Christine, who will be courtside for their son's 300th NBL game on Saturday night...
Chris Goulding ... played three games for the Power back in 2013 as part of his Australian Boomers preparations.