NO 65 BRAD DALTON
6 feet 8 inch (202cm) Forward/Centre
1984, 1988 Olympic Games
The Australian Men’s team was in the middle of their very arduous tour to the USA and China in 1981. Part of the tour was games against the Chinese National Team and the Army team. It was obvious from the outset that the Boomers were not to be given a chance to win as these were the days of the “Bamboo Curtain” and the “Cold War”. Political and sporting points had to be made.In the match against the Red Army team the Aussies were up against Mr Mu a 7 feet 6 inch (228cm) 130kg (plus) giant. He had his way with the smaller Australians and his favourite move was an elbow to the opposition head as he “stepped” to the basket and shot the ball downwards through the basket.
Brad Dalton the Australian Team centre takes up the story.“Mr Mu was incredibly strong and was taking out our players one by one...so we retaliated.... Les Riddle (the team captain) catapulted off my shoulder to smash Mr Mu in the head and thus enraging the giant...Mu retaliated and wiped out Chris McGraw...I gave him another “shot” at halfway and he started chasing me around the court. Next time he had the ball on offense he raised it above his head for his customary dunk and I punched the ball out of his hands straight into his face...it was on again! After the game he refused to shake hands and as we walked down the tunnel to the change-rooms he grabbed me by the neck with one hand and lifted me off the floor and held me there. I got the message.”
Bradley “Brad” Dalton was born September 12th, 1959 in Sydney, NSW. He came from a multi-sport background winning state swimming championships and representing in Rugby, AFL and Surf Lifesaving. He played local competition basketball in Manly until he was invited by City Of Sydney stalwart and Australia Basketball Federation Secretary Bob Staunton to play with City of Sydney.
Brad played two years of Under 20’s with City of Sydney.
In his second year of Under 20’s he was selected to the NSW U20 team and the Australian U20 Men’s Team. In two years of basketball he was now an Australian player, such was his height, size mobility, ability and potential.
The National Basketball League (NBL)began in 1979 with the City of Sydney Astronauts a participant and Brad was a member of the team. At this time he came under the coaching of the charismatic Charlie Ammit who stressed fundamentals, having fun and loving the game. After two years with City of Sydney and at the end of the 1981 NBL season Brad was recruited to the West Adelaide Bearcats where he was coached by American Ken Richardson.
Brad played on West Adelaide teams that won two SA State titles and the NBL title in 1982.
In 1983 Brad ventured back to his hometown of Sydney to play in the NBL for the Sydney Supersonics to be coached by former NBA player Owen Wells. Sydney had an outstanding year winning the NBL minor-premiership but wasunable to win the title.
Brad’s travels continued when after one year in Sydney he was recruited to Geelong by Cal Bruton in 1984. Geelong won the 1984 VBA title, finished minor premiers in the NBL but did not win the NBL title. 1985 found Brad still in Geelong but now being coached by Brian Goorjian and then Ken Richardson in 1986 and 1987. Then it was home to play with the Sydney Kings in 1988 under Claude Williams and then Bob Turner. Brad concludes, “I was lucky in my career that I played under many good coaches.” In his NBL career Brad played for thirteen seasons, in 290 matches, and shot the ball at 51.6%. He ranks all time top ten for the Sydney Kings in blocked shots, offensive rebounds and total rebounds.
Brad’s Australian representative career started when he played for the Australian Junior Team that toured to Europe in 1978.
His senior Australian representative career began in 1981. He played for Australia against touring teams Partizan, Wartburg College, Biola University and West Virginia University as well as in the Oceania 1982 World Qualification Tournament that the Australians won. In that year he was chosen on the Australian Team to tour the USA and China on a very arduous tour, and of course his match-up with Mr Mu from the Chinese Red Army. On that tour Brad demonstrated that he was made of “stern stuff” and could be relied on to not take any backward steps when he played for his country.
In 1982 Brad was working hard for selection to the Australian Team for the World Championships and played for the Australian Team against Zadar and Iona University. His form saw Brad selected to the Australian Team to play in the 1982 World Championships in Columbia.
