View source for Matthew Nielsen

{{short description|Australian professional basketball player and coach}}
{{for|the American urologist, oncologist and health services researcher|Matthew Nielsen (urologist)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name         = Matthew Nielsen
| image        = Matthew Nielsen 2017.jpg
| caption      = Nielsen in March 2017
| height_cm    = 208
| weight_kg    = 105
| position     = Assistant coach
| league       = [[NBA]]
| team         = [[San Antonio Spurs]]
| nationality  = Australian
| birth_date   = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1978|2|3}}
| birth_place  = [[Sydney]], [[New South Wales]]
| high_school  = [[St Marys Senior High School|St Marys]]<br>(Sydney, New South Wales)
| draft_year   = 2000
| career_start = 1995
| career_end   = 2013
| career_position = [[Power forward (basketball)|Power forward]]
| coach_start = 2015
| years1       = 1995
| team1        = Sydney Sky
| years2       = 1995
| team2        = [[Sydney Kings]]
| years3       = 1996
| team3        = [[Australian Institute of Sport#Basketball program|Australian Institute of Sport]]
| years4       = 1997
| team4        = Sydney Sky
| years5       = 1997–2004
| team5        = Sydney Kings
| years6       = 2000
| team6        = Penrith Panthers
| years7       = 2004–2005
| team7        = [[P.A.O.K. BC|PAOK Thessaloniki]]
| years8       = 2005–2008
| team8        = [[BC Lietuvos rytas|Lietuvos Rytas]]
| years9       = 2008–2010
| team9        = [[Valencia BC|Valencia]]
| years10      = 2010–2011
| team10       = [[Olympiacos B.C.|Olympiacos Piraeus]]
| years11      = 2011–2013
| team11       = [[BC Khimki|Khimki]]
| cyears1      = 2015–2019
| cteam1       = [[Perth Wildcats]] (assistant)
| cyears2      = 2019–2020
| cteam2       = [[Austin Spurs]] (assistant)
| cyears3      = 2020–2021
| cteam3       = [[Austin Spurs]]
| cyears4      = 2021–present
| cteam4       = [[San Antonio Spurs]] (assistant)
| highlights       = 
'''As player:'''
* 2× [[EuroCup Basketball|EuroCup]] champion (2010, 2012)
* [[EuroCup Basketball Finals MVP|EuroCup Finals MVP]] (2010)
* [[EuroCup Basketball All-EuroCup Team|All-EuroCup First Team]] (2010)
* [[EuroCup Basketball All-EuroCup Team|All-EuroCup Second Team]] (2009)
* [[Lietuvos krepšinio lyga|LKL]] champion (2006)
* LKL All-Star (2007)
* 2× [[Baltic Basketball League|Baltic League]] champion (2006, 2007)
* Baltic League All-Star (2006)
* 2× [[List of NBL champions|NBL champion]] (2003, 2004)
* [[NBL Grand Final Most Valuable Player Award|NBL Grand Final MVP]] (2004)
* [[NBL Most Valuable Player Award|NBL Most Valuable Player]] (2004)
* [[All-NBL Team|All-NBL First Team]] (2004)
* 2× [[All-NBL Team|All-NBL Second Team]] (2001, 2003)
* [[NBL Rookie of the Year Award|NBL Rookie of the Year]] (1997)
* [[List of National Basketball League (Australia) annual scoring leaders|NBL scoring champion]] (2004)
* [[Australian International Player of the Year|Gaze Medal]] winner (2003)
* 2× [[South East Australian Basketball League|SEABL East]] {{abbr|YPOY|Youth Player of the Year}} (1995, 1996)
'''As coach:'''
* 3× [[List of NBL champions|NBL champion]] (2016, 2017, 2019)
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalCountry|[[Australia]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIBA Oceania Championship]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[FIBA Oceania Championship 2003|2003 Australia]] | [[Australia men's national basketball team|National Team]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[FIBA Oceania Championship 2005|2005 New Zealand]] | [[Australia men's national basketball team|National Team]]}}
}}

'''Matthew Peter Nielsen''' (born 3 February 1978) is an Australian professional [[basketball]] coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the [[San Antonio Spurs]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). He served as an assistant coach for the [[Perth Wildcats]] of the [[National Basketball League (Australia)|National Basketball League]] (NBL) from 2015 to 2019.

