Nine games in, and everything is seemingly working the way it's supposed to. The rotations are crisp, the ball moves with purpose, while the playstyle and opportunities on offer are democratic; it's the product of structure, standards, and a system that doesn't bend to circumstance.
It's why it shouldn't come as a surprise that, nine games in, Melbourne United are yet to lose a game.
"The first thing that comes to mind is talent," United forward Kyle Bowen told ESPN on what he attributes his team's 9-0 start to the NBL to.
"But all teams have talent," he continued, catching himself.
"It's really our process. We've come so close the past two seasons, but we know that you can't abandon process, no matter what stage you're at in the year," Bowen said.
United assistant coach David Barlow, ever the deep thinker, put it more practically.
"I guess you have a solid foundational belief system of what you think is going to lead you to victory, and then a level of standards that kind of mesh with that, and hold everyone accountable to that, no matter if you win, lose, or draw," Barlow told ESPN. "That's what we've been pretty good at over the years. We have a set of standards, have a strategy that we all buy into and believe in, do our best to do it right, and when we do, we're happy, and when we don't, we see it, we fix it, and we're on to the next one."
The idea of having good process can often be a platitude, but United's version of it is defined and demonstrated, and its sustainability is evidenced by the team's consistent positive outcomes. United has made the playoffs in seven of the eight seasons since Vickerman has been in charge, winning two titles in the process. The words 'selfless', 'excellence', and 'inclusive' are plastered on the walls throughout their facility, while the acronym SHARE - selfless, hard, accountable, relentless, excellent - has been consistent in the vocabulary of the coaching and front office staff since being introduced during head coach Dean Vickerman's first season with the team in 2017.
That process, so far, has guided United to its best start in franchise history to open the 2025-26 NBL season - tying their 2015-16 team, which also started 9-0 - which is tied for the third best in NBL history. In their sights are a pair of teams who started a season 10-0 (the 03/04 Sydney Kings and 98/99 Melbourne Tigers), and a Geelong Supercats outfit that went 15-0 before their first loss.
Through this nine-game undefeated stretch, United has both the No.1 offence and defence in the league, are the best rebounding team, and have a top-three assist percentage; simply put, most meaningful data points - and, of course, the eye test, will tell you that this is a uniquely dominant team.
But we shouldn't mistake this for dominance born through luck or lightning; it's the steady pulse of process. It's more blueprint than hot streak. It's a culture guided by Vickerman, that permeates through the entire franchise, and guides their decision-making, on and off the court.
'Recruiting good people': How United nailed all three imports
If this season has proven anything, it's that process matters most when recruiting imports. Of the five imports cut by NBL teams so far, four were casualties in part because of poor intel that many around the basketball world were aware of.
Over the last few seasons, United has been a team that filled the top-end of its roster with high-level local talent, while only filling one of the three import slots every team is allotted. That, of course, led to immense success, advancing to back-to-back Championship Series; they'd ultimately fall in the deciding Game 5 of both.
That strategy had worked for United, insofar as sustaining its culture while still winning games, but it would also rob the team of the opportunity to utilise some of the unique skillsets that imports can bring to the table. So, entering this off-season, the team decided on recruiting three imports, but endeavoured to remain hyper-aware of needing to sustain their culture, structure, and standards.
Zoom calls with prospective imports would often have a heap of staffers involved, from Vickerman and his coaching staff, CEO Nick Truelson, COO Mark Boyd, head strength and conditioning coach Jay Ellis, lead physio Steve McAdam, to name just a few. The thinking behind it is sort of a regulatory process: the more people on the call, the better the team can refine the people who'd best fit what the program wants to represent.
"I just think Dean and the coaching staff have a really clear idea of the type of players and people they want in this program," Bowen said. "So, obviously, they'd identify people that are going to fit off the court. I think recruiting good people is a big mantra of the front office and Dean's process."
It's why Milton Doyle's signature was a priority for Vickerman.
"Milton ticked the box of: one of the imports that knows our league, which I think is super important," Vickerman said.
"One of the great things that [Matthew Dellavedova] has was his basketball IQ and his ability to spend time with younger players and push that through, and all the reports from Milt, from [former assistant coach Jacob Chance] were: hey, Milt is gonna shoot with younger guys, he's going to spend time with them, he's going to bring the young guys up."
We saw exactly that at United's practice on Thursday. The 31-year-old Doyle decided to abandon the guards and wings group, and instead joined some of the younger bigs on the other end of the court to join them as they worked on their post games.
"Once we had that piece, I think that allowed us to say, maybe experience is not quite as important with these other spots; maybe we can take a little risk on younger, developing guys that want to get to a higher spot and see this is a great opportunity to develop," Vickerman said.
Enter Jesse Edwards and Tyson Walker.
