NBL slam dunk star and former Melbourne Tiger Brett Rainbow, 48, fronts court after speeding, driving while suspended

A former professional basketball player told a court he was in a panic to get to the hospital to see his heavily pregnant wife when he was caught driving while suspended.

Brett Rainbow, 48, fronted the Geelong Magistrates Court on Wednesday. Picture: Instagram

A former professional basketball player says he was in a panic to get to the hospital to see his heavily pregnant wife when he was caught driving while suspended.

Armstrong Creek’s Brett Rainbow, 48, represented himself in the Geelong Magistrates Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to driving while suspended, speeding and failing to comply with an alcohol interlock.

Rainbow played for the Melbourne Tigers in the National Basketball League (NBL) in the 1990s and was the three-time NBL all star slam dunk champion.

He is the founder and director of Tomorrow’s Stars Basketball, which is a basketball training and coaching business, according to his LinkedIn profile.

On April 28 this year, Rainbow was spotted by police driving 68km/h in a 50km/h zone along Whites Rd in Mount Duneed.

Brett Rainbow with the Melbourne Tigers in 1996.

After further checks, police discovered he held a learners permit, which was suspended in November 2021 for failing to comply with an alcohol interlock.

He was not displaying L plates and did not have a supervising driver.

Rainbow told police he was “unaware” his licence had been suspended as he had been working overseas.

When asked why the car was not fitted with an interlock, Rainbow told officers “not in this car, it’s my wife’s.”

Rainbow told the court he had received an urgent call from his heavily pregnant wife, who was on her way to hospital on the morning of the offending.

“My first thought was to get there as soon as possible,” Rainbow said.

“I jumped into her car and rushed off to hospital, unfortunately at a high speed.”

Magistrate Urfa Masood asked Rainbow why he didn’t call a taxi or Uber.

Rainbow said he attempted to get an Uber but was unable to.

He told the court he typically gets around on a bike or scooter.

Melbourne Tiger Brett Rainbow was a multiple NBL slam dunk champion.

“You need a plan in place in case of an emergency … this sort of offending could land you in jail,” Ms Masood said.

Rainbow told the court he had never held his full licence.

“My license hasn’t been in the best state for some time,” he said.

Ms Masood said she understood Rainbow was in a rush to see his wife at the hospital.

“You would have been panicked … but these rules exist for a reason.”

“She was on her way to get the help she needed.”

Rainbow was not convicted and was fined $800.

He was also placed on an adjourned undertaking until February 7 next year and must complete a road-trauma course.

Originally published as NBL slam dunk star and former Melbourne Tiger Brett Rainbow, 48, fronts court after speeding, driving while suspended