Matthew Dellavedova was an undrafted player who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and won a championship. Lately, you will see him spending more time on the bench than playing on the court.

Know what happened to Matthew Dellavedova as he transitioned from a promising player to a bench warmer.

Who is Matthew Dellavedova?

Matthew William Dellavedova is of Italian-Australian descent, born on September 8, 1990, in  Maryborough, Victoria, Australia, to parents Mark and Leanne Dellavedova, with two younger sisters, Yana and Ingrid. The family loves sports; his father played Australian football, his mom was into netball, and his sisters played basketball at their universities.

Dellavedova was happily married to Anna Schroeder on July 1, 2017, with a three-year-old boy, Anders Ralph. Anna was a volleyball player and an honor student at St. Mary’s College in California.

High School Years

Dellavedova attended high school at Maryborough Regional College and played basketball for the Maryborough Blazers and Bendigo Blazers in his junior year. Before focusing on basketball, he was also into tennis, soccer, and Australian football. Between 1999 and 2001, Dellavedova made 32 goals in 26 games on the soccer field.

After his Victoria Stint,  Dellavedova attended the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra in 2007 and played in the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL) until 2009. In his final year, he played for nine games averaging  10.9 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 3.0 APG.

College Career

Dellavedova was called up by the Saint Mary’s College of California in 2009 to wear the Gaels basketball jersey. He wasted no time proving his worth in his first year (2009-10), averaging 12.1 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 4.5 APG. The Gaels reached the Sweet Sixteen of the 2010 March Madness edition by winning 28 games and upsetting Villanova Wildcats (75-68) on Dellavedova’s dagger free throws late in the game.

At 6’4″, Dellavedova’s built, court savvy, and Aussie grit made him a reliable scoring punch. He has a decent percentage from long and short range, reads the defense, and uses a speed change in maneuvering to the basket. Dellavedova keeps his balance when moving sideways, beating his guard, making pull-up shots, or breaking out from screens. Dellavedova is a good pick-and-roll player using his entire repertoire of passes for open looks to teammates.

Dellavedova has an excellent defensive stance by keeping his body low with his arms outstretched and busy. He can maintain his position while receiving bumps from offensive players and is a constant threat to pick the ball. Dellavedova sticks to his man and comes to his man repeatedly in every possession. 

In 2013, Dellavedova was chosen as an Academic All-American and a contender for the Senior Class Award. He graduated in the same year with a degree in psychology from St. Mary’s College. Dellavedova’s production in his four year stint with the Gaels of 14.2 PPG, 5.6 APG, 132 GP, 0.86 FT%, and 2.1 3P made him the all-time leader in all departments.

Dellavedova’s #4 jersey was retired by St. Mary’s College on February 15, 2014, at the Mckeon Pavilion.

Matthew Dellavedova NBA Career Highlights

Despite Dellavedova’s impressive college basketball credentials, the NBA franchises didn’t offer him a contract. Dellavedova wasn’t picked in the 2013 NBA Rookie Draft but played for the Cavs in the 2013 NBA Summer League. The Cavs’ management was impressed with Dellavedova’s performance and signed him to a two-year contract.

Cleveland Cavaliers (2013-16)

In his rookie year, Dellavedova saw action 72 times with an average playing time of 17.7 minutes. He had a fantastic game against the Detroit Pistons, scoring 21 points and six dish-offs in a 97-96 win.

Dellavedova suffered a sprained left knee (MCL) against the Portland Trail Blazers on November 4, 2014, and was out for four weeks. On February 11, 2015, Dellavedova was called to suit up for the Rising Stars Challenge in the 2015 NBA All-Star weekend. The Cavs defeated the Bulls in six games behind Dellavedova’s team-high 19 points to close in on the Conference Finals. 

The stage was set for the Eastern Conference Finals versus the Hawks, which the Cavs swept to march to the 2015 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. Kyrie Irving was injured in Game 3, Dellavedova stepped up with a 20-point performance as the Cavs had a 2-1 edge. The Warriors went on to win the next three games for the championship, and Dellavedova had a miserable 19 percent from the field.