Edwards - the athletic, 7-foot Dutch big-man - was coming off a two-way contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves, while Walker is a 6'1 guard who last played in the NBA G-League with the Texas Legends. Neither were regarded as high-profile signings, but both have been extremely effective players on both ends to start the season; particularly Edwards, who's averaging 14.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game.
"When Tyson and Jesse got announced, no one was jumping around saying, 'it's over! Melbourne United have got the most stacked team ever'," Goulding said.
"There really wasn't a lot of fanfare, whereas now we've been able to see what they can do a little bit, and they make sense for the pieces that we have around. You know, Milt is a big get. His ability to create his own shot is something we're going to rely on and work off. But, yeah, I think going out and getting good people with the good skill set is what the front office has done."
United spoke to as many as 10 of Walker's former coaches or staffers of team's he's been on before signing him; such was the extent of the intel they sought to make sure he was the right fit both on and off the court.
It's the big challenge of import recruitment. There's a heap of enamouring talent on offer, but, oftentimes, there are off-court red flags or considerations that need to be taken into account. Those are usually the factors that lead to imports being cut midseason, which Vickerman and his staff wanted to avoid.
"We've made mistakes before," Vickerman mused.
"When we went out and we got Shawn [Long] and Melo [Trimble], they were super talented, and we always felt like we were trying to work every day just to make them a closer culture fit to what we were looking for. We got pretty close that year with the semifinal, we weren't far away from winning, but that's the difference.
"It wasn't quite enough to get it done. Now, let's make sure that, whatever the fit for position, the values of SHARE are the first step that we go through. We know that it's going to be a positional fit with size and what they do, but then to dig in after the culture part to say, we think that's a great fit for us."
'Selflessness' and the power of depth
Depth doesn't dilute this United team; it defines them.
When injuries have hit - first to Goulding, then to Ili - the system hasn't stuttered. It's adjusted, absorbed, and kept rolling. Through their nine undefeated games, United's second unit has been a driving force, leading the league in bench scoring at 35.4 points per game. Sure, Goulding has come off the bench since returning from injury, but the sentiment remains: United has 10 players averaging double-digit minutes - 11 if you count the one guy on 9.9 a game - and five averaging double-figure points, pointing to a unique selflessness and depth throughout the roster.
"I think we've been able to rely on our depth through some injuries, and guys have been ready to take opportunities," Goulding said. "Sometimes guys coming into teams have to wait and wait and wait for opportunities to present themselves, but some of those popped up earlier than could have been expected this year... guys have been ready to step in and really solidify our depth."
United has turned selflessness into an art form. It's the first word in the team's SHARE mantra, which is fitting, because Vickerman has learned to treat the sentiment with an admirable level of seriousness.
"When we've gone against the number one quality of 'selfless', that's when we've struggled a little bit. I think we've been a pretty selfless group this year," Vickerman said.
It shows up in the subtleties; a screen set at the right angle, a rotation that saves a teammate, a pass that leads to the extra pass, and players like Kyle Bowen and Fabijan Krslovic have become the embodiment of that mentality. The hard-working, connective forward or big-man is an often-overlooked player in the Australian basketball ecosystem, because the style of player isn't usually a prolific scorer or high-flyer.
"If you undervalue them, then you and I aren't built the same," Barlow said.
"They're hugely important. We're definitely a process-based club - we place a heavy focus on the process - and those guys are an integral part of high-level, elite process. And it's not easy. It's so hard to do what they do. It is unfortunate that, you know, certain people don't quite understand the intricacy and the difficulty of what those guys are able to do and how f--king good they are at their job. But, to be honest, we don't f--king care. We're out here trying to be a high-level unit and win games, and they're massive for us. I've got a huge amount of respect for them, and their value."
Neither Bowen nor Krslovic average more than 6.0 points per game, but both are in the top-five in the entire league in individual defensive rating, and you can feel their presence every time they step on the floor. The team doesn't miss a bit when Finn Delany - who has also been a high-level, effective pickup for United - or Edwards heads to the bench. Krslovic has emerged as, probably, the best wall-up player in the NBL, while Bowen has been an effective connector and extra-possession accumulator for United since his arrival in 2023.
"It's part of the reason why I fell in love with basketball," Bowen said.
"I didn't have any brothers growing up; I've only had a sister. So, I've always just loved, like, the brotherhood and the team aspect of the game. So, whatever I can do to make the guys on my team the best they can be is what I pride myself on. I just love going out there, playing hard, and competing.
"It kind of fits into all those intangibles that guys like me, Fab, [Mason] Peatling is a great example as well; the O boards, the charges, the little one-percenters is what we kind of thrive on and love to do for our team. It just comes down to: how much you want to sacrifice? I'm willing to sacrifice everything for the ultimate goal. Obviously we've come so close, but exactly like I have been for the last two years, I'm ready to sacrifice a lot for this group, for the ultimate goal."
