Doyle's NBA vow: 'I’m going at everybody'

Written for nbl.com.au by Tom Hersz

Milton Doyle has started his first season with Melbourne United in very strong form. The 2023 All-NBL First Teamer and 2024 NBL Champion has been a huge factor in their three-and-zero start to the NBL26 season, as they head into this week’s NBA pre-season game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Doyle, who spent the past three seasons with the Tasmania JackJumpers, is averaging what would be NBL career-highs in points, threes made, and three-point percentage, in fewer minutes per game than he did across his time under Scott Roth.

Through three games, Doyle is averaging 18.3 points (seventh in the league), while hitting 3.3 threes per game (first in the league) at an impressive 41.7 per cent clip. He made several clutch shots in their opening game in Hobart and set the tone last Thursday night against South East Melbourne with three threes in the opening quarter and 11 of his team-high 18 points in the first half.

Doyle has experience in joining new teams as an import, but he credits his time in the NBL the last three seasons with giving him a head start, which has helped him fit with Melbourne so seamlessly.

“Yeah, I think for sure that helps,” Doyle told NBL Media on Monday.

“Staying in one league for a long time, you kind of get to know the different systems of the teams and coaching styles and just players.

“A few of the guys have been here for quite a while, so you understand what you're coming into with those guys.”

Doyle is also enjoying Dean Vickerman’s system. It’s predicated on ball movement, good screens, quick cuts and having good shooters on the floor.

He mentioned post-game last Thursday that he loves how well the ball moves and how unselfish his teammates are, especially the point guards in Tyson Walker and Shea Ili. And because of those things, Doyle has found it very easy to know where his shots are going to come from.

“I think we're just trying to play fast, so you get up a lot of threes in transition and guys attacking the paint and just opening up the floor for you,” Doyle said.

“So yeah, I think you get a different amount of looks, but pretty much get good, open looks.”

What Doyle has done so far has been even more impressive when you consider that Chris Goulding is yet to play a game this season. Doyle hasn’t felt any additional responsibility to be extra aggressive with Goulding out.

He’s been finding his shots within the flow of the offence. And he thinks it will get easier when Goulding is back, rather than harder.

“I think when Chris comes in, I don't think it would change how anyone plays,” Doyle explained.

“I think it would just help us out and get more spacing and more shooting on the floor to make our job a little bit easier. So yeah, I think I’m just taking what the game gives me.”

Of course, Doyle and Melbourne will face a different kind of challenge this Friday when the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans roll into town to begin the NBAxNBL series.

And while NBL teams have been playing against NBA teams in pre-season games for several years now, this will be the first time an NBA team has played a game on Australian soil. It will also be the first time that Doyle has participated in one of these games.

The timing of it is interesting. While it’s a pre-season game for the Pelicans, Melbourne has already played three regular season games, so it could be viewed as a distraction. But Dean Vickerman and Melbourne United, Doyle included, are not treating it like that at all.

In fact, they’re using it as an opportunity to keep doing what they’ve been doing and to take it right to their heavily favoured opponents. Their approach does not change from what they did to prepare for last week’s Throwdown.

“Just like any other game,” Doyle said.

“Going in scouting and understanding who you’re playing. Trying to figure out who's going to win.

“So just taking it the same as the rest of the NBL games, and knowing that there's a lot of talent in that team and we have a chance to beat them.”

Doyle has been around the NBA before. He played ten games with the Brooklyn Nets in the 2017-18 season and was with the Chicago Bulls’ G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, for the 2019-20 season.

So having an opportunity to play against NBA talent could be seen as something to put some extra stock into, if he ever had ambitions to get back to the NBA. Doyle spoke of “testing his talent” against them, but he doesn’t feel like he has anything to prove to anyone or to himself as an individual in this game. He’s only focused on the team improving.

“I don't think it's a game going out to prove anything,” Doyle admitted.