==Early life and career==
Nielsen was born in the [[Sydney]] suburb of [[Penrith, New South Wales|Penrith]].<ref name=nbl04>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbl.com.au/default.asp?s=kings_playerprofile&profile=69|title=Matthew Nielsen|work=NBL.com.au|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031231195513/http://www.nbl.com.au/default.asp?s=kings_playerprofile&profile=69|archive-date=31 December 2003|access-date=7 March 2023}}</ref> He played as a junior for Newcastle Basketball Association<ref name="nbl04" /> and attended [[St Marys Senior High School]].<ref name=smh>[http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/11/13/1068674318321.html The Kings and I: captain Nielsen reaches club record]</ref>

In 1995, Nielsen played for the Sydney Sky in the [[SEABL]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194501644&client=0-3363-0-125738-9959259|title=Matthew Nielsen – CBA - EAST MEN (1995)|work=SEABL|access-date=7 March 2023}}</ref> and made his NBL debut with the [[Sydney Kings]] as a development player.<ref name="smh" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=190395316&client=0-189-88249-125697-369912|title=Matthew Nielsen|work=NBL|access-date=7 March 2023}}</ref> In 1996, he moved to [[Canberra]] to attend the [[Australian Institute of Sport]] (AIS).<ref>{{cite news|title=Past Athletes|work=ausport.gov.au|url=http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/sports/basketball/athletes/past_athletes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140212073754/http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/sports/basketball/athletes/past_athletes|archive-date=12 February 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> He played for the AIS in the SEABL.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194501644&client=0-3363-150604-210294-4362809|title=Matthew Nielsen – CBA - EAST MEN (1996)|work=SEABL|access-date=7 March 2023}}</ref> He was named [[South East Australian Basketball League|SEABL East]] Youth Player of the Year in 1995 and 1996.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.seabl.com.au/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/League_History/History_-_Men_Youth.pdf | title=AUSTRALIAN YOUTH PLAYER OF THE YEAR | work=SEABL.com.au | accessdate=15 February 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305002859/http://seabl.com.au/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/League_History/History_-_Men_Youth.pdf | archive-date=5 March 2017 | url-status=dead }}</ref> He played six games for the Sky in 1997<ref>{{cite web|url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194501644&client=0-3363-0-125740-9959259|title=Matthew Nielsen – CBA - EAST MEN (1997)|work=SEABL|access-date=7 March 2023}}</ref> and played for the Penrith Panthers in the SEABL in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194501644&client=0-3363-0-210283-16889632|title=Matthew Nielsen – ABA - SOUTH/EAST MEN (2000)|work=SEABL|access-date=7 March 2023}}</ref>

==Professional career==
===Sydney Kings===
For the [[1997 NBL season]], Nielsen returned to the Sydney Kings and won the [[NBL Rookie of the Year Award]].<ref name="nbl04" /> He played in the NBL Future Forces Game and finished third in the [[NBL Best Sixth Man Award]] in 1997.<ref name="nbl04" /> He was named in the [[All-NBL Team|All-NBL Second Team]] in 2001 and 2003 and won his first [[List of NBL champions|NBL championship]] in 2003.<ref name="nbl04" /> In the [[2003–04 NBL season]], Nielsen was named [[NBL Most Valuable Player Award|league MVP]], [[All-NBL Team|All-NBL First Team]], [[NBL Grand Final Most Valuable Player Award|grand final MVP]] and captained the Kings to back-to-back championships. He also [[List of National Basketball League (Australia) annual scoring leaders|led the league in scoring]] with an average of 23.5 points per game, was second in rebounds (10.1) and second in blocked shots (2.7).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbl.com.au/default.asp?s=newsdisplay&aid=913|title=Nielsen takes MVP|work=NBL.com.au|date=8 April 2004|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040610012301/http://www.nbl.com.au/default.asp?s=newsdisplay&aid=913|archive-date=10 June 2004|access-date=7 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbl.com.au/default.asp?s=newsdisplay&aid=916|title=All-NBL Team revealed|work=NBL.com.au|date=8 April 2004|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040626145413/http://www.nbl.com.au/default.asp?s=newsdisplay&aid=916|archive-date=26 June 2004|access-date=7 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbl.com.au/default.asp?s=newsdisplay&aid=922|title=Nielsen NBA-bound|work=NBL.com.au|date=19 April 2004|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040626144909/http://www.nbl.com.au/default.asp?s=newsdisplay&aid=922|archive-date=26 June 2004|access-date=7 March 2023}}</ref>

In 244 games for the Kings over nine seasons, Nielsen averaged 17.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.<ref>[http://www.foxsportspulse.com/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=190395316&client=0-189-88249-125694-369912 Player statistics for Matthew Nielsen]</ref> In 2013, he was named in the Sydney Kings 25th Anniversary Team.<ref>[http://www.sydneykings.com/article/id/1a9gx1lqcclva1n2ka26eksxng MightyMite Sydney Kings announce 25th Anniversary Team] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013092402/http://www.sydneykings.com/article/id/1a9gx1lqcclva1n2ka26eksxng |date=13 October 2013 }}</ref>

