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Melbourne United sign emerging talent William Hickey as development player

Melbourne United have signed young guard prospect William 'Davo' Hickey on a two-year Development player contract, with the second year a club option.

Hickey, an indigenous player originally from Sydney, has been lighting it up in NBL1 where he most recently been suiting up for the Ballarat Miners and averaged 18.2 points, 3.3 assists and 8.35 rebounds per game, while shooting over 42 percent from the field.

The 22-year-old has already had a taste of NBL club atmosphere, working as a development player at cross town rivals South East Melbourne Phoenix in 2019-20 and he hopes to take the next step of his career at United.

United coach Dean Vickerman had kept a close eye on Hickey during his time in NBL1 including his time at Melbourne Tigers through to his recent season at Ballarat and hopes his natural talent will see him develop further at United.

"I've enjoyed watching Davo's growth during his time in NBL1. From his time at the Melbourne Tigers through to his recent season at Ballarat, we've had our eyes on him." Vickerman said. "He seems to have really grown as a professional athlete both on and off the court and we believe he'll flourish with the culture and system that we have here at Melbourne United.

"We see Davo as an athletic guard who excels in transition but can also attack the paint and play above the rim. Combined with his length, intensity and activity, he can really step up on the defensive end as well. He's also a great rebounder for his size, too, which is always helpful."

Hickey joins the club as part of the NBL Reconciliation Action Plan initiatives, a commitment from the sporting body create greater opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander basketballers.