The Road Diary: Mitch McCarron

Adelaide 36ers captain Mitch McCarron certainly knows his way around the world.

Since the NBL22 season finished, the 189cm point guard has been to five countries in the past four months, with so many flights, even he can’t remember them all.

“I have really lost count, but with all the transfers it would have to be over 15,” McCarron said.

“It could be a lot more than that, they are just the ones I remember.”

McCarron led the Australian Boomers to FIBA Asia Cup triumph in July in Indonesia, while also wearing the green and gold in the United Arab Emirates and most recently, Kazakhstan.

“It was wild, getting over there and seeing all the snow, the wind is super cold, it was starting to warm up in Adelaide, so it was a big climate change,” McCarron said.

“I didn’t expect that at all from Kazakhstan.”

McCarron and his Boomers teammates won 97-50 on a basketball court in the middle of a velodrome.

“That was a bit weird, usually at FIBA level the trainings are sanctioned off and no one can get in, but there was a cycling team going around the track,” McCarron said.

“We were saying if we miss a shot badly or threw it out of bounds, it could end terribly for one of these cyclists.”

Besides his Australian commitments, the point guard also flew weekly after the NBL23 pre-season started in Adelaide to play for Northside Wizards in the NBL1 North competition.

Then there was a week for the NBL Blitz in the Top End, with McCarron flying up to Darwin for a day to be part of the marketing campaign.

Straight after Darwin, the 36ers went on a two-week trip to the US where Adelaide became the first NBL team to beat an NBA team with a 134-124 win against Phoenix Suns.

Being away from home is now even more tough for McCarron, who has young son Oslo at home with wife, Abby.

“Everyone has to do it, travelling on the road with the guys is cool and Kazakhstan was different but definitely missing my young family at home,” McCarron said.

“The most I’ve been home, it couldn’t be more than a week, a week and a half at the most.”

McCarron said he is not a massive routine guy on the road and goes with the flow.

“I’m trying to get my Frequent Flyers up and if I get to Platinum, I’d have more of a routine, but I’m not,” McCarron said.

“Jazzy (team manger Jared Campbell) would have the most Frequent Flyer points and I think he would have stolen a few of mine as well.”

The captain leads on and off the floor, putting his hand up to get behind the wheel and drive the team around the cities.

“I put my hand up because I don’t think we have enough qualified drivers, so I think I have to,” McCarron said.

“I’ve been doing it for the past few years now, I did it a little bit in Melbourne as well, I guess that is one of my roles.”

Seven-time club MVP Daniel Johnson has been constant roommate for McCarron this season.

“I’ve been with DJ the whole time and he is pretty chill, he doesn’t say a lot,” McCarron said.

“But we have been having some great conversations.”

One big talking point from last Thursday night’s 91-86 win against Melbourne United at John Cain Arena was McCarron’s dunk on Lachlan Barker.

“I didn’t think I’d get up there to be honest, so I thought I’d go up there, maybe get fouled and finish but I thought ‘I might as well’ while I’m up here,” McCarron said.

“It felt a little different to be hanging on the rim for the first time in a couple of years.

“I got one on the back of my head, so I thought I’d give him a tap on the head, but they didn’t like that, so I got a tech(nical foul).”

After the highlight play, the 36ers captain tripped over former United backcourt partner Chris Goulding.

“I was looking at the bench running back, then referee signalled something, so I started to talk to him trying to have a conversation and he started walking away from me, so I tried to follow him and I fell over Chris,” McCarron said.

“I feel really bad about that, but glad it wasn’t his head.”

The incident drew the ire of the Melbourne crowd, who just two seasons ago, was cheering as McCarron won an NBL championship for United in 2021.

“It was a little bit different, but then I’ve had a lot of people reach out to me to say to not look into it too much,” McCarron said.

“Chris is the face of United and Melbourne basketball for a long, long time now.

“Hopefully everyone can look back at that and see it was accidental.

In Auckland on Sunday, McCarron celebrated his 200^th NBL game, and despite the 89-83 loss to the Breakers, he reflected on his journey so far.

“It’s not just looking at the number and the accomplishment for myself,” McCarron said.

“It’s about looking back at the memories and the people you have played with and the friendships you have made and the rollercoaster you go through playing professional sports.

“The highs and lows and everything, and you look back on when you’re a kid growing up and a teenager trying to win and I never expected to be in the position I am in. I am super lucky.”

McCarron said he had all of the emotions when he saw his milestone video for the first time before tip off on Sunday.

“I don’t watch too much highlight videos of myself, but that was really nice, I appreciate it and everyone involved, it really means a lot,” he said.