These championships were an eye-opener for the whole team on and off the court as the security was extreme and the basketball the best that the amateur world could provide. Brad learnt a lot as he went up against the biggest and the best players. He learned how to be even more physical and the need to develop a variety of shots around the basket as well as to be a good defensive player and rebounder against bigger opponents. He also had the honour of being named to the Street and Smith Magazine, Rest of the World Team after the Championships.
1983 was another busy year for Brad as he was a member of the Australian Team (now called the “Boomers”) that played games against the NIT All Stars in Australia, won the Oceania 1984 Olympic Qualification Tournament, before finishing the year playing twelve games in the USA and Canada.
In the 1984 Olympic year Brad played for the Boomers against the Yugoslavian Club Buducnost in Australia and was selected to his first Olympic team when he was chosen on the Australian Men’s Basketball Team for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. At this stage Brad was an important component of the team as the team’s lack of size meant at times that the Australians had to work in tandems to offset the bigger players from the opposition.
A groundbreaking feature of these Olympics for the Australians was that Brad’s brother Mark was also a member of the Australian Men’s Basketball Team. This was only the second time Australia had two brothers on the same Olympic basketball team. This “record” was further highlighted by the fact that their sister Karen was selected to the Australian Women’s Basketball Team for the 1984 Olympics. The Dalton family had three siblings at the one Olympics and in the one sport. This was also a first for Australian Olympic competition in all sports.
Brad played well at the Olympics and the Australians recorded their best Olympic performance to that time when they came 7th.
The inaugural Australian Games were played in Australia in 1985 and Brad was a member of the team that won the Gold Medal. Also in that year the Australian Team won the Oceania 1986 World Championship Qualification Tournament. At the end of the year Brad toured with the Boomers on a ten match tour of the USA.
In 1986 Brad played for the Boomers against the University Las Vegas in Australia before being selected on the Australian Team to contest the 1986 World Championships in Spain. The team was defeated in the early rounds and finished equal 13th out of 24 teams in a disappointing performance.
The Boomers needed better international match preparation in 1987 and they got this with an excellent series against the Big East All Stars and then in a six match series against the mighty USSR. Brad played for the Boomers in both series. The USSR tour ignited the Australian basketball public and Brad and the Australians gained valuable experience in playing six games against one of the best teams in the world. Brad was a member of the Boomers team that won the Oceania 1988 Olympic Qualification Tournament that year.
In the Olympic year 1988 the Boomers played Czechoslovakia and Nebraska University while Brad was injured before he joined the team to once again play the touring USSR in another blockbuster series. Brad was enjoying immensely the challenge of playing against the huge Soviet players. He was also recovering from hisinjury and the match practice was vital for him.
Brad was chosen on the Australian Men’s Basketball Team for the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.
In the Seoul Olympic Games Australia’s big man department was getting closer in size to the opposition with Brad Dalton and Ray Borner being joined by future Olympic stars Mark Bradtke and Luc Longley. The Australians played marvellously well and qualified for the semi-final for the first time. They lost their Medal round games to secure 4th place......the best ever performance by an Australian Men’s Basketball Team (since equalled in 1996 and 2000).
In 1989 Brad played for the Boomers against the Kareem Abdul JabbarAll Stars team and then toured to the USA and Argentina on a fourteen match tour.
The tour to the Americas was Brad last international appearance for Australia.
Brad continued to play in the NBL. He retired from all basketball in 1991 prior to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Brad was not lost to basketball as he established a career in coaching in Sydney where he has greatly assisted junior player development in school, ABA, and Associations systems.
Brad Dalton has been an outstanding player for Australia and the NBL. He played for Australia in two Olympic Games and two World Championships. His long career which began in his late teens is testament to his ability, hard work, passion and determination. He led the way in his era for Australian “big” players to combat the international giants in the opposition.
Brad Dalton was, and continues to be, a major contributor the game of basketball in Australia. He was inducted into the Basketball NSW Hall of Fame in 2013.
Brad Dalton blocks a shot in a Boomers v NBL All Stars Game (The Australian Basketballer Magazine)
Brad Dalton (The Australian Basketballer Magazine)
Brad Dalton scores for Australia (The Australian Basketballer Magazine/Phillip Clayton)
Brad Dalton on the move for Australia (The Australian Basketballer Magazine/Action Graphics)