Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings NBL22 Season Preview

By Matt McQuade

 

A new beginning.

It’s a cliché, sure. But one that feels pretty apt when it comes to the Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings as we look toward NBL22; the club’s 33^rd season in the National Basketball League.

Every year in the NBL there is change. And the Kings have seen their fair share of that over the years. But this time, there’s a different feel about the club. It’s been like a serious jolt of energy in the offseason; granted an offseason of uncertainty given the ongoing Covid saga.

And this coming off a campaign in 2020/21 where change and upheaval were the watchwords; where it seemed like every week Sydney had to deal with one kind of adversity or another.

With that (hopefully) in the rear-view mirror – right now it’s almost as though we are going to witness the dawn of a new era.

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That starts with the team’s 15^th head coach and youngest-ever in its history – Chase Buford. The coaching wunderkind has inked a three-year deal and has already stated publicly he intends to honour the terms of the agreement – the kind of stability desperately needed for an organisation that is on its fourth head coach in the last four seasons.

Chase brings an outstanding pedigree, tremendous knowledge and a fresh approach to his new position. Perhaps most importantly, he provides a boost of youthful energy to the club and an exciting game style that will see the purple and gold employ tough, aggressive defence from baseline to baseline and play with serious pace at the offensive end of the court.

He’s been gifted a group of young, tall and explosive athletes at just about every position on the court too. Names like Jaylen Adams, R.J. Hunter and the Maker cousins will quickly become fan favourites, not to mention returning stars like Xavier Cooks and Jarell Martin, who will be even more effective in their second year together.

The result will be a team that figures to be worth the price of admission every time they step out on to the Qudos Bank Arena floor; a group that will play exceptionally hard and represent the purple and gold with enormous pride.

All that is imperative in a competition that boasts more talent than ever before, especially with the reintroduction of a third import; has added a tenth team in the Tasmania JackJumpers and features a number of clubs that have made significant improvements in the offseason.

But this is an exciting time in the Hoops Capital.

And the purple and gold can’t wait to get things started.

 

SYDNEY KINGS

Last season: 19-17, fifth in regular season

2020/21 Points For: 86.4ppg, fifth

2020/21 Points Against: 85.8ppg, fifth

2020/21 Field Goal Percentage: 43.9%, sixth

2020/21 Defensive Field Goal Percentage: 43.6%, third

2020/21 Three Point Field Goal Percentage: 33.4%, ninth

2020/21 Defensive Three Point Field Goal Percentage: 34.2%, sixth

2020/21 Free Throw Percentage: 77.1%, fifth

2020/21 Rebounds: 40.6rpg, fourth

2020/21 Rebound Differential per Game: -0.3, sixth

2020/21 Assists: 16.4apg, seventh

2020/21 Steals: 5.0spg, ninth

2020/21 Blocked Shots: 3.1bpg, sixth

2020/21 Turnovers: 11.1tpg, third

2020/21 Turnovers Forced: 11.4tpg, fifth

2020/21 Turnover Differential per Game: +0.4, fourth

2020/21 Offensive Rating: 111.4, fifth

2020/21 Defensive Rating: 110.5, fourth

NBL Titles: 3 (2003, 2004, 2005)

NBL Playoff Appearances: 15 (last time 2020)

Homecourt: Qudos Bank Arena, capacity 18,000

Head Coach: Chase Buford (NBL rookie head coach)

Incoming: Jaylen Adams (import – Milwaukee Bucks (NBA)); R.J. Hunter (import – Turkey); Matur Maker (NBA G-League); Makur Maker (Next Star – Howard University); Biwali Bayles (University of Hawaii); Wani Swaka Lo Buluk (injury replacement player – Perth Wildcats); Jayden Hodgson (development Player); Ignatius Mitchell (development player); Head Coach Chase Buford

Outgoing: Casper Ware (import – Russia); Brad Newley (Melbourne United); Craig Moller (Germany); Jarrad Weeks (Tasmania JackJumpers); Daniel Kickert (retired); Head Coach Adam Forde (Cairns Taipans)

Projected Starters: Jaylen Adams (import); R.J. Hunter (import); Xavier Cooks; Jarell Martin (import); Jordan Hunter

Bench: Shaun Bruce; Matur Maker; Makur Maker (Next Star); Angus Glover; Tom Vodanovich; Biwali Bayles; Jaylin Galloway (development player); Jayden Hodgson (development Player); Ignatius Mitchell (development player); Wani Swaka Lo Buluk (injury replacement player); Dejan Vasiljevic (injured reserve)

 

CENTRE

With the amount of frontcourt talent this team has brought in to the squad during the offseason, this starting position feels very much like a horses for courses situation for Head Coach Chase Buford. That is, with the amount of quality bigs he has to choose from, especially in the middle, it may be the case that this position is rotated depending on the individual matchup that night. For now, the incumbent is the man who finished second in the NBL21 Most Improved Award, and that’s Jordan Hunter (9.0ppg, 6.3rpg, 1.1bpg, 56.8% FG, 73.0% FT). Thrust into a prominent role after barely playing the previous season, Jordan thrived as a pick-setting, rim to rim runner and strong rebounder, providing an unexpected solid presence in the middle. He’ll be asked to do more in NBL21 and there’s no doubt he has the capability to go to yet another level. Once he recovers from the broken finger he suffered at preseason training, which will keep him on the shelf for a month or so, expect a big season from Jordi.

