‘The Olympics thing really hurt him’: How shooting star Chris Goulding is firing back

Missing Paris 2024 hasn’t stopped Chris Goulding, and neither has a heart-breaking grand final loss as the Melbourne United captain shoots for another NBL title.

The 36-year-old is on one of the hottest shooting streaks of his 18-year professional career as his Melbourne side leads the standings heading into Sunday’s clash with Sydney Kings at John Cain Arena.

Melbourne United captain Chris Goulding keeps firing despite the disappointments of 2024.Credit: The Age and Getty Images

In his past five games – three NBL games and two FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers for the Boomers – Goulding has nailed 36 three-pointers, while he is averaging 18.1 points per game in the NBL and more than 28 points in the past three games, including a stunning 46-point outburst against Perth.

Yet Goulding has faced two of the toughest moments of his glittering career in 2024 – losing the deciding game five of the NBL grand final series to Tasmania in February, before being one of the last cuts from the Boomers team for the Paris 2024 for what would have been his third Olympics.

“There is nothing you can change about what’s happened – all you can do is work towards what’s next,” Goulding said.

“On this team, we have a lot of guys who are driven to succeed and driven by that next win or next opportunity, so it’s a great place to be.”

Goulding’s former Boomers and Melbourne United championship teammate David Andersen believes few would be able to bounce back like Goulding.

“The Olympics thing really hurt him,” Andersen said.

“I spent some time with him at Jock Landale’s wedding and you could see he was bitterly disappointed as it is a big thing [to miss the Olympics], but he’s channelling that now into performing for Melbourne United.

“That is a real lesson for younger players – they might take that disappointment, fall down and not bounce back. For a true athlete, it can’t be ‘my world is falling down’, it has to be a little roadblock and you move on – [and] I feel like Chris has done that.”

Melbourne United skipper Goulding speaks to his players after their win over Cairns in October.Credit: Getty Images

Former Boomers coach Brian Goorjian will lead the Kings against United on Sunday, but Goulding has no animosity for the man who made the final Olympic roster decision.

And he doesn’t spare a second thought for those who accuse him of “flopping” or make him the villain.

“I pay no attention to it, and we are a group of guys that, when we are out on the floor, we are huddling, we are talking about what we need to do or what’s next. No one is talking about what is happening in the crowd,” Goulding said.

“Everything we talk about is boiled down to wanting to win. That’s it.”

Andersen said Goulding cops plenty of heat by opposition fans on the road, but is beloved on his home floor.

Goulding and his Melbourne United teammates were devastated after their game five loss to Tasmania in the NBL grand final series in February.Credit: Getty Images

“Some of the best players I played with got away with some unbelievable things, but you’ve got to push the limits,” Andersen said.

“It creates a nice little story for fans who want to get after him, but they’ve always gone after him.

“It’s never been like Chris has gone to Wollongong and they’ve been like, ‘Hey, great job Chris!’

“They are getting into him. Same in Tassie, in Perth, at all the stadiums [around the NBL]. Hats off to him because he just bounces back, no matter who is scrutinising him.”

Family has helped Goulding keep basketball in perspective, especially this year when he and wife Molly welcomed their second child, a son, into the world.

“My family is incredibly important to me and two kids are a lot more time-consuming than one, but we are very lucky, happy and healthy,” Goulding said.

Goulding could have walked away from the national team after being left out of Paris 2024, but when offered the chance to play against Thailand and Korea, he took it with both hands – scoring 27 and 31 points respectively as the Boomers sealed a berth in the FIBA Asia Cup next year.

“I had to think about my body, my family and the club,” Goulding said.

“It was an opportunity to visit two cities I hadn’t been to before, and to put back on the green and gold, and you don’t know when your last time doing that will be.

“Putting all that together, my body feeling good and my amazing wife, the rock of our household, letting it be OK for me to go off for seven days gallivanting around the world.”

United coach Dean Vickerman said Goulding still had plenty to offer.

“I was just trying to get him back in the best possible headspace for us, and we knew that would take a bit of time,” Vickerman said on Friday.

“But I think it possibly does a good job of closing off that part for him now – that he’s put the Boomers jersey back on and done such a good job.

“If the next [Boomers] coach thinks he could help at a major tournament, and he gets another opportunity like Delly [Matthew Dellavedova] did, that would be a great story.”

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