===Europe===
[[File:MNielsen.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Nielsen in 2009, with [[Valencia BC|Valencia]].]]
In 2004, Nielsen began a decorated European career playing for [[P.A.O.K. BC|PAOK Thessaloniki]] in Greece, [[BC Lietuvos rytas|Lietuvos Rytas]] in Lithuania, [[Valencia BC|Valencia]] in Spain,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurocupbasketball.com/eurocup/eurocup-finals/vitoria-2010/main-page/i/70725/matt-nielsen-mvp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223012319/http://www.eurocupbasketball.com/eurocup/eurocup-finals/vitoria-2010/main-page/i/70725/matt-nielsen-mvp |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 December 2015 |title=Valencia is Eurocup king!!! |work=Eurocupbasketall.com |date=18 April 2010 |access-date=29 July 2013}}</ref> [[Olympiacos B.C.|Olympiacos Piraeus]] also in Greece, and [[BC Khimki|Khimki]] in Russia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/87001/bc-khimki-lands-nielsen |title=BC Khimki lands Nielsen |work=Euroleague.net |date=1 August 2011 |access-date=29 July 2013}}</ref>

==National team career==
Nielsen won the gold medal at the 1997 [[FIBA Under-21 World Championship]] with Australia's junior national team. He was also a member of the senior men's [[Australia men's national basketball team|Australian national basketball team]]. With Australia's senior national team, he won gold medals at the [[2001 Goodwill Games]], the [[FIBA Oceania Championship 2003|2003 FIBA Oceanian Championship]], and the [[FIBA Oceania Championship 2005|2005 FIBA Oceania Championship]]. He represented Australia at the [[Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|2004]], [[Basketball at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|2008]] and [[Basketball at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|2012 Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/28525/sid/2916/tid/239/tid2//_/1997_World_Championship_for_Men_22_and_Under_/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150920071323/http://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/28525/sid/2916/tid/239/tid2//_/1997_World_Championship_for_Men_22_and_Under_/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 September 2015 |title=Matt Nielsen |work=archive.fiba.com |access-date=8 December 2020}}</ref>

In July 2024, Nielsen was inducted into the [[Australian Basketball Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nbl.com.au/news/nbl-champions-ultimate-honour|title=NBL champions' ultimate honour|work=NBL.com.au|date=10 July 2024|access-date=11 July 2024}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
===Clubs===
During the [[2013–14 NBL season]], Nielsen served as a big-man coach for the [[Perth Wildcats]].<ref>[http://www.nbl.com.au/article/id/15jm595hacm3p1gkqedqq27tza Damo's Dish: The Black Tape] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216075025/http://www.nbl.com.au/article/id/15jm595hacm3p1gkqedqq27tza |date=16 December 2013 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.nbl.com.au/article/id/mjd604gzjwum1imix1s4r7uxp The Knightmare a defensive dream for Perth] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721205923/http://www.nbl.com.au/article/id/mjd604gzjwum1imix1s4r7uxp |date=21 July 2015 }}</ref>

In 2014, Nielsen joined the [[San Antonio Spurs]] coaching staff in a player development role, on a contract that ran through to the end of the [[2015 NBA Summer League]].<ref>[http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/more-sports/nba-plenty-of-aussies-calling-san-antonio-spurs-home/story-fnii0hmo-1227180163338 NBA: Plenty of Aussies calling San Antonio Spurs home]</ref><ref>[https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/27282099/wildcats-could-sign-long-time-boomer/ Wildcats could sign long-time Boomer]</ref>

On 29 July 2015, Nielsen returned to the Perth Wildcats, signing with the club as an assistant coach ahead of the [[2015–16 NBL season]].<ref>[http://www.wildcats.com.au/article/id/cacli17uks5y1xjb1lgj4r4ln Matt Nielsen appointed lead assistant coach]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> On 10 April 2019, after three championships in four seasons, Nielsen parted ways with the Wildcats in order to pursue coaching opportunities in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbl.com.au/news/article/matt-nielsen-departing-perth-wildcats|title=Matt Nielsen Departing Perth Wildcats|work=NBL.com.au|date=10 April 2019|access-date=10 April 2019}}</ref>

On 5 November 2019, Nielsen was appointed assistant coach of the [[Austin Spurs]] of the [[NBA G League]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://austin.gleague.nba.com/news/austin-spurs-announce-2019-20-coaching-staff-additions/|title=AUSTIN SPURS ANNOUNCE 2019-20 COACHING STAFF ADDITIONS|date=5 November 2019|website=NBA.com|access-date=5 November 2019}}</ref> On 10 November 2020, he was promoted to head coach of the Spurs.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://austin.gleague.nba.com/news/austin-spurs-name-matt-nielsen-head-coach-and-tyler-self-general-manager/ |title=AUSTIN SPURS NAME MATT NIELSEN HEAD COACH AND TYLER SELF GENERAL MANAGER |website=Austin Spurs |date=10 November 2020}}</ref>

