Moon-man. Mr. Double-Double. Moons. John “Double-Double” Mooney.
These are just a few of the many nicknames given to the 6-foot-9 former Notre Dame forward since joining the Perth Wildcats, one of nine teams in Oceania’s most popular professional basketball association, the NBL.
Similar to the fanfare he received in South Bend, Mooney quickly became a crowd favorite in Western Australia thanks to his consistency on both ends of the court. In 17 games, he’s averaging 17.5 points and an NBL-leading 12.2 rebounds, 2.9 more than the next closest player.
Mooney is the only player in the NBL averaging a double-double.
For Fighting Irish fans, Mooney’s statistical consistency should sound familiar. As a senior forward for Notre Dame, he finished second in division one men’s basketball with 12.7 rebounds per game and averaged 16.2 points, the seventh-best mark in the ACC.
According to Mooney, his four years under the tutelage of Irish head coach Mike Brey prepared him well for his career in professional basketball, including Brey’s offensive system.
“How we played at Notre Dame helped me: it’s free-flowing, and it’s a lot of read and react,” Mooney said. “That’s also how the game is over here.”
But even given Mooney’s immediate success in his first year of professional basketball in Australia, he’s actually ineligible to win the NBL’s coveted Rookie of the Year award, most recently won by current Charlotte Hornet guard LaMelo Ball.
The award is reserved for local players or those in the league’s ‘Next Stars’ program, which is an avenue for highly touted prep basketball players, such as the aforementioned Ball, to bypass college in preparation for the NBA (similar to the recent G-League model).
Because Mooney went to college first, he’s considered an “import” and is on a reserved contract.
This is family territory for Mooney. As a senior at Notre Dame, he was also left off the 25-player midseason watch list for the Wooden Award, which recognizes college basketball's player of the year. He did, however, garner first-team All-ACC honors.
But the “Moon-man” couldn’t give a damn about midseason watchlists or international awards.
First and foremost, he’s a team-first guy.
Lost Final Season
Notre Dame handed Boston College an 80-58 loss in the second round of the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament on March 11, 2020. This was Mooney’s final collegiate game, only that wouldn’t be evident until the following day.
At the moment, it appeared to be the type of momentum-shifting victory the Fighting Irish, a team on the NCAA Tournament bubble, required prior to a quarterfinals matchup with Virginia, the sport’s reigning national champion.
Then before the Irish could take on the Cavaliers, the remainder of the ACC Tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the NCAA Tournament and the rest of winter and spring college athletics soon to follow.
In an instance, Mooney’s Fighting Irish career was finished without a real conclusion.
“My college career ended very abruptly and not how we, as a group, wanted it to end,” Mooney said. “I thought we were playing our best basketball towards the end of the season, and we were ready to make a run. But it happens, and obviously, you want safety to come first.
“As a group, we made amends. Certainly sitting down with TJ Gibbs and Rex Pflueger after that — the other two seniors on the team —we just looked back and enjoyed the four years that we had together. The bonds and the friendships that I made were priceless.”
But as Mooney processed his lost opportunities, it was also time to take stock of his basketball future.
He returned to his family home near Orlando, Fla., and linked up with his trainer, Darryl Hardin.
“I was in the gym with him every day,” Mooney said. “Fortunately, we had gym access. We were getting reps in and I had a chance to play some scrimmages down there in Central Florida. It was just a matter of staying in shape, and being ready when my time came.”
The next step in the process was to find representation. He signed with Adam Pensack, co-owner of the basketball agency Pensack Sports (where former Notre Dame center Jack Cooley is also a client).
Pensack also represents former Providence guard and current Perth Wildcat Bryce Cotton.
“There was already a good relationship between the coaching staff and my agent,” Mooney said. “Things just kind of worked out, and honestly, I wouldn’t trade this experience that I'm going through right now for anything. It's been awesome. The coaching staff is great; the guys are great. I really think I’m becoming a better basketball player over here.”
NBL Favorites
On the court, the structure of professional basketball in Australia is similar to the college game, with a few differences.
The NBL follows the rules created by the International Basketball Federation, which includes 10-minute quarters and a 24-second shot clock. Its season consists of a 28-game regular season, plus an extra eight games as part of the inaugural NBL Cup.
Taking place mid-season, the cup is billed as a month-long “basketball extravaganza” with the majority of the games held in Melbourne’s John Cain Arena. The Wildcats were actually the inaugural winners with a 7-1 NBL Cup record, earning the team $300,000 in prize money.
Through mid-April, Perth’s 15-5 record puts the Wildcats just half a game behind league-leader Melbourne United.
Even before the addition of “Mr. Double Double,” the Wildcats were the premier franchise of the 42-year-old NBL. They’ve won a league-best 10 championships, including five of the last seven under the leadership of current head coach Trevor Gleeson.
“He’s one of the best that this league has ever seen,” Mooney said. “There's a reason for that. He expects a lot out of his players.”
Going forward, the Wildcats will also receive a major boost from its loyal fanbase. The NBL recently reinstated its in-person attendance policy. Boasting a 14,800-person capacity, Perth’s RAC Arena is the second-largest stadium in the league. Known as the “Red Army,” Wildcat fans are as rabid as they come.
“The Australian people love basketball, and it's a growing game,” Mooney said. “The NBL is one of the most popular, if not the most popular, sports league lead over here.
“The fans are nuts. Perth is one of the best environments I’ve played in.”
At the end of the regular season, the four teams with the best records will earn spots in the NBL Finals. This two-round tournament consists of a best-of-three Semi-Finals and a best-of-five Grand Finals.
Halfway through the regular season, the Wildcats are the odds-on favorite to repeat as champions.
“My ultimate goal is to play in the NBA one day,” Mooney said. “But right now, I'm going to just try to do my job here and help my team win. We have a goal to win a championship here. That’s first and foremost, and then I’ll revisit playing in the States after this year.”
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