Mark Bradtke
Encyclopedia
Mark Robert Bradtke is a retired Australia
n professional basketball
player who played mainly in Australia's National Basketball League
but also had a single stint in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers
in 1996-97. As well as his outstanding play, Bradtke was known in the early part of his NBL career for his mullet haircut
.
and began playing basketball in 1985 while attending Redcliffe State High School
north of Brisbane
in Queensland
. His potential was quickly realised and he was awarded a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport
where he attended in 1986 and 1987.
Mark Bradtke started his NBL career with the Adelaide 36ers
in 1988. That same year saw Bradtke a member of the Australian Boomers team at the 1988 Summer Olympics
in Seoul
helping the team to finish fourth with a 4-4 record. At the time Bradtke was the youngest player ever having represented Australia in Basketball at the Summer Olympics
. His star continued to rise in the NBL and in 1989 was named the NBL's Most Improved Player
He would spend another three seasons with the 36ers before asking the club to release him so he could sign with the Melbourne Tigers
who had actively been trying to recruit the Adelaide centre. The 36ers tried to convince him to stay but eventually granted his release so that he could be with his girlfriend and future wife, Australian professional tennis player Nicole Provis who lived in Melbourne
. During his last two seasons in Adelaide, Bradtke would lead the 36ers in blocked shots and despite playing only 17 games in 1992 was second in total rebounds for the 36ers to Mark Davis
. In all, Bradtke played 118 games for the 36ers, including 9 finals games, averaging 15.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.
, averaging 17 points, 12.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in 33 games played. Combining with star players Andrew Gaze
and Lanard Copeland
, Bradtke's arrival helped transform the Tigers from a pretenders to a genuine championship team. The team would win their second NBL title in 1997 when they defeated cross-Melbourne rivals the South East Melbourne Magic
2-1 in the Grand Final, reversing the result from the 1996 series.
It was while with the 36ers that Mark Bradtke would establish himself as one of the premier centres
in the NBL and he would only further his reputation with the Tigers and in 2002
he finally received the ultimate individual NBL accolade when he won his first and only NBL Most Valuable Player
award. He was also voted to the All NBL First Team
in 1994, 1996, 1997 and consecutively from 1999–2004 and was also selected to the NBL 20th Anniversary Team
in 1998 and the NBL 25th Anniversary Team
in 2003.
. For the 2005-06 season
he signed with the Brisbane Bullets
, winning his third NBL title when the Bullets defeated his former team the Melbourne Tigers 3-1 in the 2006-07 NBL Grand Final series. After the grand final, and 59 games in two seasons with the Bullets, the 38 year old Bradtke retired from playing professional basketball having played in four NBL Grand Finals (winning three)
Mark Bradtke retired as the NBL's all time leading rebounder pulling down 6,283 rebound
s (4,279 def, 2,004 off) at 11.3 per game. This record still stands as of the end of the 2010-11 season. He is also third on the all time list of NBL blocked shots
with 763 at 1.3 per game
, 1992
, 1996
and 2000
Summer Olympic Games
, and at the 1990
and 1994
FIBA World Championship
. Despite playing almost all of his NBL career as a centre owing to his 6'10" (208 cm) height, Bradtke played most of his international career for the Boomers as a starting Power Forward
as the preferred starting centre was Chicago Bulls
championship winning centre Luc Longley
who stands at 7'2" (218 cm) tall.
in the NBA during the 1996–97 NBA season for a reported $247,500. He played 36 games for Philadelphia, averaging 1.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, 0.1 blocks and 7 minutes court time per game.
. The team unfortunately finished 22nd and were relegated the next season. He also spent part of 2002 playing with Greek League club Olympiacos.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who played mainly in Australia's National Basketball League
National Basketball League (Australia)
The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....
but also had a single stint in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
in 1996-97. As well as his outstanding play, Bradtke was known in the early part of his NBL career for his mullet haircut
Mullet (haircut)
The mullet is a hairstyle that is short at the front and sides, and long in the back. . The mullet began to appear in popular media in the 1960s and 1970s but did not become generally well-known until the early 1980s...
.
Adelaide 36ers
Bradtke was born in the southern Adelaide suburb of NoarlungaNoarlunga
Noarlunga can refer to:* Noarlunga Centre, South Australia* Noarlunga Downs, South Australia* Old Noarlunga, South Australia* Port Noarlunga, South Australia...
and began playing basketball in 1985 while attending Redcliffe State High School
Redcliffe State High School
Redcliffe State High School is a co-educational, public high school based in Redcliffe in Queensland, Australia. Scarborough State School is located not far from it. The current Headmistress is Shona McKinlay.-External links:*...
north of Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. His potential was quickly realised and he was awarded a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
where he attended in 1986 and 1987.
