The Brisbane Bullets
Currently, the Brisbane Bullets are a professional men’s basketball team that competes in the National Basketball League. They were a member of the league from 1979 to 2008. The team returned to the league in 2016 and is led by head coach Andrew White III.
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Andrew White III to become head coach
During the NBA offseason, Brisbane Bullets have signed US import Andrew White III. The 6-foot-6 forward joins the team after spending time with Atlanta Hawks and Buyukcekmece Basketbol in Turkey.
As an NCAA college player at Nebraska, White averaged 16.6 points and 5.9 rebounds in two seasons. He finished the 2015-16 season with 112 3-pointers. He also tied a career high with four steals in a home win against the Boston University Terriers. He was named the ACC’s top freshman in college basketball.
White has been working on his game, aiming to be a 3-and-D guy like Danny Green. He is adjusting to the longer NBA three-point shot. He is also working on defense. He hopes to earn an invitation to the NBA Draft.
The Brisbane Bullets are hopeful that White III will be available for the team’s December 14 game against the Cairns Taipans. However, the team will have to make an announcement in due course.
Tyrell Harrison sets season high in blocks
Despite being undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft, Tyrell Harrison has set a career high in blocks for the Brisbane Bullets. He also set a new team record for assists in an Australia – NBL game. He also had 9 rebounds and 1 assist.
The Bullets started the season with a 31-6 first quarter against South East Melbourne. This was the biggest first quarter lead in club history. However, the Bullets went cold in the second period. They led by just seven points at the halftime break.
Brisbane’s lead was cut to 31 after the third term. However, the Bullets were able to erase the deficit at the last change. They started the final quarter on a 10-0 run. The Bullets took the lead for good with nine minutes remaining.
Bryce Cotton scored 30 points in the game. He had three triples and made three free throws. He is known to like playing against the Bullets. He matched his previous NBA best of 21 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014.
Koen Sapwell, son of former NBL forward Rupert Sapwell, played for the Phoenix last year. He also played college basketball in the U.S. During the off-season, he worked out in front of NBA scouts.
Nathan Sobey sets season high in efficiency
Despite a slow start and a loss to the Adelaide 36ers, the Brisbane Bullets ended the season as the best defensive team in the NBL. The team averaged 10.4 points per game, but they allowed the most turnovers in the league.
Nathan Sobey was named to the All-NBL First Team, a testament to his strong performance in 2021. He also earned First-Team All-Conference honors. Sobey was the most efficient player in the NBL this year, scoring a career-high 35 points in a loss to the Sydney Kings. He shot 52.4% from the field and 77% from the free-throw line.
The Bullets are hoping that their young players will step up to the challenge in a big way this season. Aside from the obvious point guard, the team has several imports and local players.
The Bullets ranked in the top 10 for opponent scoring efficiency in the first five games of the season. But the team is not likely to make it to the finals in NBL23 unless they add some firepower.
Leroy Loggins played for the team
During his time with the Brisbane Bullets, Leroy Loggins became one of the most popular basketball players in Australia. Known for his charisma and skill, he changed the way the game was played. In fact, he was voted the most valuable player in the NBL in 1983, 1984 and 1986. In addition, he was a member of the Australian national team and represented his country at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
Leroy Loggins is a two-time MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and All-NBL First team selection. He has a total of 11 NBL All-Star Game appearances. He is also a three-time NBL Champion and has been named an Australian Basketball Hall of Fame inductee.
After his NBL career ended, Leroy Loggins went on to play in the NBA. He was considered to be the best import ever to play in the NBL, and was nicknamed “Leapin’ Leroy”.
When he was 18 years old, Leroy Loggins was captain of the Bullets. As a senior, he led his team to two championships and two NBL Semi-finals.