 

FORWARDS

Talk about your dynamic duos. Sydney Kings fans are yet to see a full season from Xavier Cooks and Jarell Martin, but they got a taste of the potential this frontcourt combo boasts in the team’s late-season win on the road over the Illawarra Hawks in NBL21. The two combined for 42 points and 23 rebounds that night and were thoroughly dominant, and provided the injury bug stays well away are going to be an enormous strength of this roster.

Martin (17.9ppg, 7.0rpg, 50.0% FG, 40.0% 3PT FG, 78.4% FT) overcame various ailments to lead the team in scoring and rebounding last season. He’s one of the most gifted frontcourt players in the NBL, a big body who is a wide load in the post yet can put the ball on the floor and attack the basket from any angle, has a variety of moves in the low block and shooting range out to the perimeter.

Cooks (10.3ppg, 5.1rpg, 2.5apg, 1.0bpg, 53.4% FG, 50.0% 3PT FG, 62.5% FT) played just eight games last season thanks to his preseason foot injury, and will be desperate for an injury-free campaign to show just what a super talent he is. Blessed with great athleticism and tremendous length, he’s a nightmare for any defence, particularly close to the basket; defensively he’s a rebounder and rim protector who can control the airspace around the opposition goal. The keys from him this season is how consistent he can become as a legitimate three-point threat and his ability to defend at the three spot against the many great NBL wings – if all that happens, Xavier will have unlocked even more of his undoubted NBA potential.

 

GUARDS

With Casper Ware off to ply his trade in Russia, the Kings needed an impact player at his position to replace the NBL21 All-NBL Second Team selection, and they believe they have one in Jaylen Adams, who played for Coach Buford at the Wisconsin Herd in the NBA G-League and has NBA experience with Atlanta, Milwaukee and Portland. Jaylen is a super competitor across the board with extreme talent; he can score at all three levels, distribute the ball extremely well and is an aggressive, disruptive defender. Don’t be surprised if Jaylen figures in some MVP chatter by midway through the season.

Given that Dejan Vasiljevic is on the shelf for an unknown period, the Kings will likely begin NBL22 with an all-import starting backcourt for just the second time in franchise history as former NBA first round draft pick of the Boston Celtics, R.J. Hunter, dons the purple and gold. A born scorer, Hunter is one of those guys who is a threat anytime he crosses the midcourt line. He can fill it up from the perimeter or the midrange, and if he gets in a rhythm can drop 30 on your head on any given night. The Adams/Hunter backcourt combo has the potential to be one of the best in the league.

 

BENCH

The one thing that immediately jumps out at you about this roster – aside from the high-end talent level – is the extraordinary depth, something that was blatantly obvious during the NBL Blitz. You wouldn’t envy Coach Buford in some aspects because he has to juggle minutes and roles on a group that could legitimately go 11 or 12 deep. One suspects that the reserves will chop and change depending on nightly matchups, but a constant will be one of the best backup guards in the league in Shaun Bruce, who’ll lead the second unit brilliantly. Then you’ve got the massive potential of Makur Maker and Matur Maker, two cousins whose great size, length and ability could terrorise the NBL this season. Tom Vodanovich did a great job with his minutes last season, Angus Glover is itching to show what he’s capable of and he was sensational at the Blitz, young Biwali Bayles is an enormous talent at the point, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk comes in as a quality short-term replacement for Dejan Vasiljevic and even development player Jaylin Galloway can give this team some production from the pine. And of course, you’ve still got a superb backcourt weapon in DJ Vasiljevic to add to the mix. You get the sense that opposing teams won’t get a break this season when the Kings deploy their bench troops.

 

BURNING QUESTION

Can Chase Buford bring all this talent together into a cohesive unit? A first-year NBL head coach always has his challenges to deal with, but getting these guys to buy into his philosophy – and agreeing to sacrifice, in some aspects – might be Coach Buford’s biggest task, especially once Dejan Vasiljevic returns to the fold. Coaches will never admit there’s such a thing as too much talent, but it can be a problem if guys won’t accept roles and chemistry becomes an issue. Juggling minutes for this talent-laden group is something Sydney’s head coach will have to work through this season.

 

KEVIN LISCH SAYS

I don’t want to give too much away, but we’ve got some players and a really fun coach to play for. I’m really excited about the season and the guys we have. We got rid of some of that old riff-raff you know (laughs), some of the old guys, and we brought in some young liveliness which has been so much fun to be a part of. I can’t wait for the season to get going.

 

PROGNOSIS

Such is the excitement surrounding the Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings this season that records have already been broken in early ticket sales and the betting agencies have the team as the outright favourite to win the NBL22 championship. Long-time fans understand that level of expectation in this city is nothing new, but it’s also a lot to live up to for a new head coach in Chase Buford and a group that features no less than six new players. It might take a little while for this young squad to find their feet, but there’s no question that with their enormous talent, great size up front and perimeter shooting by the truckload that the purple and gold are at the very least a serious playoff contender.

 

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