Mark Bradtke started his NBL career with the Adelaide 36ers
Adelaide 36ers
The Adelaide 36ers are Adelaide's men's professional basketball team, established as the Adelaide City Eagles when they joined the National Basketball League in 1982. The Adelaide 36ers tally of four championships is equal with the Melbourne Tigers and second behind the Perth Wildcats as the most...
in 1988. That same year saw Bradtke a member of the Australian Boomers team at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics took place at the Jamsil Gymnasium in Seoul, South Korea. The United States won the gold medal in the women's competition, thus repeating their performance from the 1984 tournament. In the men's tournament, the Soviet Union took home their second gold medal in...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
helping the team to finish fourth with a 4-4 record. At the time Bradtke was the youngest player ever having represented Australia in Basketball at the Summer Olympics
Basketball at the Summer Olympics
Basketball has been a Summer Olympics sport for men consistently since 1936. Prior to its inclusion as a medal sport, it was held as demonstration event in 1904 and 1932, both in the United States. Women's basketball was played in the Olympics only since 1976....
. His star continued to rise in the NBL and in 1989 was named the NBL's Most Improved Player
NBL (Australia) Most Improved Player
* 1988 Darren Lucas * 1989 Mark Bradtke * 1990 Shane Heal * 1991 Andrew Parkinson * 1992 Andrew Svaldenis * 1993 Scott Ninnis...
He would spend another three seasons with the 36ers before asking the club to release him so he could sign with the Melbourne Tigers
Melbourne Tigers
The Melbourne Tigers are Australia's oldest and most respected basketball team, established circa 1931 in a local church hall League. Entering the National Basketball League in 1984, they are now the only Melbourne team, after the South Dragons withdrew from the league.The Melbourne Tigers are the...
who had actively been trying to recruit the Adelaide centre. The 36ers tried to convince him to stay but eventually granted his release so that he could be with his girlfriend and future wife, Australian professional tennis player Nicole Provis who lived in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. During his last two seasons in Adelaide, Bradtke would lead the 36ers in blocked shots and despite playing only 17 games in 1992 was second in total rebounds for the 36ers to Mark Davis
Mark Davis (NBL)
Mark Davis is a naturalised Australian former basketball player who played from 1985 to 2001 with the National Basketball League's Adelaide 36ers, gaining the nickname of "Chairman of the Boards" for his record breaking rebounding achievements.-Professional career:Davis was signed by then Adelaide...
. In all, Bradtke played 118 games for the 36ers, including 9 finals games, averaging 15.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.
Melbourne Tigers
Bradtke started with the Tigers in 1993 and after a slow start came on strong from mid-season helping the team to their fifth NBL playoffs in a row and their second grand final series in succession. Melbourne won their first ever NBL Championship with a 2-1 series win over the Perth WildcatsPerth Wildcats
The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League. The Wildcats are the only team in the league representing the state of Western Australia and are based in the state capital, Perth...
, averaging 17 points, 12.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in 33 games played. Combining with star players Andrew Gaze
Andrew Gaze
Andrew Barry Casson Gaze is Australia's best known basketball player, and one of its most successful. He is considered as the greatest player in the history of the NBL....
and Lanard Copeland
Lanard Copeland
Lanard Copeland is a retired American-born Australian professional basketball player. He played in the NBL from 1992-2008....
, Bradtke's arrival helped transform the Tigers from a pretenders to a genuine championship team. The team would win their second NBL title in 1997 when they defeated cross-Melbourne rivals the South East Melbourne Magic
South East Melbourne Magic
The South East Melbourne Magic were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League. The team was the result of a merger of two Melbourne clubs for the 1992 season...
2-1 in the Grand Final, reversing the result from the 1996 series.
It was while with the 36ers that Mark Bradtke would establish himself as one of the premier centres
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
in the NBL and he would only further his reputation with the Tigers and in 2002
2001-02 NBL Season
Here are the results and statistics from the National Basketball League season of 2000-2001.-End of Season Ladder:This is the ladder at the end of season, before the finals. In all, 154 games were played, 28 for each team. The top 6 teams qualified for the finals series.-First Round:1st played...
he finally received the ultimate individual NBL accolade when he won his first and only NBL Most Valuable Player
NBL (Australia) Most Valuable Player
At the conclusion of each NBL game, both coaches award votes to the best players from that game. Each coach has 10 votes to allocate, with no more than 5 to be awarded to one player by each coach....
award. He was also voted to the All NBL First Team
NBL (Australia) All NBL teams
-NBL First Teams:* 1980 Cal Stamp, Danny Morseu, Brian Banks, Herb McEachin, Ian Davies and Ken Richardson* 1981 Rocky Smith, Danny Morseu, Al Green, David Nelson and Owen Wells* 1982 George Morrow, James Crawford, Leroy Loggins, Phil Smyth and Larry Sengstock...
in 1994, 1996, 1997 and consecutively from 1999–2004 and was also selected to the NBL 20th Anniversary Team
NBL (Australia) 20th Anniversary Team
In celebration of its twentieth anniversary, a special 20th anniversary team was named by Australia's National Basketball League in 1998.* = active at the time the team was named-See also:* National Basketball League...
in 1998 and the NBL 25th Anniversary Team
NBL (Australia) 25th Anniversary Team
To mark its 25th anniversary during the 2003-2004 season, the National Basketball League announced its 25th Anniversary All-Time team on December 9, 2003...
in 2003.