“I think I've played at that level and I think I've proved myself from that aspect. Got me a couple of points in the NBA and put on that jersey. So that's an achievement within itself.

“So, just going into this game and looking to get better, and try to win.”

Going against NBA players is a different kind of challenge than what you’d find in the NBL. Doyle knows that the athleticism and speed of the game is on a different level. It’s a faster game than the NBL.

There are also differences in floor spacing and how open the paint can be at times, so Doyle knows that being on point with those things and making sure Melbourne moves the ball and plays together will be important.

He’s going to face opponents he’s not seen before and will likely be matched up against the likes of Herb Jones, Trey Murphy, Jordan Poole, Jordan Hawkins or rookie Jeremiah Fears. Each of those players presents a different challenge, so their scout will be as important as it is for any other game.

And Doyle will do his homework, as he always does, ahead of the game.

“It's going to be the same as any other game,” Doyle said.

“We have our individual scout on each player in their different positions. You do a lot of different things. We’re switching one through four, so you're going to guard a variety of guys.

“So just being locked in on player tendencies and knowing what they do best, and knowing what you can live with. All those little things come into account.

“So, I'm going to be studying all those guys.”

Of course, given his form and his importance to United’s offensive system, the Pelicans will need to have done their homework on Doyle too, right?

“Haha, I don't know,” Doyle chuckled.

“Whatever they do, I'm just ready to play. Whatever they do, they're going to go about their job the same way. So, I'm looking forward to it.”

Doyle’s wife is expecting a baby any day now, so he’s hoping he’ll be able to take the floor inside Rod Laver Arena on Friday.

“I’m just taking it day by day. Just waiting to see, there’s nothing I can do about that. Hopefully she stays in there a little bit, so I can play in this game,” Doyle said.

And if he does play, Doyle plans on being just as aggressive as he is in any other game when he faces the Pelicans.

“Yeah, nothing changes for me,” he said.

“Every game, every opponent is the same. I'm going at everybody.”

That much has been evident so far in NBL26. Doyle has been one of the best players in the league so far, which should be no surprise to anyone at this stage.

And his new team, who have had a great start to the season with three wins from three games, all without Goulding, will look to use this unique experience to build on that early momentum.

They’ll go into this game trying to get better as a group and explore what they need to improve on, both as a team and individually.

“It’s a good game to go and test your skill level,” Doyle acknowledged.

“We've got guys that are trying to make it to the NBA, like Dash [Daniels].

“We have guys that played a few games in the league or had opportunities there that feel that they can still play at that level right now. So, they're going in, and I think it's a confidence builder just playing against the talent of the NBA.

“No matter win or lose, you go in, and it’s still going to be a confidence builder. But we're coming in to win.”

As one of only two players on Melbourne’s roster who have played in the NBA (along with Jesse Edwards), Doyle is aware of the eyeballs and pressure on his Next Star teammate. He’s not had any specific conversations with Daniels about that pressure or about facing the Pelicans, but is already impressed with his general focus and approach so far this season.

“I just like what he's doing and how he's carrying himself already,” Doyle said.

“So, he's going to go in there with the same professional aspect of it, of coming in to win a game and play hard and do his job. So from that standpoint, I think he'll be alright.”

Doyle’s signing by Melbourne United this off-season was seen as a bit of a coup. His stellar play for the JackJumpers was seen to be a great fit for United as they revamped their roster and that’s proving to be the case early on in NBL26.

After winning on the road in Tasmania to start the season and backing that up with two blow-out wins at home, United have made an early statement that they plan on going one better than they did the last two seasons.

Facing the Pelicans this week is just another opportunity for them to improve as a team, but also a great chance to make a different kind of statement.

So, does Doyle think they can get a win on Friday night?

“Yeah, for sure,” Doyle said.

Melbourne United hosts the New Orleans Pelicans at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne at 7:30pm AEST on Friday 3 October, live on Amazon Prime Video, 10 Drama and NBA League Pass.