The Cavs re-signed Dellavedova in season 2015-16. He had a career-high 13 assists in a win against the Bucks and a season-high 20 points (7 of 10 shooting) in a win over the 76ers. Dellavedova had to sit out five games due to a strained ankle in February 2016. It was back to the NBA Finals for the Cavs by dispatching the Raptors in six games for the Eastern Conference Championship—the Cavs face-off with their archnemesis, the Golden State Warriors, for the 2016 NBA Finals trophy. In the second go, the Warriors buried the Cavs to a 3-1 hole, but the Cavs clawed back to snatch the trophy and made NBA history by becoming the first team to do the feat.

Milwaukee Bucks (2016-18)

Dellavedova was traded to the Bucks on July 7, 2016.

In his debut game, Dellavedova was a starter and played for 29 minutes scoring 11 points in a losing cause to the Hornets (107-96). He had a season-high 18 points in a win against the Brooklyn Nets. After 30 game starts, he missed five games due to strained right hamstring. In season 2016-17, Dellavedova had 54 starts in 76 contests and career-high averages of 7.6 points and 4.7 assists.

Injuries plagued Dellavedova in the 2017-18 season, with 15 games with left knee tendinitis and 29 for right ankle sprain. He had a season-high ten assists in an OT loss to the Raptors on January 1, 2018. Dellavedova played six games for the Bucks, losing to the Celtics in seven in the First Round playoffs.

Cleveland (2018-21)

In his return game, Dellavedova scored 11 points in 16 minutes, losing to the Bucks.

He bested his career-high 13 assists with 14 in a win over the Nuggets on March 7, 2020.

The Cavs signed Dellavedova in season 2020-21. However, he fell victim to multiple injuries, from concussion to a neck strain cutting his number of games played to 13. The Cavs management did not renew his contract for the next season; instead, he played for Melbourne United in Australia.

Sacramento Kings (2022-23)

Dellavedova is back in the NBA, donning a Sacramento Kings Jersey. The franchise is in the third spot in the Western Conference and wants to end a 16-year playoff drought. 

Dellavedova’s presence beefs up the formidable roster of Domantas Sabonis, De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk, Kevin Huerter, and Kevin Huerter.

What Happened to Matthew Dellavedova?

Dellavedova played college basketball at Saint Mary’s College of California and then went undrafted in the 2013 NBA draft. He later signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers and spent his first three seasons (2013-16) there, where he became known for his tenacious defense and ability to make clutch shots.

In 2016, Dellavedova became a restricted free agent and signed an offer sheet with the Milwaukee Bucks, which the Cavaliers’ management decided not to match. Dellavedova wore the Bucks jersey for two and a half seasons (2016-18) before getting traded back to the Cavaliers in 2018. He played for Cleveland until 2021, when the team waived him. Injuries plagued him in his last season with the Cavs, limiting Dellavedova to 13 games.

With no takers after being dropped by the Cavaliers, Dellavedova signed with Melbourne United in August 2021, marking his return to the National Basketball League (NBL). Matthew Dellavedova’s contract in Australia covers three years and allows him to negotiate with NBA teams interested in re-signing him. 

After a year of playing for Melbourne United, the Sacramento Kings signed him to a one-year, partially guaranteed deal on July 29, 2022. Dellavedova was reunited with former Cavs coach Mike Brown during his rookie year.

Did Matthew Dellavedova Retire?

He did not retire, Matthew Dellavedova’s contract with the Sacramento Kings was for one year.

In the NBA season 2022-23. He played 30 games coming off the bench with a limited time of 6.4 minutes and 1.4 PPG. 

Wrapping Things Up: What Happened to Matthew Dellavedova?

Matthew Dellavedova is a veteran guard with a wealth of playing experience earned from playing in the NBA and internationally. He is one of the few NBA players who wear an NBA ring. But, Dellavedova was hounded by injuries keeping him mainly on the bench.

Matthew Dellavedova’s contract with the Sacramento Kings is an opportunity to renew his fledgling career. Hopefully, we’ll witness Dellavedova’s breakout game come playoffs.

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