Sport

Gallery | NBA and NBL legend a giant role model

By Callum Farquhar

Jul 23, 2025

The NBA and NBL legend made a special appearance in Shepparton. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

Boasting one of the most accomplished resumes in Australian basketball, Chris Anstey’s arrival in Shepparton meant Wednesday was not the day to pull a sickie as a SEDA student.

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The towering tall cut his teeth for since-rebranded or folded NBL franchises Melbourne Tigers and South East Melbourne Magic, winning a ring at the latter, before earning a spot on the roster of NBA teams Dallas and Chicago.

He would then return to his homeland after three years in the world-class league and a stint in Russia.

The 2.13m tall centre returned to Victoria once again and dominated the NBL in the final years of his career, earning two Most Valuable Player awards in championship-winning seasons for the Tigers.

Post-career, Anstey has become a leader off the court.

He spent three seasons as Melbourne coach in the NBL, but his impact has largely been with the younger generation through coaching sessions with SEDA.

The Australian basketball pioneer led a motivational session at Shepparton Sports Stadium on Wednesday, reflecting on the stories of his journeyman career before passing down his skill set to the eager SEDA students.