Dane Pineau is enjoying his first few months not being a professional basketballer after selflessly retiring from the NBL and is desperate for his NBL1 South season with the Sandringham Sabres to continue beyond this weekend.

There was no reason the 30-year-old centre couldn't have extended his NBL career beyond the 164 games he played at the Sydney Kings, South East Melbourne Phoenix and finally, the New Zealand Breakers.

However, he decided he couldn’t live with himself if he took the roster spot from an up and coming young player desperate for a chance just like he was back in 2017 when he was back home from Saint Mary's University.

Now a few months later and Pineau is a freshly married man to Louise, has started a new job as part of the Major Client Group with the Commonwealth Bank, and is excited ahead of another finals series in the NBL1 South with Sandringham.

After starting the season losing the opening six matches where Pineau was also hindered by a knee injury, the Sabres went on an 11-game winning streak and won 12 of the last 13 games to finish the NBL1 South season in fifth position.

They will now host the Hobart Chargers in an elimination final this Saturday night, and Pineau is desperate to advance in a team coached by Dave Barlow, and featuring Ben Ayre, Fabijan Krslovic, Tom Koppens, Malith Machar and Dash Daniels.

"I've always just loved being around great players and I've got to do that a lot throughout my career," Pineau said.

"There's all these guys on my team now and that I've played with that can do so many things that I could never do so I just love being a part of it for that reason.

"But we've got a lot of talent for sure and I did feel like that last year as well so there's definitely no getting ahead of myself.

"Maybe we were a little bit too confident last year going into the prelim so I never want to get too far ahead, but I would say we feel confident because we know we can compete with every team for sure.

"We go into every game thinking we can win but it's just tough in single elimination games where anything can happen."

Embracing star-studded Sabres team

After having stints at the Kilsyth Cobras, Melbourne Tigers and Diamond Valley Eagles in between NBL seasons, Pineau has settled with Sandringham in what is a third season.

He is especially loving everything about being part of this team for 2025 and he can't help but getting caught up enjoying watching new Tasmania JackJumpers guard Ayre play.

But on a team still featuring Barlow as a playing coach along with NBL26 rostered players Krslovic, Koppens, Machar and Daniels, he sees it as a team too good to get knocked out on Saturday night.

"I do love playing with this group and this is my second year around playing with Ben Ayre and he's so fun to watch," Pineau said.

"As a basketball player, he's pretty aesthetically pleasing with the way he moves about the court and how skilful he is.

"I've played with Fabs back in the Under-19 World Championships so to get to play with him again has been pretty cool for me, and obviously Tommy Koppens and this is my first time with Malith Machar.

"That's been really fun and it's so cool for 'Ticket' to also get his opportunity in the NBL which is so well deserved."

Teammates with future superstars

Coming off his last NBL season with the Breakers and this season with the Sabres in the NBL1, Pineau is proud that for the rest of his life he's going to say he was a teammate of NBL Next Stars Karim Lopez and Dash Daniels.

It wouldn’t be a shock to see both the Breakers and Melbourne United players for the upcoming NBL season be lottery picks in the NBA Draft in 2026. Pineau will be happy to ride on their coat tails however he can.

"With the Next Star Dash as well, I got to play with Karim Lopez and now Dash too so I feel like I've got to play with two of the lottery picks for next year which is pretty fun for me," Pineau said.

"Those guys are only 17 so they are going to be still playing by the time I'm old and might have kids by then, and I'll be able to say I actually played with a guy who's playing in the NBA and doing way better things than I ever did.

"I'll be hitting them both up for tickets in five or six years' time that's for sure."

Adjusting to retirement life

Pineau has been a busy man in 'retirement' life following his last NBL game with the Breakers against the eventual champion Illawarra Hawks back on February 5 where he even got on the floor to make a bucket and get up just the 18th three-point attempt of his 164-game career.

The first task was moving back to Melbourne. Considering his time over the previous decade spent at college and then living in Sydney for two years and Auckland for the last two, he was excited to settle at home.

The wedding to his sweetheart, Louise, also went off without a hitch and now he's getting used to living a life after being a professional basketballer.

"I’m so happy, the wedding went great and I'm super excited about my future with Lou. It's also just so good being back home with my family and friends as well," Pineau said.

"I've been away a lot so getting to see everyone a bit more regularly and not rushing around to see them while I'm back has just been great.

"I've got a little niece and a couple of nephews so I'm getting to hang out with more as they are growing up a bit, and it just feels really nice to be settled and I can't wait to be a fan in the stands for the games this NBL season.

"That's going to be great for me and the teams are starting their pre-season now and I don’t feel like I wish I was them at the minute so I think that's a good sign I retired at the right time. I just can't wait to be a supporter now which I always was before I started playing."

Starting a new career

Pineau had no idea really what he wanted to do career-wise when he did finish up life as a full-time basketball player, but then the chance popped up at the Commonwealth Bank.

He is loving already being in that new role as part of the Major Client Group.

"I'm really lucky too because I've got a job at the Commonwealth Bank and my team there has been super welcoming and helpful to me as I've been transitioning in," he said..

"I feel really lucky that I've got a team around me that I get along with really well and I look forward to going to work with them every day, which is a very lucky thing for sure as I'm moving into this next phase of life that I've got to be part of a team like this right away."

Juggling playing and working

While Pineau is enjoying the new work life he has started and his love of basketball will mean he wants to keep playing for as long as possible, it has also been a rapid adjustments.

Suddenly having to manage a knee injury largely on his own at least on a daily basis when not at practice or on game night has been something that's taken some adjusting to.

But in the bigger picture, what Pineau now has is an even greater respect for players who for a long time have played at NBL1 level while also juggling work and family life.

"It's given me a lot of respect for the people that have done it before me and who have done it for a lot longer than I have since this is my first time," Pineau said.

"I did get pretty tired this year and we had a couple of mid-week games as well and I found that really tough with the mental fatigue I had to shake off from having to sit down and concentrate all day in the office.

"I haven’t had to do that for a long time so it did catch up with me a few games this year for sure and I can feel it now that I'm not training as much as the full-time players so my conditioning isn’t quite what it was when I was in the NBL.

"The other big adjustment from not being in a professional environment, now I do find that I have to look out for myself a lot more which I've had to do with the bit of a knee complaint that I've had to manage.

"It has been a little bit trickier in that regard but at the same time, I really look forward to trainings now because after being at work all day what gets me through that I have to look forward to training that night," he added.

"I've appreciated it this year and I think next year I'll appreciate it even more having had a bit of a break during the NBL season when I can go back to being a fan."

Chris Pike

Newly retired Pineau focused on Sabres success