Brisbane Bullets
After 377 NBL games with the Melbourne Tigers, Bradtke played his last season with them in 2004-052004-05 NBL Season
Here are the results and statistics from the National Basketball League season of 2004-2005.-End of Season Ladder:This is the ladder at the end of season, before the finals. In all, 176 games were played, 32 for each team...
. For the 2005-06 season
2005-06 NBL Season
Here are the results and statistics from the National Basketball League season of 2005-2006.-End of Season Ladder:This is the ladder at the end of season, before the finals. In all, 176 games were played, 32 for each team. The top 8 teams qualified for the finals series.KeyThe quarter finals were...
he signed with the Brisbane Bullets
Brisbane Bullets
The Brisbane Bullets were, until 2008, a professional basketball team competing in Australia's National Basketball League. The Bullets were one of only two teams that survived since the NBL's inception in 1979; the only surviving team is now the Wollongong Hawks. The team played in Midnight Navy...
, winning his third NBL title when the Bullets defeated his former team the Melbourne Tigers 3-1 in the 2006-07 NBL Grand Final series. After the grand final, and 59 games in two seasons with the Bullets, the 38 year old Bradtke retired from playing professional basketball having played in four NBL Grand Finals (winning three)
Mark Bradtke retired as the NBL's all time leading rebounder pulling down 6,283 rebound
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
s (4,279 def, 2,004 off) at 11.3 per game. This record still stands as of the end of the 2010-11 season. He is also third on the all time list of NBL blocked shots
Block (basketball)
In basketball, a block , not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot...
with 763 at 1.3 per game
International career
Mark Bradtke was a prominent player for the Australian Boomers playing in the 1988Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 1988 Summer Olympics took place at the Jamsil Gymnasium in Seoul, South Korea. The United States won the gold medal in the women's competition, thus repeating their performance from the 1984 tournament. In the men's tournament, the Soviet Union took home their second gold medal in...
, 1992
Basketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics
The Basketball games of the 1992 Summer Olympics were played at the Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona. 12 men's teams and 8 women's teams participated in the tournament....
, 1996
Basketball at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 1996 Olympic Games were held from July 20, 1996 to August 4, 1996. Games took place at the Morehouse College Gymnasium and the Georgia Dome. For the second straight Olympic games, the American men's team composed almost entirely of NBA players won the gold medal...
and 2000
Basketball at the 2000 Summer Olympics
-Group B:-Championship bracket:-Classification matches:-Preliminary round:The four best teams from each group advanced to the quarterfinal round.-Group A:-Group B:-Championship bracket:...
Summer Olympic Games
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
, and at the 1990
1990 FIBA World Championship
The 1990 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Argentina from August 8 to August 20, 1990.The competition final phase was held at the Luna Park, Buenos Aires.Yugoslavia emerged as the tournament winner...
and 1994
1994 FIBA World Championship
The 1994 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Canada from August 4 to August 14, 1994. The tournament was held at SkyDome and Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto as well as at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton...
FIBA World Championship
FIBA World Championship
The FIBA World Championship is an international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation , the sport's global governing body...
. Despite playing almost all of his NBL career as a centre owing to his 6'10" (208 cm) height, Bradtke played most of his international career for the Boomers as a starting Power Forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
as the preferred starting centre was Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
championship winning centre Luc Longley
Luc Longley
Lucien James "Luc" Longley is a retired Australian professional basketball player, who was the first Australian to play in the NBA, where he played for eleven seasons...
who stands at 7'2" (218 cm) tall.
NBA
At the age of 28, Bradtke signed with the Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
in the NBA during the 1996–97 NBA season for a reported $247,500. He played 36 games for Philadelphia, averaging 1.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, 0.1 blocks and 7 minutes court time per game.
Europe
Following the end of the 1992 NBL season with the 36ers Bradtke played the 1992-93 Spanish League season with Juver MurciaCB Murcia
Club Baloncesto Murcia, S.A.D., also known as UCAM Murcia by sponsorship reasons, is a professional basketball team based in Murcia, Region of Murcia, Spain. The team plays in ACB...
. The team unfortunately finished 22nd and were relegated the next season. He also spent part of 2002 playing with Greek League club Olympiacos.
Personal
Mark Bradtke has been married to the Australian former professional tennis player Nicole Provis since 1994. Together they have two boys, Austin (born 2000) and Jensen (born 2004).Honour roll
| NBL career: | 1988–2007 |
| NBL Grand Final appearances: | 4 (1993, 1996, 1997, 2006–07) |
| NBL Championships: | 3 (1993, 1997, 2006–07) |
| NBL Most Valuable Player: | 2002 |
| All-NBL First Team: | 10 (1994, 1996, 1997, 1999–2004) |
| NBL Most Improved Player: | 1989 |
| NBL 20th Anniversary Team: | 1998 |
| NBL 25th Anniversary Team: | 2003 |
| NBL Leading Rebounder | 7 (1994, 1999-2004) |
NBL career stats
| Games: | 554 (Adl 118, Melb 377, Bris 59) |
| Rebounds: | 6,283 (4,279 def, 2,004 off - 1st All-time - 11.3pg) |
| Points: | 9,621 (17.3pg) |
| Blocked Shots: | 763 (3rd All-time, 1.3pg) |