Bowen was named a vice captain ahead of this season, and, watching practice, it's not difficult to see why. He's consistently lifting the group with his energy, and, according to Vickerman, is the regular recipient of the team's belt, offered each week to the player who works the hardest in the weight room.
"If we're living our values, you don't need to be scoring 20 points to be a leader at this club," Vickerman said of Bowen.
"When a guy chips in and scores four points and sets great screens and makes stars better, that's what we love about KB."
Beside him, Krslovic has quietly become one of the NBL's most effective role players: "Stretch fives are just a tough position to fill," Vickerman said. "Did I think he was going to be third in the league in blocked shots? Did I think he was going to shoot the three ball this well? He's second in defensive rating right now. There are really good surprises about what he's come in and done for us."
Speak to the stars that those players are tasked with connecting, and there's a deep appreciation for what that role means within a functional unit.
"They're so valuable to a team, to an organisation, that type of mindset," Goulding said.
"KB' is three years of a mindset that, hey, I'm just going to do whatever it takes, I'm just going to work hard every day. We're now seeing him get rewarded a little bit more. These guys that work on their game, connect, and don't care about personal accolades are worth their weight in gold. We're trying to stack those guys, and hopefully, as I said, you know, we're going to see their individual performances come out, because they're more than capable to go and break open a game."
For United, depth isn't just a luxury; it's their identity. It's a reflection of their process, which has them as the NBL's most complete and organised team.
Dean Vickerman is 'f***ing good at his job'
NBL teams will split up their regular seasons in different ways. Some like to get through a quarter of the season and then take a step back and evaluate, others just hit it game by game and don't think too deeply into it.
For United, they're attacking the season in three-game intervals. Every three-game allotment is its own individual challenge; of course, at 9-0, United has completed three of them without a blemish to their record.
Where did the idea come from?
"Right there," Vickerman said, pointing to a printed out copy of his team's schedule in his office.
"When I just looked at that schedule, I was like, well, how do we attack this season? We've done quarters of the season... can you go 5-2? What can you do? But, this one just seemed really logical to me as I looked at it.
"What does the end of the year need to look like? We need to win three games to win a championship."
If you ask people around Hoop City in Cheltenham - United's practice facility - about Vickerman, you'll usually get a version of, 'we're really lucky to have him'. Of course, you can point to his seven NBL titles - three as a head coach - or three NBL Coach of the Year awards, but it goes beyond that. Vickerman approaches his coaching in a uniquely pedagogic manner; he guides the culture within the program, and is able to put aside circumstance to make sure everyone in the building sticks to the processes that have been established since his appointment almost 10 years ago.
"He's just f***ing good at his job," Barlow said of Vickerman.
"We are lucky to have him. I consider myself really lucky to have played under him and then to now be able to be mentored by him as a coach. I don't want to single anyone out because it is a group effort, but he's f--king responsible for turning the club around and for sustaining the level of success that we've had over a long period of time.
"He's the one that we look to for finality, for final word, on everything, and he's the reason that we have had the success that we've had. He's obviously a brilliant basketball mind, a great leader, good at all the different things that go into being a leader and a head coach, he nails. As a player, I saw that and respected that and was grateful for it. And then I went behind the curtain and saw vastly more than what I expected to see of what he does, and how he manages everything. So, I guess my respect and appreciation for him grew when I joined the coaching staff and I'm even more thankful to learn about the 'why' as to why he's very good at his job, and why we've benefitted from having him."
That respect is universal inside the locker room. Goulding, United's captain, who has been alongside Vickerman for many major chapters of this era, describes his coach as both authoritative and empowering.
"He's got the runs on the board, so, if he comes with something, you don't really question it because, hey, look at what this guy's done previously and his ability to win and lead programs," Goulding said.
"So, when he says, hey, I want to speed things up, we're going to play deeper, we're going to do this, I want to sign this, this, this, it's like, who am I to question that?
"But, one thing I will say, he's really disciplined, his work ethic is off the charts, and I think one of the biggest things - and it's really important - is, yeah, he'll give some guys some leash and whatever it may be, he's a player's coach. But, when it's time to go and it's time to lay down the law and get our heads right and make sure our mindset is right, he's one of the best that doing that as well."
And that was part of the message during Thursday's practice. United is 9-0 and firing on all cylinders, but success can often breed complacency. United has a long break before beginning a stretch of three games in six days; it starts on Monday in Melbourne against a Sydney Kings team with their backs against the well, before Vickerman's team travels to Wollongong for a Championship Series rematch with the Illawarra Hawks on Wednesday. They then return to Melbourne for the second Throwdown of the season: a matchup with an in-rhythm South East Melbourne Phoenix outfit.
"Dean mentioned it in practice," Bowen said. "We've got three games: two teams that are very, very hungry and then our across-town rival on Saturday, who's going to want nothing more than to beat us. So, three ultimate challenges this week and we're just going to take them one at a time."
United is not elite because they're winning. They're winning because they trust the process.