Melbourne United captain Chris Goulding opens up before 300th NBL game
On the eve of his 300th NBL game, Melbourne United captain Chris Goulding reveals the origins of one of his killer three-pointer — and the damage bill along the way.
Basketball
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Chris Goulding had to miss shots to make them.
One, in particular, stands out.
It played out in “slow motion” for the schoolboy Goulding as the waterlogged basketball ricocheted off the back of the rim and towards his father Steven’s new company car.
“I remember the car … one of those fancier Falcons, had the power windows and everything,” Goulding said.
“I cooked this thing (side mirror) and all the wires and mechanics came out of it.”
Goulding’s parents Steven and Christine, who will be courtside for their son’s 300th NBL game on Saturday night, can laugh now about the damage to the old Tickford-tuned Ford Fairmont.
“There’s plenty of things, from knocking the mirror off to the neighbours wondering who the kid was at nine o-clock at night bouncing the basketball and dunking the ring,” Steven said.
“He got a little black mark for that (car damage) … it was very tough going in to tell the boss the next day, I would’ve been trembling going in, knowing my boss at the time.”
It is there, the family’s driveways and backyards in Launceston and Brisbane, where Goulding laid the bedrock of what would become one of Australian basketball’s sweetest shots.
Goulding has tormented opposition and thrilled fans with the trademark downtown daggers.
“I don’t know, there’s just an attraction to me about shooting a three-pointer,” Goulding said.
“It’s also worth the most points, so it’s smart!”
The secret? Repetition and muscle memory — eventually. Thousands and thousands of shots.
“I’ve shot enough in my life … it really is second nature,” Goulding said.
“It doesn’t mean it’s going to go in, you still miss more than half your shots.”
Goulding is regularly the last to leave the practice court, staying back for extra shots with machine-like precision — from every spot on the floor.
“Every shot I shoot I want to make, especially at practice, unguarded should be running at a pretty high percentage so if I miss one or two there might be a profanity,” Goulding said.
The sweet spot? There isn’t one.
“I don’t know where I would go if someone said you had to make a three for your life, anywhere that’s open, I’d take that,” Goulding said. “It’s all worth three points.”
THE DREAM
Goulding will never give up on the NBA.
Right now, the priority is winning enough NBL games to make the playoffs, get into a grand final, and hopefully go one step further than last year.
“I don’t think I’ll shut the gate (on NBA) until I’m in a coffin,” Goulding said.
“As you get older you definitely worry about how do we win more, I want to win, I want to experience that feeling I had two years ago every single year. It is addictive.”
ROAD TO 300
It crept up on Goulding, but hard work, luck and smart choices has led to 299 NBL games.
“I wasn’t very good at that (preparation) early on in my career. I’d easily admit that,” he said.
“I was young, I could run and jump, it was easy, I’d wake up in the morning and do it again.”
Respected NBL head coach Joey Wright discovered Goulding, a skinny 16-year-old kid “running around shooting bad shots” in the Queensland state league.
What began as spot starts for Wright’s local Monday night team turned into a development player contract and championship at Brisbane Bullets.
“I owe a lot of my career for Joey,” Goulding said. “He stuck his neck out for me.
The symmetry of this week’s milestone being against Wright’s Adelaide 36ers is not lost, either.
“I’m sure he wants me to try and have the worst game possible,” Goulding laughed.
THE COACHES
Wright opened the NBL door.
Former Melbourne Tigers mentor Chris Anstey gave him the license.
Now, Melbourne United championship coach Dean Vickerman has put on the polish.
Such has been the influence of great coaches Goulding the sharpshooter wants to be one.
“He (Vickerman) has helped me develop this leadership role and it lends my mind to, ‘Hey, I can see myself trying my hand’,” Goulding said.
Goulding is dead serious, too.
“You’ve got to be a certain type of person and Dean is a basketball junkie, I am as well,” he said.
“That (coaching) is a long way down the track but I credit him (Vickerman) for switching my mindset to thinking about other things than myself and scoring.”
TOKYO 2020
Of course, if and when Boomers coach Brett Brown wants to pick up the phone, Goulding will be ready.
Goulding grew up watching Olympics and World Cups, idolising the “superhuman” Boomers.
To have had the chance to wear the green and gold at the Rio Games and two World Cups is “humbling” for the “little kid in me”.
“Every year, with more and more of our players in the NBA people like to pencil in the team, six months in advance,” Goulding said.
“I’m not a guy that pencils myself in. We have guys in the NBA that will be on the team next year.
“It’d be amazing (Tokyo) but until I get the call to say ‘you’ve got the chance’ you’re coming to a training camp I can’t lock in.”