Melbourne United has extended championship coach Dean Vickerman’s contract for three years, until the end of the 2021-22 season.
Last season’s National Basketball League coach of the year led United to the championship with a 20-8 record.
Sticking tight: Dean Vickerman has won two championships as coach. Credit:AAP
“I’m extremely excited to be at this club for an extended period of time and to continue to try and lead from the front,’’ said Vickerman, who has won two championships as a head coach.
“There’s a good opportunity for my kids to ground themselves in their schooling and know what they’re going to do for the next few years. More on the basketball side of things though, when you do sign a long-term deal you can really start to set up annual events so that you’re not only doing the coaching but you’re impacting the community over a long period of time too.”
Originally from Warragul, Vickerman says the focus is to just keep getting better.
“There’s going to be some change for the team this year with a move of our home base to the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre,’’ he said. “One of the main reasons we’re moving is to try and bring the club closer together by having our office space above the courts, and to have access to courts for much longer than we have had previously. Just to be able to use additional services that are going to become available has the ability to improve us, and I think that remains our motivation; How do we keep getting better every year?”
After competing against two top-level NBA teams over the past two weeks, the team will now return to Melbourne to prepare for the opening round of the NBL 2018-19 season. United are on the road against Illawarra on Friday before the home opener against New Zealand Breakers next Sunday, where the championship banner will be unveiled.
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