D’Angelo Relishing Select Team Stage After Breakout Season

Fresh off being named NBL1 South Youth Player of the Year, Christian D’Angelo says the chance to represent the Select Team against the Adelaide 36ers is both an honour and a vital step in his development.

The Nunawading Spectres guard, who has also been training with Melbourne United, believes the individual recognition is a reflection of the environment that has helped him thrive.

“It’s a huge honour and a nice recognition of all the hard work I have put in over the last couple of years,” D’Angelo said. “Despite this being an individual award, it would not have been possible without the support of my teammates and coaches at Nunawading.”

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The 20-year-old’s rapid rise has now been rewarded with a spot in Richard Hill’s 12-player Select Team, which will go head-to-head with the 36ers in Mount Gambier on Thursday night.

For D’Angelo, the opportunity is not lost. “It’s massive,” he said. “Playing in this team is a great chance to test myself against high-level talent and prove that I can compete at the next level. I am super excited to go against the best of the best.”

Alongside imports Joshua Sykes and Jonathon Lawton, veterans such as Lachlan Barker, and fellow emerging stars like Luke Rosendale, the guard sees the environment as a rare learning experience.

“We have such a diverse mix of talent, and I just want to learn as much as possible,” he said. “It will be awesome to play alongside these high level guys instead of versing them for once.”

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D’Angelo has already made significant strides in 2025, but he is quick to stress that this is just the beginning. “I just want to continue to improve,” he said. “I am definitely happy with the steps that I’ve made this season, but there is a lot of room for me to grow and develop which I am excited for. NBL is a big goal of mine, but I’m taking it a step at a time to get there.”

The Select Team’s clash with Adelaide tips off at 8:00pm AEST (7:30pm ACST) at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre, with a packed Mount Gambier crowd expected for a showcase of NBL1 South’s brightest talent against one of the NBL’s most storied clubs.