On 8 September 2021, Nielsen was appointed assistant coach of the [[San Antonio Spurs]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/spurs/spurs-name-matt-nielsen-assistant-coach|title=Spurs name Matt Nielsen assistant coach|date=8 September 2021|website=NBA.com|access-date=8 September 2021}}</ref>

===National team===
On 8 December 2020, Nielsen was named as assistant coach of the [[Australia men's national basketball team|Australian senior men's national team]] under head coach [[Brian Goorjian]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nbl.com.au/news/matt-nielsen-named-boomers-assistant-coach|title=Matt Nielsen Named Boomers Assistant Coach|work=NBL.com.au|date=8 December 2020|access-date=8 December 2020}}</ref> He was still in the position as of May 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://australia.basketball/boomers-extended-squad-revealed-for-world-cup/|title=Boomers' Extended Squad Revealed for World Cup|work=australia.basketball|date=8 May 2023|access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref>

==EuroLeague career statistics==

{{Euroleague player statistics legend}}
{{Euroleague player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2005–06 Euroleague|2005–06]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[BC Lietuvos Rytas|Lietuvos Rytas]]
| '''19''' || '''13''' || '''25.8''' || .464 || '''.357''' || .703 || '''5.2''' || '''1.7''' || '''1.1''' || .3 || '''12.4''' || '''13.6'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2007–08 Euroleague|2007–08]]
| style="text-align:left;"| Lietuvos Rytas
| 13 || '''13''' || 24.1 || '''.495''' || .250 || '''.805''' || 4.8 || 1.5 || .8 || '''.5''' || 9.9 || 12.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2010–11 Euroleague|2010–11]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Olympiacos B.C.|Olympiacos Piraeus]]
| 14 || 9 || 16.0 || .386 || .143 || .750 || 2.9 || .6 || .6 || .1 || 4.4 || 3.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[2012–13 Euroleague|2012–13]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[BC Khimki|Khimki]]
| 15 || 2 || 11.5 || .462 || .000 || .500 || 1.7 || 1.6 || .3 || .3 || 1.7 || 3.1
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 61 || 37 || 19.6 || .459 || .261 || .729 || 3.7 || 1.4 || .7 || .3 || 7.4 || 8.5
{{S-end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20031231195513/http://www.nbl.com.au/default.asp?s=kings_playerprofile&profile=69 NBL profile]
* [http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=JRD Euroleague.net profile]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150407161712/http://acb.com/jugador.php?id=001 ACB.com profile] <small>{{in lang|es}}</small>
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100719041925/http://turkey2010.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/10/fwcm/player/p/eid/4728/pid/28525/rid/sid/4728/tid/239/profile.html 2010 FIBA World Championship profile]

{{San Antonio Spurs current roster}}
{{Navboxes|list1=
{{Australia Squad 2011 FIBA Oceania Championship}}
{{Valencia Basket 2009–10 Eurocup champions}}
{{BC Khimki 2011–12 Eurocup champions}}
{{Sydney Kings 2002–03 NBL champions}}
{{Sydney Kings 2003–04 NBL champions}}
{{Sydney Kings 25th Anniversary Team}}
{{Perth Wildcats 2015–16 NBL champions}}
{{Perth Wildcats 2016–17 NBL champions}}
{{Perth Wildcats 2018–19 NBL champions}}
{{NBL MVPs}}
{{NBL Grand Final MVPs}}
{{NBL Rookies of the Year}}
{{NBL scoring leaders}}
{{Eurocup Finals MVP Award}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nielsen, Matthew}}
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australian expatriate basketball people in Greece]]
[[Category:Australian expatriate basketball people in Spain]]
[[Category:Australian men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Australian Institute of Sport basketball players]]
[[Category:Australian people of Danish descent]]
[[Category:Basketball players at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Basketball players at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Basketball players at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:BC Khimki players]]
[[Category:BC Rytas players]]
[[Category:Liga ACB players]]
[[Category:Olympiacos B.C. players]]
[[Category:Olympic basketball players for Australia]]
[[Category:P.A.O.K. BC players]]
[[Category:Power forwards]]
[[Category:Sydney Kings players]]
[[Category:Valencia Basket players]]
[[Category:2010 FIBA World Championship players]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 2001 Goodwill Games]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Sydney]]
[[Category:Sportsmen from New South Wales]]
[[Category:Coaches at the 2024 Summer Olympics]]