United by diversity: How Melbourne are leading the way

• This week is Indigenous Round for both the NBL and the WNBL
• Melbourne United take on the Taipans in Cairns and are at home against Adelaide in Round 6
• United have started the season undefeated after seven games

The NBL’s Indigenous Round is far from a box ticking exercise for Melbourne United.

Located in one of Australia’s most multicultural cities, United have embraced the diversity of both the city and the team with their efforts for several years now, and this year took things to even new heights.

United’s series of initiatives started last week as they ran their yearly multicultural game, featuring a game day festival and half-time event featuring young athletes from Helping Hoops. The mini-game served as a tribute to Dau Akueng, a former Helping Hoops participant who tragically lost his life last month. They also took time out of their training schedule to invite Ngā Mātai Pūrua Inc to teach the team the Haka.

United also donned one-off ‘multicultural game’ uniforms, adorned with flags representing the player’s backgrounds, which is now a yearly tradition.

“At United, one of our key values is inclusiveness, and through these uniforms we believe we are living that,” Melbourne United CEO, Nick Truelson, said.

“It is incredibly meaningful to us as an organisation to wear these uniforms each season so that we can best represent the diversity of Melbourne.

“Having done this for six seasons now, we feel a responsibility to champion the amazing multiculturalism in our community, and we feel as through our Multicultural uniforms and the multicultural game helps achieve that.”

As we roll into the league's indigenous round, United once again have gone above and beyond, bringing in Uncle Ricky Baldwin along with locally based Koorie Academy, to conduct a series of ceremonies with the team.

“They’ve become the league leaders when it comes to community outreach,” Baldwin said.

As part of the day, Koorie Academy ran a cultural education for players, staff and coaches, spoke them through a series of indigenous artefacts, conducted a smoking ceremony and all United players made an ochre imprint to symbolise their unity as a team.

“I told them, right now you’re going along smoothly but you’re going to face adversity, so when you dip your hand in our ochre, and they dipped their hand on the aboriginal flag, it represents that you’ve got your brothers back, through the good times and the bad times," Baldwin said.

Not only do the young athletes of Koorie Academy gain value in their experience getting to be around the team but it’s an equally rewarding time for the players.

“They do a great job year in and year out during these rounds and it stems from knowing that we live in Melbourne in such a culturally diverse city. We’re always preaching to respect, include and embrace those cultures. It’s been a really cool few weeks,” United forward Kyle Bowen shared.

“It was awesome to learn their perspectives, how they feel about the round, what it means to them, and the smoking ceremony was a beautiful moment for the club to have. It’s easy to say all these things but as a club we really do make a conscious effort, and let them take the reins to show us what they want us to showcase.”

A bus of indigenous young people from Gunai Kurnai country will be attending the blockbuster clash against Adelaide on Sunday, where Melbourne United, currently the only unbeaten team so far this NBL season, will face arguably their biggest test yet.

The 36ers, highly lauded for a massive offseason that included the signature of five-time MVP Bryce Cotton, are coming off a 2-0 round against the Cairns Taipans and South East Melbourne Phoenix and on paper are a handful to beat.

“Adelaide are loaded up and playing well, Bryce is obviously the focus and we’ll have our game plan for that,” Bowen said.

Despite a sustained record success including NBL Finals appearances in the last two NBL seasons, United’s projections for NBL26 were modest and once again the team has blown out expectations with their hot start.

“I’m not surprised [about the projections]. The offseason was absolutely insane, there were big signings left and right, it’s a super competitive league and everyone’s good. Nothing’s changed this year, we continue with our process," Bowen said.

"The reason I re-signed with United and love it so much is we have such a good system, Dean and the coaching staff lead us from the front, understand what it takes to win, and we have amazing talent that can really impact winning, and I think that’s shown this year. “

Bowen, who attributes coach Dean Vickerman and the team’s systems for his enthusiasm in re-signing with the team this offseason, empowers players to hone in on their ‘weapon’, which is his ability to connect others on the floor.

“That means lots of talk, lots of physicality, and offensively it’s a luxury playing with shooters like Tyson Walker, Milton Doyle and Chris Goulding who can shoot the ball at an incredible level, so when I have the ball my first thought is how can I get my best shooter on the floor open," he said.

Veteran Chris Goulding, now 36, started the season recovering from injury but his return to the line-up earlier this month catapulted United into even more convincing form, averaging more than 20 points per game in less than 20 minutes per game across his first three performances.

“He’s getting old man, but he’s aging like fine wine,” Bowen said.

United take on the Taipans tonight before returning to John Cain Arena for their clash against the Adelaide 36ers on Sunday at 2.30pm.