5
Jan
In-Depth Analysis
Why Melbourne United need Shea Ili back FAST
Shea Ili of United celebrates with team mates during the round two NBL match between Melbourne United and South East Melbourne Phoenix at John Cain Arena on September 25, 2025 in Melbourne. Photo: Kelly Defina/Getty Images
Highlights
Shea Ili’s absence has flipped Melbourne United’s defense and margin profile in NBL26.
- Melbourne United: Five things you need to know
- Box Scores: All 165 games of the 2025-26 NBL season
- Best Players in NBL History: Chris Goulding
Two-time reigning NBL Defensive Player of the Year Shea Ili is Melbourne United fulcrum, basketball.com.au's exclusive analysis has revealed.
The 33-year-old New Zealand point guard has played just seven of 23 games in NBL26, hampered by injuries, the latest his hamstring.
In those seven games, United are 5-2, losing to the league leading Adelaide 36ers and surging Sydney Kings both in overtime.
When healthy, Ili is averaging right around 20 minutes per game, 10 points, four rebounds and five assists but, most importantly he's guarding the best player on the other team. United's latest loss came against the Tasmania JackJumpers 84-75 in Hobart. Both Ili and energy teammate Finn Delany didn't play.
“Yeah, they offer a lot of things," Vickerman added.
“When we look at our values as a club. They exemplify a lot of things that we want to be with their toughness with their unselfishness and then their relentlessness just to play to win every possession.
“And put their bodies on the line, it’s just who they are. No excuses.”
“We look forward to getting both of those guys back, I like the job the other guys are doing in their place right now.
“We just got to turn that into a few wins while they’re out.”
“Someone could say we won two out of the last three or two, however you want to put it but we won nine games in the first 11,” Vickerman said.
“We won six out of 11 the second one and and we’re into our last phase of 11 games.”
“What can we get? Can we get five, six, seven, eight, whatever it is. I’m not too worried.
“We’re trying to hold the fort right now, we’ve been without Finn and Shea for a little while. You just get through these periods.
“You’ve just got to find a way to keep your head above water.”
United, since starting 9-0 have gone 6-8 with Ili missing a vast majority of those games. During the 9-0 streak, United was +17.6, conceding just 80.3 points. Since then, United is conceding 94 points per game and are -2.3. That's a crushing -20.4 margin reversal.
The back-to-back NBL Grand Finalists are not expecting Ili back until Round 19 (January 30) against the New Zealand Breakers.
They play Cairns at home on January 7, Sydney away on January 11, Tasmania at home on January 17, Brisbane at home on January 21, Perth on the road on January 25 and the Breakers five days later.
South East Melbourne Phoenix is second at 14-7, United is 15-8 in third, the Kings are 13-8 in fourth and the Wildcats 13-10. It's a tough stretch in January and the clash against Sydney is looming as crucial match-up for second and third.
The 36ers might be streaking away at 19-4 but the battle for second is far from over. If United are going to make a run at a third straight Grand Final Series, they need him back, at his best, sooner rather than later.
Melbourne United in NBL26
Melbourne United — First 9 Games (9–0 start)
- Record: 9–0
- Points For: 881
- Points Against: 723
- Average Score: 97.9 PF / 80.3 PA
- Point Differential: +158
- Avg Margin: +17.6
What that start looked like numerically
- Scored 95+ points in 7 of 9 games
- Held opponents under 85 points in 6 of 9
- Only one game decided by single digits (81–80 vs Adelaide)
- Defensive control was elite and not opponent-specific
This was a top-of-league net rating profile, not a soft schedule. They were beating everyone.
Melbourne United — Games 10–23 (Post-start)
- Record: 6–8
- Points For: 1,277
- Points Against: 1,316
- Average Score: 91.2 PF / 94.0 PA
- Point Differential: –39
- Avg Margin: –2.8
What changed on the scoreboard
- Offensive output dropped –6.7 points per game
- Defensive concessions increased +13.7 points per game
- Net swing from +17.6 to –2.8 per game = a 20.4-point margin reversal
Melbourne United — All Games (NBL26 to Jan 4, 2026)
- W — def. Tasmania Jackjumpers 88–84 (MyState Bank Arena)
- W — def. New Zealand Breakers 114–82 (John Cain Arena)
- W — def. South East Melbourne Phoenix 103–83 (John Cain Arena)
- W — def. Sydney Kings 107–93 (John Cain Arena)
- W — def. Cairns Taipans 95–60 (John Cain Arena)
- W — def. Brisbane Bullets 95–86 (Brisbane Entertainment Centre)
- W — def. New Zealand Breakers 104–88 (John Cain Arena)
- W — def. Cairns Taipans 94–67 (Cairns Convention Centre)
- W — def. Adelaide 36ers 81–80 (John Cain Arena)
- L — lost to Sydney Kings 95–92 (John Cain Arena)
- L — lost to Illawarra Hawks 107–93 (WIN Entertainment Centre)
- W — def. South East Melbourne Phoenix 92–81 (John Cain Arena)
- W — def. Brisbane Bullets 99–93 (John Cain Arena)
- L — lost to Illawarra Hawks 105–102 (WIN Entertainment Centre)
FIBA BREAK - L — lost to Perth Wildcats 96–84 (RAC Arena)
- L — lost to South East Melbourne Phoenix 111–86 (John Cain Arena)
- L (OT) — lost to Adelaide 36ers 114–105 (Adelaide Entertainment Centre)
- L (OT) — lost to Sydney Kings 92–86 (John Cain Arena)
- W — def. Illawarra Hawks 97–75 (John Cain Arena)
- L — lost to Tasmania Jackjumpers 92–73 (John Cain Arena)
- W — def. Brisbane Bullets 92–87 (Brisbane Entertainment Centre)
- L — lost to Tasmania Jackjumpers 84–75 (MyState Bank Arena)
Melbourne United
Head Coach: Dean Vickerman
- PG: Tyson Walker (IP) | Shea Ili | Tom Wilson
- SG: Milton Doyle (IP) | Dash Daniels (NS) | Campbell Blogg (DP)
- SF: Chris Goulding | Tanner Krebs | Malith Machar (DP)
- PF: Finn Delany | Kyle Bowen | Tom Koppens (DP)
- C: Jesse Edwards (IP) | Fabijan Krslovic | Nicholas Tata (IRP) | Henry Sewell (DP)
Injuries:
- Shea Ili: Hamstring (Round 19)
- Finn Delany (Personal)
Incoming Players
- Jesse Edwards (from Iowa Timberwolves - G-League)
- Dash Daniels (NBL Next Star)
- Fabijan Krslovic (from Tasmania JackJumpers)
- Finn Delany (from Veltex Shizuoka – Japan)
- Malith Machar
- Milton Doyle (from Tasmania JackJumpers – Import)
- Tom Wilson (from Melbourne Tigers – NBL1)
- Tyson Walker (from Texas Legends – NBA G-League – Import)
Departed Players
- Akech Aliir (to South East Melbourne Phoenix)
- Flynn Cameron (to Adelaide 36ers)
- Ian Clark (signed with South East Melbourne Phoenix mid season)
- Marcus Lee (signed with Cairns Taipans)
- Jack White (to Mersin MSK - Turkey)
- Joel Foxwell (to University of Portland – NCAA)
- Matthew Dellavedova (to Sydney Kings)
- Rob Loe (to New Zealand Breakers)
